HIST 2051 - Australia and the World

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2021

This course examines Australian history from 1901 until the present. Australians have variously been described as a nation of sporting champions, yet we lose more often than we win; of 'battling' when we live in relative wealth; and of settling in the 'outback' while we sprawl into cities. We've been characterised as a 'classless' society and an equal one, which is at odds with the experience of many women and unemployed people. We've been introduced as descendants of convicts and 'Poms' when our families are just as likely to have emigrated from Eastern Europe or Asia or lived on this land for thousands of years. Students in this course will learn how each of these descriptions have been evoked for a purpose. They are used by politicians willing to appeal to a particular constituency, and by opponents in debates about federation, immigration, aboriginal rights, welfare, the status of women, and the possibility of Australia becoming a republic. In this course, the trajectory of these debates, which have shaped Australian identity, will be explored in addition to the social effects of the 1930s Depression, the legacy of the Menzies and Whitlam Governments, Australia's participation in war and its place in the global village. Students will have the opportunity to recall our long-felt deference to Britain, our more recent acceptance of our Aboriginal heritage, our brief flirtation as an Asian nation, and our current 'coalition' with the United States, and ponder where our future might lay.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HIST 2051
    Course Australia and the World
    Coordinating Unit Historical and Classical Studies
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites At least 12 units of Level I undergraduate study
    Incompatible HIST 2004 or HIST 3004
    Course Description This course examines Australian history from 1901 until the present. Australians have variously been described as a nation of sporting champions, yet we lose more often than we win; of 'battling' when we live in relative wealth; and of settling in the 'outback' while we sprawl into cities. We've been characterised as a 'classless' society and an equal one, which is at odds with the experience of many women and unemployed people. We've been introduced as descendants of convicts and 'Poms' when our families are just as likely to have emigrated from Eastern Europe or Asia or lived on this land for thousands of years. Students in this course will learn how each of these descriptions have been evoked for a purpose. They are used by politicians willing to appeal to a particular constituency, and by opponents in debates about federation, immigration, aboriginal rights, welfare, the status of women, and the possibility of Australia becoming a republic. In this course, the trajectory of these debates, which have shaped Australian identity, will be explored in addition to the social effects of the 1930s Depression, the legacy of the Menzies and Whitlam Governments, Australia's participation in war and its place in the global village. Students will have the opportunity to recall our long-felt deference to Britain, our more recent acceptance of our Aboriginal heritage, our brief flirtation as an Asian nation, and our current 'coalition' with the United States, and ponder where our future might lay.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Paul Sendziuk

    Paul Sendziuk is the author of Learning to Trust: Australian Responses to AIDS (2003), which was short-listed for the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s 2004 Human Rights award (non-fiction category), and co-author of A History of South Australia (2018). He is also the co-editor of Turning Points: Chapters in South Australian History (2012) and Foundational Fictions in South Australian History (2018). He has taught Australian and migrant history for a number of years, and published on a broad range of topics including environmental history and the history of disease. He is currently engaged in three research projects: a history of working at Holden; a history of post-WWII Polish migration to Australia; and a comparative history of cultural/artistic responses to AIDS in Australia, the United States and South Africa. In 2009 Paul was awarded the University’s highest teaching honour, the Stephen Cole the Elder Excellence in Teaching Award, and in 2011 received a national award from the Australian Learning & Teaching Council for 'Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning’'

    Paul can be found in Napier Rm 512, or contacted via telephone 8313 7562 (there is a voicemail service) and email (preferred): paul.sendziuk@adelaide.edu.au.
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    1 or 2 lectures per week, available online via MyUni.

