102-003 Australia and America

Students are not permitted to undertake within a 12-month period more than two undergraduate subjects offered by the Australian Centre.

This subject examines, in a comparative context, historical and cultural developments in the United States and Australia with an emphasis on issues of national identity and social memory from the mid-19th century until the present day. In tracing the similarities and differences in the experiences of these two nations, the following themes will be discussed: frontier histories and the rights of Indigenous people; issues of civil rights explored through ethnicity and gender; immigration and its resulting social and political consequences; war and society; crime and punishment; style and representation of political leadership and cultural influences; foreign policy and the ramifications of terrorism. The subject will also investigate the ways Australians and Americans have viewed each other's societies, and the cultural and political ties between the two countries.

• Time management and planning: through managing and organizing workloads for recommended reading, essay and assignment

• Research: through competent use of the library and other information sources, and the definition of areas of inquiry and methods of research

• Critical thinking and analysis: through recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion, and by determining the strength of an argument

• Thinking in theoretical terms: through lectures, tutorial discussion, essay writing and engagement in the methodologies of the humanities and social sciences

• Understanding of social, ethical and cultural context: through the contextualisation of judgments, developing a critical self-awareness, being open to new ideas and possibilities and by constructing an argument

A document exercise of 1500 words 30% (due mid-semester), a research essay of 2500 words 60% (due during the examination period) and class presentation 10%. Students must complete all assignments and attend at least 70% of classes to be eligible for assessment.

A subject reader will be available from the Bookroom at the beginning of semester.