HI2008 - Australians in War and Peace: from frontiers to foreign fields.

[Not offered in 2022]

Australians in War and Peace examines historical perspectives on the cost of war and the price of peace in Australia, beginning with frontier conflicts across the nineteenth century through to more recent overseas operations by Australian forces. Central consideration will be given to the British possession and occupation of Australia, Australia's participation in two world wars 1914-1918 and 1939-1945, and the terms and conditions of peace through to the present. The subject investigates the implications of limited and total war, and the consequences at home and abroad through an analysis of social, cultural and medical discourses focusing in particular on frontier violence 1788-1940, the 1915 Gallipoli campaign and the Western Front, the Pacific war following the fall of Singapore in 1942, Vietnam (1962-1972) and Afghanistan since 2001. The subject includes an investigation of artistic, journalistic, literary, testimonial, and televisual and cinematic treatments of Australians in war and peace.

Learning Outcomes

• attain knowledge and appropriate analytical skills in research and writing history, leading to competence in the use and interpretation of resources and archives including military and medical records, and digital archives;
• differentiate states of war and peace and their development within Australian historical, social and cultural contexts, leading to an ability to recognise and identify change and meanings across time;
• apply historical techniques in analysis, leading to an ability to interpret and evaluate specific contexts and periods in which war and peace occur;
• identify the implications of war and peace within specific Australian historical, social and cultural contexts, leading to an ability to recognise domestic and international consequences and interpretations;
• classify the categories of war and peace within the specific Australian historical, social and cultural contexts, leading to an ability to recognise key aspects across time and space;
• deconstruct representations of war and peace, leading to an ability to identify different forms and types of cultural construction and their consumption, leading to greater self awareness and critical skills in the analysis of Australian history.

Subject Assessment

• Written > Test/Quiz 1 - (30%) - Individual
• Oral > Presentation 1 - (20%) - Individual
• Participation > Class participation - (10%) - Individual
• Written > Essay (including multi-draft) 1 - (40%) - Individual.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.