    1 x 1 hr tutorial per week.
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
    1 Identify key moments of economic, social and political change in twentieth-century Australia.
    2 Recognise how ideas about race, class and gender shaped public policies and practices in twentieth-century Australia.
    3 Understand the ways that protagonists in contemporary debates interpret or ‘use’ history to defend particular points of view.
    4 Critically analyse different kinds of sources (including historical documents and oral testimony), and comprehend and critically evaluate a range of historical arguments.
    5 Demonstrate their capacity to work independently and cooperatively while engaging with sources of historical evidence and historical problems.
    6 Demonstrate their experience of working in a group to solve problems and create historical narratives.
    7 Demonstrate their enhanced capacity to communicate persuasively and creatively thorough oral and textual means.
    8 Develop a reflective and objective profesional approach that rigorously questions assumptions and is informed by evidence and a sophisticated use of information.
    9 Develop their capacity to examine historical issues according to the scholarly and ethical conventions of the discipline of history.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2, 4
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2, 3, 4, 6
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    5, 6, 7
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    4, 5, 6, 7, 8
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    9, 2
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    6, 8
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    A Course Guide with reading lists identifying the articles and chapters that are required to be read prior to the tutorial discussions is available from the course's MyUni site. 

    The reading that needs to be completed prior to each week's tutorial will also be uploaded to the course's MyUni site. It is strongly advised that you download and print the readings and bring them to class. It is very difficult to try to refer to the readings if you are just viewing them on a mobile phone or tablet.
    Recommended Resources
    It is recommended that you purchase one of the books below. They are relatively inexpensive, provide useful overviews of twentieth-century Australian history and are prescribed reading for some of the tutorials.
    • Robert Manne (ed.), The Australian Century: Political Struggle in the Building of a Nation, Melbourne: Text Publishing, 1999.
    • Deborah Gare and David Ritter (eds), Making Australian History: Perspectives on the Past Since 1788, Melbourne: Thomson, 2008.
    • Paul Sendziuk and Robert Foster, A History of South Australia, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 2018. Relevant pages from this book are listed in this course guide for each week’s tutorial.
    Online Learning
    The course has a website, accessible through MyUni. Please consult it regularly for updates, lecture notes, additional resources.

    Lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the course's MyUni website. Watching/listening to the lectures is essential recommended because they provide the context for the tutorial discussions and introduce themes and personalities that you will encounter in the more sophisticated tutorial readings. The final quiz is based entirely on the information presented in the lectures.

    The University has access to a number of academic journals that have full text articles available online. Use the ‘Informit’ and ‘APAIS’ (APA-FT) databases (on the Library’s catalogue) to locate articles in these journals (particularly Australian Historical Studies, Aboriginal History, Journal of Australian Studies, History Australia, and Australian Journal of Politics and History).

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    Face-to-face teaching on campus consisting of a 1-hour tutorial each week. Lectures will be recorded and available on MyUni. Classes begin in Week 1 of semester.

    Watching/listening to the lectures is important as they provide the context for the tutorial discussions and introduce themes and personalities that students will encounter in the more sophisticated tutorial readings. The final quiz will be based on information provided in the lectures.

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Students will need to devote approximately 12 hours per week to this course (divided over 12 weeks of study). This consists of watching/listening to the lectures and one tutorial per week, as well as 9 hours per week of independent study, during which time students will prepare for tutorials and work on assignments.

    Please note that the standard workload for a 3-unit course in the Faculty of Arts is designed on the assumption that all learning and assessment activities (including lectures, tutorials, preparatory work, research and writing of assignments etc.) will require approximately 156 hours.

    Learning Activities Summary
    Indicative Lecture and Tutorial Topics
    Week Lecture Topic Tutorial
    Week 1 Themes of the Course Introduction and Delegation of Tasks
    Week 2 (a) Australian History before 1901
    (b) Federation and the ‘Five Pillars’ of the Australian Settlement
    Australia – Social Laboratory for the World?
    Week 3 (a) White Australia and Citizenship
    (b) ANZAC and the Great War
    The War at Home
    Week 4 ‘Australia Unlimited’?: Hopes and Fears of Inter-war Australia The Depression and Legacies of War
    Week 5 World War Two: Home and Abroad World War II a Turning Point?
    Week 6 Menzies and the ‘Fabulous Fifties’ The Motor Car and the Suburbs
    Week 7 The Cold War Comes to Australia: Catholics, Communists, Spies and the Split Better Dead than Red?
    Week 8 The Whitlam Revolution The Whitlam Revolution
    Week 9 Aboriginal Rights and Reconciliation Aborigines in White Australia
    Week 10 From White Australia to Woomera Assimilation to Multiculturalism
    Week 11 Globalisation and the Triumph of the Market Economic Rationalism and National Reinvention
    Week 12 Australia's Response to HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 COVID-19 in Historical Perspective
    Small Group Discovery Experience

    In essence, tutorial discussions in the Humanities epitomise small-group discoveries: students come together to share and contest what they have learned from the assigned readings, and to jointly respond to historical questions and problems that have been set by the tutor.

    In this course, students will also have the opportunity to participate in a small group research project. The outcome of this research will be an organised debate between teams of students.

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    There are three assessment tasks for this course. The group project will give you an opportunity to make some new friends, test your creativity and enhance your skills in oral communication. The research essay will develop your skills in critical analysis, evaluation of evidence and written communication. The final quiz will test knowledge gained throughout the course, with questions derived exclusively from the lectures. Students who work consistently throughout the semester, reading widely and attending classes, will be rewarded in the final quiz.

    1. 2,500 word research essay 

    2. Student choice, either:

    (a) Organised debate between teams (to be presented during tutorial time); or
    (b) 2,000 word critical analysis of two academic texts (an individual written assignment)
     
    3. Final quiz (1 hour duration) or two shorter quizes.

    Assessment Related Requirements
    Participation in tutorials is a compulsory component of the course. Students must attend at least 80% of tutorials to qualify to pass the course (unless a medical certificate is provided or extra written-responses to the tutorial questions are submitted). Please inform your tutor prior to the tutorial if you are unable to attend. It is often possible to 'make-up' a tutorial at another time.
    Assessment Detail
    1. Research Essay

    Students are required to write one 2,500-word research essay, based on both primary and secondary sources. You may choose from a list of topics (to be provided), or devise your own question with the approval of your tutor. 

    2. Student Choice - either (a) or (b) detailed below:

    (a) In-Class Group Debate

    Students will form teams of 3 members and have 2-3 weeks to prepare an argument ‘for’ or ‘against’ a proposition relating to a historical issue. Teams will then present their argument in the form of an Oxford-style debate to take place during tutorial. For example, if the statement is “The policy of multiculturalism has failed in Australia”, individuals on one team will take turns in making arguments in agreement with this statement and they will be opposed by a team disagreeing with them. Students will be assessed on the basis of the logic and validity of their argument, their use of examples to support their points, their level of organisation and team-work, and their ability to communicate with passion and persuasion.
     
    (b) Critical Review of Two Texts
    Students who choose not to participate in the group project will write a 2,000-word critical review of two seconary source texts selected from the reading list corresponding to a tutorial topic. One of them must be a book. Students are required to read the texts in their entirety before the applicable tutorial. Students are advised to discuss their text choices with their tutor and must not choose ‘primary sources’ (such as memoirs) or edited collections of essays as any of their texts.

    In writing their critical review, students should consider the following points:

    1. What do the authors argue?
    2. How do the authors deal with opposing arguments?
    3. What types of evidence do the authors use to construct their arguments? Is this evidence convincing? What evidence do the authors ignore?
    4. Are the authors influenced by a particular theory or methodological approach? Is this approach warranted?
    5. Are the authors’ arguments convincing? (You should assess this by comparing the different arguments and evidence presented by each author. You might also consult 2-3 other texts on the same topic.)
    6. What special tricks or strategies do the writers employ to make their points? These strategies may include the organisation of the text and the choice of language and examples.
     
    3. Final Quiz

    The final quiz will consist of 30 short-answer questions. They will be based entirely on content delivered in the lectures. Thus students who attend regularly and review their notes will be rewarded. The duration of the quiz will be 1 hour. NB: There is a possibility that the final quiz will be replaced by two shorter quizes, the first of which will be conducted at the half-way mark of the course. 

    To help students prepare for the final quiz, an online wiki will be created where students can post questions that they think might be asked. The course coordinator will occasionally 'cull' these questions to eliminate the implausible ones. A portion of the quiz questions will then be selected from the suggested questions that remain.
    Submission
    Essays must be submitted on/before the due date. A record will be kept of the date of submission. Instructions about how and where to submit will be given when the essay questions are distributed. Short extensions of one or two days will be granted on the grounds of hardship or illness, but students will need to apply to the tutor in writing (with medical certificate or other evidence) and in advance of the due date. Students requiring a longer extension need to submit the relevant form to the School office (https://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/3303/) at least five days prior to the due date for the assignment.

