Aboriginal Encounters: Strangers in our Backyard

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This unit examines the often contested historical realities of Aboriginal experience in postcolonial Australia. Significant eras in shaping an Australian national identity are deconstructed in order to highlight the cultural, social and political impact on, and from, the Aboriginal nation. The unit also explores how collective historical experiences transmit and transform over time. Unit Learning Outcomes On completion of this unit students will be able to: (1) use critical thinking skills to incorporate new information about the construction of knowledge; (2) demonstrate an understanding of Aboriginal history and how these narratives inform contemporary issues in Australian society; (3) understand the unity of Aboriginal people yet recognise divergence in the narratives of Aboriginal people; (4) develop an understanding of Aboriginal demographics; and (5) imagine a 'third space' for sharing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal histories. PA - Perth, Australia UWA Aboriginal Encounters looks at the impact of post-colonial Australia and the lives and traditions of the Aboriginal Peoples. This course also critically analyses primary texts of the time, as well as reflects upon cultural artifacts of the Aboriginal Peoples.