This course investigates Australia across the nineteenth-century, using cultural and cross-cultural historical approaches. It emphasises the plurality of colonial experiments and experiences across the continent, and critically considers the ways in which they were shaped by distinctive histories of encounter, foundation, geography, and connectedness to places, including other colonies, beyond Australia. Indigenous perspectives will also be highlighted. While the course will canvass some conventional major themes in nineteenth-century Australia such as convicts, frontiers, and gender relations, it will do so by focusing on unconventional, marginal, and unfamiliar places, people, episodes, institutions, and practices. Students will be given opportunities to work with and interpret the detritus of colonial Australia, including objects, images, and ruins. In addition, some attention will be given to the ways in which "history-making" in diverse forms - e.g. writing, commemorating, reenacting, painting -- accompanied colonial occupation, and how the historical mythologies produced have since been challenged, making way for new perspectives and voices in Australian history. This will allow for a dialogue between colonial and postcolonial histories and perspectives.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- identify and critically analyse how colonial experience in Australia was shaped by a diversity of local, regional, and global historical, geographical, social, and political factors;
- demonstrate a capacity to analyse colonialism and its legacies in Australia using cross-cultural, cultural and transdisciplinary historical approaches;
- undertake original research using primary and secondary sources;
- formulate evidence-based arguments in written submissions; and
- demonstrate comprehension of course lectures and readings in oral discussions.
Other Information
This course can be counted towards a History major.
Indicative Assessment
- A research essay of 3,000 words (40) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Tutorial participation (10) [LO 1,2,4,5]
- Either a synoptic essay of 2,000 words or a final examination (50) [LO 1,2,4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorial and tutorial-like activities; and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
None
Preliminary Reading
Alison Bashford and Stuart MacIntyre (eds), The Cambridge History of Australia, Volume 1, Indigenous and Colonial Australia, Cambridge University, 2013
Deborah Gare and David Ritter (Eds), Making Australian History: Perspectives since 1788, Cenage Learning, 2008
Samia Khutan, Australianama: The South Asian Odyssey, UQP, 2019
Alan Atkinson, The Europeans in Australia, vols 1 & 2, Oxford University Press, 1997
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8506 | 27 Jul 2026 | 03 Aug 2026 | 31 Aug 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | In Person | N/A |