Australia and Asia in War and Peace

Subject AUST20008 (2012)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2012.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 2 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2012.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 1.5-hour lecture per week and a 1-hour tutorial for 11 weeks.
Total Time Commitment: 8.5 hours per week; total time commitment 102 hours
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: Some knowledge of Australian and / or Asian politics, society or history is desirable but not essential.
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contact

A/Prof John Murphy

john.murphy1@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview: This subject surveys the relationships over time between Australia and Asia. It explores the diverse ways in which Australians have viewed and imagined our Asian neighbours, including fear, prejudice and orientalist fascination, along with war and trade. Topics explored include racial exclusion in the White Australia policy, the war with Japan in the Pacific, Cold War fears and wars in Korea and Vietnam, how Australians saw decolonisation and revolution in Indonesia, China, Malaya and India, and the contemporary dynamics of trade, foreign policy, cultural exchange and migration. The subject will examine how particular Asian societies have viewed Australia over this same period, and how our shared past shapes our future.
Objectives:

Students who successfully complete this subject should have:

  • advanced understanding of key issues in the relationships between Australian and its Asian neighbours
  • advanced understanding of the history that lies behind the contemporary dynamics of these relationships
  • familiarity with the characteristics and dynamics of key Asian societies
  • familiarity with how key Asian societies and cultures view Australia
Assessment:

Take-home examination (2,000 words in mid-semester) – 50%; Research essay (2,000 words during the examination period) – 50%

Hurdle requirement: students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day; after five working days, no late assessment will be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.
Prescribed Texts: A subject reader will be available.
Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • Research skills through competent use of library and other information resources, definition of an area of inquiry and methods for researching it, and through developing clarity in writing
  • Critical thinking and analysis skills through engagement with diverse reading materials, and through tutorial discussion to evaluate and weigh the value of contending arguments
  • Theoretical and conceptual understanding, through engagement with the methodologies of the humanities and social sciences
  • Understanding of social, ethical and cultural contexts through critical self-awareness and through appreciation of cultural diversity
Links to further information: http://australian-centre.unimelb.edu.au/
Related Breadth Track(s): Australia and the World

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