HIST 2083 - Colonial Australia: Conflict and Consensus

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2021

This subject offers a critical examination of Australian people and culture from the earliest days of European settlement until the federation of the colonies in 1901. It explores the economic, social and cultural impact of colonisation and emigration on both newcomers and Aboriginal peoples. It also considers conflict over access to land, mineral wealth, political power and the control of working conditions. At the heart of the course lie questions about the origins of contemporary Australia: Was the continent settled or invaded? Did Aborigines resist colonisation, and if so, how? Were convicts slaves or was their punishment just? Were explorers and pastoralists heroes or land-grabbers and environment vandals? Were all migrants welcome and did they settle peacefully? How important was gold and other minerals in ensuring the survival of the colonies? What role did women and workers play in creating a nation? What sort of rights were they denied? And was the Australian character - defined by resilience, athleticism, courage in the face of adversity, and loyalty to one's mates - established well before Federation or the brave acts of ANZAC soldiers at Gallipoli? Students will have the opportunity to explore these questions, and others, during the course and also contemplate South Australia's distinctive place in the nation's history.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HIST 2083
    Course Colonial Australia: Conflict and Consensus
    Coordinating Unit Historical and Classical Studies
    Term Semester 1
    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
    Course Description This subject offers a critical examination of Australian people and culture from the earliest days of European settlement until the federation of the colonies in 1901. It explores the economic, social and cultural impact of colonisation and emigration on both newcomers and Aboriginal peoples. It also considers conflict over access to land, mineral wealth, political power and the control of working conditions. At the heart of the course lie questions about the origins of contemporary Australia: Was the continent settled or invaded? Did Aborigines resist colonisation, and if so, how? Were convicts slaves or was their punishment just? Were explorers and pastoralists heroes or land-grabbers and environment vandals? Were all migrants welcome and did they settle peacefully? How important was gold and other minerals in ensuring the survival of the colonies? What role did women and workers play in creating a nation? What sort of rights were they denied? And was the Australian character - defined by resilience, athleticism, courage in the face of adversity, and loyalty to one's mates - established well before Federation or the brave acts of ANZAC soldiers at Gallipoli? Students will have the opportunity to explore these questions, and others, during the course and also contemplate South Australia's distinctive place in the nation's history.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Robert Foster


    Course Timetable

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

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

    1. recognise the value of a wide range of methodologies, conceptual approaches and the impact of competing narratives

    2. be able to locate, identify and analyse relevant primary and secondary sources in order to construct evidence-based arguments

    3. think independently and critically, using appropriate methodologies and technologies, to engage with historical problems

    4. communicate effectively, in a range of spoken and written formats, within the conventions of the discipline of history

    5. contribute productively to group-based activities

    6. demonstrate the skills of an historian which are appropriate for performing a range of professional roles, undertaking leadership positions, and sustaining lifelong learning, including: information technology skills to manage data and to communicate, skills in collaborative and self-directed problem-solving, a habit of academic rigour, and sensitivity to intercultural and ethical issues

    7. show a sensitivity to the diversity of historical cultures and the ethical implications of historical enquiry within a global context

    8. demonstrate a critical, self-reflective approach to the study of history, based on respect and mutual responsibility
    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
    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
    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
    4, 5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    6
    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
    7
    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
    8
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Texts that are required readings for each tutorial, will be available in Course Readings on the MyUni site for this course.


    Recommended Resources
    There is no 'textbook' for this course. The following books provide accessible and interesting overviews of Australian history and it would be useful to own one of them for reference purposes.

    Stuart Macintyre, A Concise History of Australia, 3rd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

    Deborah Gare and David Ritter (eds), Making Australian History: Perspectives on the Past Since 1788, Melbourne: Thompson, 2008.
    Online Learning
    Please consult the MyUni webpage for this course, as it contains all the information concerning lectures, tutorials and assignments. 

