102-211 Migrant Nation: Culture and Identity

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

This subject allows students to engage critically with Australia as a migrant nation, identifying its complex nature through a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Topics covered include the history and politics of Australian immigration, multicultural policies, theories of multiculturalism, migrant cultural forms and display, racial politics, refugee issues, case studies of migrant communities and ethnic/national identities. Students will engage with the work of historians, social and cultural theorists, policy makers, activists, writers and artists. This course will appeal to anyone with an interest in immigration, multiculturalism, ethnicity and national identity and those who seek to understand contemporary Australian society.

• acquire skills in the following areas as a result of attendance at scheduled classes, participation in planned activities and discussion groups, and timely completion of essays and assignments:

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

• 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;

• communicating knowledge intelligibly and economically: through essay writing and tutorial discussion; written communication: through essay preparation and writing; public speaking: though tutorial discussion and class presentations;

Class presentation 10%, a 1500 word analytical essay 35% (due mid-semester) and a 2500 word research essay 55% (due at the end of semester). 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.