Shadow Nation: Flashpoints in Australian Society and Culture

Course aim

To enable students to understand how critical, media and creative discourses shape our interpretation of historical moments in shaping national identity, through a focus on specific legal cases that have reached public attention.

Course content

Students will develop and build upon knowledge and understanding of theories of nationhood, mythology, trauma and historical memory, the role of discourse in shaping national identity, the role of public intellectuals and mainstream media, case studies on key moments in Australian society that fractured or enhanced ideas of nationhood, including Tampa, Cronulla Riots, Port Arthur Massacre, Chamberlain case, and Palm Island murder.  Criminal cases (from Kelly to Underbelly), natural disasters (Ash Wednesday, Victorian bushfires, Queensland floods), national anxieties (children, land, and belonging).

Textbook(s)

Nil

Prerequisite(s)

Common to all relevant programs
Subject Area & Catalogue Number	Course Name
HUMS 1009	Australian Society and Cultures

The listed prerequisite or with the approval of the Course Coordinator.

Corequisite(s)

Nil

Teaching method

Component	Duration
INTERNAL, CITY WEST
Workshop	3 hours x 12 weeks
EXTERNAL, CITY WEST, ONLINE
Online	3 hours x 12 weeks

Note: These components may or may not be scheduled in every study period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Assessment

Article review, Essay, Literature review

Fees

EFTSL*: 0.125
Commonwealth Supported program (Band 4A)
To determine the fee for this course as part of a Commonwealth Supported program, go to:
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Fee-paying program for domestic and international students
International students and students undertaking this course as part of a postgraduate fee paying program must refer to the relevant program home page to determine the cost for undertaking this course.

Non-award enrolment
Non-award tuition fees are set by the university. To determine the cost of this course, go to:
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Not all courses are available on all of the above bases, and students must check to ensure that they are permitted to enrol in a particular course.

* Equivalent Full Time Study Load. Please note: all EFTSL values are published and calculated at ten decimal places. Values are displayed to three decimal places for ease of interpretation.