    The University has access to a significant 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, Journal of Australian Colonial History, Journal of Colonialism and Colonial History, Aboriginal History, Journal of Australian Studies, Journal of Australian Colonial History, and Australian Journal of Politics and History).

    Librarians at the Barr-Smith library have also compiled a very useful guide to sources on Australian History held by the University. This can be accessed online at:
    http://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/australia
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Face-to-face teaching on campus consisting of two lectures and one tutorial per week. This year all lectures will be posted online, and two on-line tutorials will be available. Lectures commence in Week 1 of semester, but tutorials won't commence until week 2. 

    Listening to 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 2 x 1-hour lectures and one tutorial per week, and 9 hours per week of independent study, during which time students will prepare for tutorials and work on assignments.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Course material is constantly being updated and revised to incorporate the latest scholarship and topics of debate, so a detailed breakdown of lecture and tutorial topics will not be available until near the start of semester. 

    However, the topics canvassed in the course will include, but are not limited to:

    • The exploration and settlement of Australia
    • Relations with Australia's first nation's people
    • The convict era
    • The environment
    • Squatters and selectors
    • The Gold Rush
    • Democracy and responsible government
    • The emergence of an Australian identity
    • A working man's paradise: the growth of the union movement
    • The Suffrage movement
    • Federation
    Priority will be given to the development of research skills and may include archive and library visits, but this will depend on what restrictions may be in place during the semester.



    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. During most tutorials, therefore, students will be examining questions and texts in small groups of 3 or 4 people.

  • 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
    ASSESSMENT TASK                  TASK TYPE       WEIGHTING         COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME(S)

    2,500-word Research Essay         Summative         50%                      1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8

    2,000-word Critical Review          Summative         30%                      1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

    Final Quiz                                   Summative         20%                     1, 3, 4
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Participation in tutorials is a compulsory component of the course. Students must attend at least 80% of tutorials to pass (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
    There are three assessment tasks for this course. The first task is a research essay, which will develop students' skills in critical analysis, evaluation of evidence, and written communication. The second task will be to write a critical review of two books on a related theme.  The final quiz will then test knowledge gained throughout the course, with questions derived mainly from the lectures.

    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 with the approval of your tutor. You will need to critically engage with the historiography related to the topic, and vigorously construct an argument with reference to primary and secondary source evidence. As much as possible, try to draw substantially on primary sources of evidence.

    2. Critical Review of Two Texts
    Students will write a 2,000-word critical review of two texts (at least one of which must be a book) on a selected theme.

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

    1. What are the authors aiming to do? Are they successful in fulfilling these aims?
    2. What do the authors argue?
    3. How do the authors deal with opposing arguments?
    4. What types of evidence do the authors use to construct their arguments? Is this evidence convincing? What evidence do the authors ignore?
    5. Are the authors influenced by a particular theory or methodological approach? Is this approach warranted?
    6. 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.)
    7. 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.

    In order to see how professional historians and critics organise and write book reviews, students might wish to read some. The journals Australian Historical Studies, History Australia and the Journal of Australian Studies contain generally well-written book reviews in every edition.

    3. Quizzes
    There will be two quizzes, each consisting of 20 short-answer questions, held during the last lecture before the mid-semester break (Week 6) and the last lecture of the course (Week 12). They will be based entirely on content delivered in the lectures. Thus those students who attend regularly and review their notes will be rewarded. The duration of each quiz will be 40 mins.

    More details about these assessment tasks will be made available at the start of semester.
    Submission
    All essays are to be submitted electronically via MyUni.

    Essays must be submitted BEFORE midnight on/before the due date. A record will be kept of the date of submission.

    Extensions will be given on the grounds of hardship or illness. If, as often happens, several essays are due close to each other, you should plan your schedule so that you complete one or more before the deadline. Applications for an extension should be made in writing and submitted to the faculty at least 3 days before the submission date.

    Students who submit an essay late, without having gained an extension, will be liable to a penalty of 2% per day that the essay is overdue.
    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.

    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
  • 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.

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