Compare two events from the Australian History Timeline

You will write a 1700-word essay comparing two events from the Australian History Timeline (in Module 2) to investigate the evolution of approaches to Australian policy for Indigenous Australians, the way Indigenous Australians are positioned to rationalise approaches, and the presumed relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians as a consequence. There are three parts to this essay; use the structure provided.

Over module two you responded to critical questions to reflect on how social, institutional, and historical forces explicitly and implicitly construct knowledge of Self and Others. In Task 2 you will use this as a basis to extend into a critical analysis of Australian policy and historical events in relation to Indigenous Australians.

“When Holt went on his fateful swim on 17 December 1967, all hopes that the referendum would result in positive change drowned with him” (Foley, 2017, para. 1).

The 1967 Referendum is considered a landmark event in Australia’s shared history. The quote above is by Gary Foley who is an academic and activist with a lifetime of scholarly experience and activism regarding analysis of Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples’ relations. Consider how this event informs media narratives and historical rationalisation of policy both before and after by choosing two events to consider how representations of this event have been reproduced.

Use the following structure for your essay

Introduction: outline your approach to answering the question, making sure to mention each part of the essay. (100 words)

Part A: HISTORY (500 words)

Select two events from the Australian History Timeline. One event must be pre-1967 (before the Referendum) and the other post-1967 (after the Referendum).

You are required to describe and analyse each policy/event in relation to:

• Goals of each policy or event.
• How Indigenous Australians are positioned (e.g., do they have a role in decision-making, are their views represented, are they constructed as a ‘problem to be resolved’).
• The similarities and differences evident in the goals, positioning of Indigenous Australians, and the implied relationship between Indigenous Australians and wider Australian society.

Part B – INSTITUTIONS (500 words)

Institutions are powerful influences which shape our knowledge (examples include the media, schools, Government). Explain how knowledge about Australian history is reproduced through institutions to reinforce contemporary understandings.

You are required to consider:

• how the discourses and norms associated with the two events continue to inform

contemporary understandings of Australian history and culture

• how racialised power and privilege influence historical and contemporary

structures of Australian society and its institutions

• the role of racialisation in the collective and individual standpoints of Indigenous

and non-Indigenous people.

Part C – SELF (500 words)

Reflect on your own standpoint by considering:

• the influence of the two policies/ events on your own positioning
• the social, institutional and historical influences on your understandings
• Examples of other institutions that you are familiar with (schools, your professions

etc) and how they influence your standpoint.

Conclusion: Your conclusion should sum up the arguments in your essay and restate and

summarise your answer to the question. (100 words)

This assessment will be completed by using the secure online assessment platform,

Cadmus. Cadmus can be accessed through the subject Interact2 site. In Cadmus, you will

find further assessment instructions on writing and submitting your assessment. The

platform is designed to simplify the assessment process, making it easy to focus on the

task at hand while developing your academic skills. You can find out more about Cadmus

here: https://cadmus.io/getting-started/students/intro-to-the-student-environment

See your Assessment 2 tab in the subject site for more information.

Embedded Tutors Project

You will have access to a tutor to assist with your written assessment tasks. To book a free

30-minute one on one tutoring session with a tutor please navigate to the Embedded

Tutors tab in Interact 2 and use the Calendly booking service. Prior to attending your

session, you will need to send through a draft for the tutor to review at least 1 hour before

the start of the zoom meeting. The tutor will use the first 10 minutes to prepare feedback

and then you will meet for 20 minutes to discuss the feedback. Whether this is your first

ever subject at university or you are an experienced and confident essay writer you are

encouraged to book a tutor session for your written assessment task.

RATIONALE

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This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:

• be able to investigate, compare and reflect on standpoint to explain Indigenous and non-

Indigenous peoples’ historical positioning.

• be able to describe, analyse and theorise individual and collective standpoint in relation to

Indigenous peoples’ experiences of Australian history.

• be able to critically reflect on the factors that have shaped historical and contemporary

engagement with Indigenous communities and Indigenous peoples and critique deficit

paradigms as they relate to Indigenous Australians.

• be able to critically examine how racialised power and privilege influence historical and

contemporary structures of Australian society and its institutions.

In Task 1 and 2 you reflected on your knowledge and the factors that influence what you

know and how you come to know about Indigenous Australians and Australians more

generally. You undertook further reflection in a critique of two media articles. You began

to consider how knowledge can be taken-for-granted or assumed to be true because

powerful institutions like schools, churches, government, and the media (and social

media) reinforce them over time.

In Task 3 you will analyse evidence of the social, institutional, and historical framing,

reproduction, and reinforcement of particular kinds of knowledge and associated issues

of power and privilege.