2018/19 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

HIST2320 The Lucky Country? The Social History of Australia in the Twentieth Century

20 creditsClass Size: 28

Module manager: Alexia Moncrieff
Email: a.moncrieff@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2018/19

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The home of the oldest continuing civilisation, colonised by Britain, supposedly 'born on the beaches of Gallipoli' and located on the edge of Asia, Australia occupies an uncertain place in the world. With half of its citizens having at least one parent born somewhere else, it is a migrant nation on a large island with a recurring fear of invasion. Purportedly a classless society and proudly the land of the ‘fair go', inequalities persist across Australian society.This module examines the factors and events that have shaped Australia since Federation in 1901 up to Julia Gillard's ‘Misogyny Speech' on the floor of parliament in 2012. This turbulent period saw Australia move from the White Australia Policy to an uneasy embrace of multiculturalism, question the role of women in society, forcibly remove the children of Aboriginal Australians and then apologise in Federal parliament, and fight wars for the British Empire before turning to recognise its future security lay with America.Over the course of the module, students will investigate how Australians responded to this intense period, questioning ideas of identity, nation, race and gender. Students will examine the social, cultural, political and economic changes that have shaped Australia and the effects of those changes on its people.

Objectives

The objectives of this module are:

1. To assess the nature of social, political and cultural change in Australia after 1901
2. To examine the responses to and effects of these changes.
3. To analyse the ways in which individuals and groups construct Australian identity to advocate for or against change.
4. To understand the diversity of the Australian experience
5. To critically analyse written and visual primary sources relating to the themes of the module
6. To evaluate historiographical developments in the history of modern Australia

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate broad knowledge of the significant events, people, places and themes in modern Australian history
2. Identify and account for the shifts and transformations in Australian politics and society since 1901
3. Critically analyse constructions of identity with specific reference to Australian history
4. Critically analyse the sources, methods and arguments used by historians of Australia and scholars in cognate disciplines
5. Proficiently use digitised primary source collections related to Australian history to locate relevant source material
6. Demonstrate skills of historical analysis both verbally and in writing

Syllabus

Lectures
1. Introduction and the road to Federation
2. The First World War and its effects
3. The Great Depression
4. The Second World War
5. Menzies' Australia
6. All the way with LBJ: The Vietnam War
7. It's Time: The Whitlam Program
8. Fraser and multiculturalism
9. The 80s: Transforming Australia
10. The Howard Years: Tampa crisis and the rise of One Nation
11. One or Many? Understanding Australian Identity

Tutorials
1. Citizenship and Founding Mothers
2. The Anzac Legend
3. The Depression Generation
4. War come home: The Second World War in Australia
5. Still British? The Queen's visit and British loyalties
6. Populate or Perish
7. Mabo, the Stolen Generations and the apology
8. Women's Liberation
9. Conclusions and Exam Prep

Films
1. Gallipoli
2. Rabbit-Proof Fence
3. The Dressmaker
4. The Castle
5. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
6. Little Fish
7. Looking for Alibrandi

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Film Screenings	7	2.00	0.00
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Tutorial	9	1.00	9.00
Private study hours			180.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Seminar preparation will include reading set primary and secondary sources. Students will also be expected to do further self-directed reading for seminars. Students will research and write a 2000 word assessed essay and prepare for the final examination. They will be expected to watch at least two of the six movies and then write a critical reflection (2x400 words) that will be due one week after it is screened. To ensure all students have access to the film there will be an optional group screening that may also be opened to the wider School of History. They will also be able to sign up for individual tutorials.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative feedback on style and content will be provided after each critical reflection and students will be advised against selecting films in successive weeks so that they can receive feedback on their first reflection before they write their second. Feedback on essays will be provided in time for reflection before exam preparation. Discussions in class and individual tutorials will also provide opportunities.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,000 words due 12 noon Monday of week 8	40.00
Written Work	2 x 400 words critical reflection	10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 04/03/2019

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD