Racial Literacy: Indigeneity & Whiteness

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Total expected time commitment is 170 hours across the semester, including class time.

None

None

MULT10001 Australian Indigenous Studies or MULT10001 Aboriginalities

106-317 Racial Literacy: Indigeneity & Whiteness; AIND30009 Racial Literacy: Indigeneity & Whiteness

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/

This subject aims to enhance student's racial literacy with a focus on representations of Indigeneity and whiteness in Australia. The term, "racial literacy", devised to describe anti-racist practices, entails students becoming literate in critically reading and understanding multiple modes of race representation. The inter-disciplinary approach enables students to analyse the relationships among texts, images, language and social practices, drawing on Australian literature, media, film and the visual arts. In this way, the subject equips students to become multi-literate in critiquing race constructions of identity formation and nation building through the creative and communicative arts. The subject introduces students to critical theoretical frameworks incorporating postcolonial, race and whiteness studies. It will engage with questions of voice, position, power, agency, capital and social justice issues to explore how representations of Indigeneity and whiteness operate with regard to the intersections of race, gender and class relations in an Australian context (with links and comparisons also made to examples of race representation in a global context).

On completion of the subject students should have:

• developed racial literacy with the ability to critically evaluate multiple modes of race representation and articulate the strategies utilised in the operation of specific representations of Indigenous Australians and white Australians;
• an appreciation of the complexities and power of race representation in impacting on the formation of nation, history and political and public issues in Australia and on personal levels of constructing their own racial locations, cultural identities, ideologies and social experiences;
• gained a nuanced understanding of how racial hierarchies and investments are reinforced or countered through representations of Indigeneity and whiteness;
• an understanding of conceptual tools and key theoretical issues involved in critical race studies and the politics of representation.

Tutorial participation and a 10-minute paper presentation (done in class), 10%, an essay of 1500 words 30% (due mid-semester), and an essay of 2500 words 60% (due in the examination period). This subject has a minimum hurdle requirement of 80% attendance and regular participation in tutorials. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

A subject reader will be available.

• Langton, M. Well I heard it on the radio and I saw it on the television ... An essay for the Australian film commission on the politics of filmaking by and about Aboriginal people and things (Australian Film Commission)

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

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

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.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• have a developed understanding of relevant critical theories and methods;
• be able to work effectively as an individual and member of class;
• be competent in the use of a wide range of research applications and resources;
• communicate complex ideas clearly and comprehensively;
• produce high quality written material in a timely manner.