    Late Submission
    The Department of History has adopted a standard policy for assessing assignments that are submitted late. For work that is late without formal extension, 2 marks will be deducted from the percentage mark for every day the work is late (including weekends and public holidays). For example, an assignment that is 3 days late: raw score of 80% - 6 marks lateness deduction = 74% final mark. For students who have been granted an extension, this policy will apply from the extended due date.

    Essays will only be accepted for 7 days after the due date. After this time, the mark of zero will be recorded.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    The following table outlines the general assessment criteria and the standard of work required to achieve a particular grade for each component of the assignment.

    High Distinction (85-100%) Distinction (75-84%) Credit (65-74%) Pass (50-64%)
    Structure The structure facilitates the clear and compelling development of the analysis. The structure is clear and facilitates the development of the analysis, though in places it could be improved.

    The structure is generally clear but it also contains flaws that impede the development of the analysis. The structure is confused and/or hinders the analysis, but not to the extent that the argument is overwhelmed.
    Analysis The essay is thoroughly analytical. There will usually be a degree of originality that goes beyond the mere paraphrasing of the ideas of other historians. The essay is mostly analytical, though there may be some deviation and/or brief lapses into narrative. The essay answers the question, though the argument may not always be persuasive. In places there may be deviation or lapses into narrative description. The essay only partially answers the question and there is a substantial degree of deviation and/or extended lapses into narrative description. Passages or paragraphs that are irrelevant to answering the question might be evident.

    Knowledge The range of reading implied by the answer will be extensive. There are no inaccuracies. The essay shows a sound knowledge of the topic, though there may be some gaps and a few inaccuracies.

    The essay shows a basic knowledge of the topic, though there may be major gaps and a degree of inaccuracy. Knowledge is patchy, but the student has enough information at his/her disposal to frame at least a basic answer.
    Evidence Analytical points are always supported by relevant factual evidence. The student is aware of the problematic nature of historical evidence and uses it judiciously. 'Primary' as well as 'secondary' sources of evidence will be used.

    Analytical points are usually supported by relevant evidence. The use of 'primary' sources of evidence might be lacking. The essay tends either (a) to make sweeping statements, or (b) to deploy a significant amount of factual data that is not tied to relevant analysis. Evidence tends to be used uncritically. The use of 'primary' sources of evidence might be lacking.

    The essay suffers from either (a) a chronic lack of supporting evidence or (b) a mass of information with little or no regard to the demands of the question. Evidence is used uncritically.
    Prose The prose is clear, accurate, and stylish. The student demonstrates a thorough grasp of the advanced vocabulary and idiom used by historians. The transition from one point to the next, and connection to the overall argument of the essay, will be clear and logical. An element of creativity may be evident. The prose is generally clear and accurate, and will demonstrate at least an appreciation of the idiom and advanced vocabulary used by historians.

    Though the prose is generally clear and mostly accurate, there may be substantial problems with spelling or punctuation, but not with basic grammar. The prose contains substantial inaccuracy and/or lack of clarity. The prose reflects the students' poor understanding of grammar or inattention to detail and proof-reading. However, the prose is good enough for the basic meaning to be clear.
    Referencing and formatting The presentation of the essay is excellent. Full and accurate references are supplied, along with a full bibliography. The formatting will conform in every respect to the specified style. The presentation of the essay is generally good. References are supplied when needed, though there may be some minor formatting errors. The presentation of the essay is satisfactory but there are some problems. References may not be supplied when needed, and there may be substantial errors in the formatting of references (i.e. they exclude or obscure necessary information).

    The presentation of the essay is sloppy and there are substantial problems with the references. References may not be supplied when needed, and there may be substantial errors in the formatting of references (i.e. they exclude or obscure necessary information). However, there is no intentional plagiarism.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines

    This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.

    The School of Humanities is committed to upholding the University's Policy on Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S). All staff and students have a legal responsibility to act in the interests  of themselves and others with respect to OH&S. For information on the School's contingency plan and emergency procedures, please see the OH&S section on the school website.
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.