other Australian Programs in
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Topics
of the Final Exam in Australian Studies
BA
in English
Question 9 in the topic English -speaking
cultures is about Australia:
9. AUS — Social Issues, Language and Arts
§
the effects of Australian values on society
§
Australia and Britain
§
Australian English
reading
Aitkin, D. (2005). What is it all for? The reshaping of
Australia. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.
Chapter 8. Who are we and what are we becoming? (pp.213–234).
MA
in English
Questions
in Australian Studies (topic 72) in the MA in English programme
Koalas
Questions
in Australian Studies (topic 72) in the MA in English programme:
Students writing their thesis in Australian Studies have to
defend their thesis at the final examination, and they also have
to pick a question at random from the list below. Candidates are
free to choose a question from among the alternatives under each
topic to talk about in detail, but must also be prepared to
answer relevant minor questions concerning the alternative(s)
that they have not chosen to develop.
1. Immigration - Multiculturalism
a.
Discuss the major waves of immigrants to Australia.
b. Describe Australia's ethnic composition and its current
immigration policies.
c. Discuss aspects of multiculturalism in Australian literature.
2. Australia, Britain and the Pacific
a.
Historically, how have Australians reacted to their geographical
position?
b. Describe Australia's current relations with its neighbours in
South East Asia and the Pacific.
3. Australia - a republic? Nationalism and Republicanism
in Australia
a.
Discuss nineteenth century nationalism with reference to the
Bulletin school of Australian writers.
b. How has the republican debate been conducted in the past 20
years? What are the policies of the major political parties on
this issue?
4. Social Issues in Australian literature
a.
Discuss how social issues are represented in Australian
literature. Use specific works to illustrate a trend or to
compare several periods.
b.
Discuss the role of women writers in Australian literature. Give
specific examples.
5. Aboriginal history
a.
Describe traditional Aboriginal attitudes to the land.
b. Discuss the current land rights issues and the situation of
Aborigines today.
6. Aborigines in literature
a.
Discuss the characteristics of Aboriginal literature. Use
specific works to illustrate.
b. How are Aborigines represented in Australian literature? Give
specific examples to illustrate.
7. Environment
a.
Discuss the effects of the Australian landscape on the country's
literature and films.
b. How did the attitudes of early European settlers change the
Australian landscape?
c.
Discuss the most important environmental challenges currently
facing Australia
8. Australia - a postcolonial society
a.
The history of Australian colonisation and the convict heritage
b.
Australia's (traditional) relationship with Britain and the
shift of loyalty to America
c.
Postcolonialism in Australian literature. Give specific
examples to illustrate.
9. Identity and self-image
a.
What facets of identity have characterized Australian history?
b. Describe examples of different aspects of identity
represented in Australian literature.
c. Discuss the Anzac defeat at Gallipoli and its lasting effect
on being Australian.
10. The economy
a.
Name one or more of Australia's staple exports or industry and
discuss its effect locally and internationally
b.
Discuss a period in the development of Australian economy.
11. Characteristics of Australian English
a.
Describe and explain the characteristics of the pronunciation of
Australian English.
b. Describe and explain the characteristics of Australian
English vocabulary.
12. Genres
a.
Discuss the development of a literary genre in Australia (novel,
short story, drama, poetry.)
b. Discuss a period of art (fine arts, theatre, film, music) in
Australia.
Recommended readings (all
the titles below can be found in the SEAS Library)
General & History:
-
Bullbeck, Chilla and David Carter, (eds.)
Exploring Australia. Nathan (Australia): School of
Humanities, Griffith University, 2000.
-
Clarke, F.G. Australia: A Concise
Political and Social History. Sydney; Fort Worth:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992.
-
Hughes, Robert. The Fatal Shore: A
History of the Transportation of Convicts to Australia,
1787-1868. London: Pan, 1987.
-
Kuna, Franz, and Graeme Turner, (eds.)
Studying Australian Culture: An Introductory Reader.
Hamburg: Kovacs, 1994.
-
Nile, Richard, (ed.) Australian
Civilisation. Melbourne; New York: Oxford University
Press, 1994.
-
Nile, Richard. The Australian Legend
and Its Discontents. St Lucia (Qld.): University of
Queensland Press in association with the API Network, 2000.
-
Rickard, John. Australia: A Cultural
History. London; New York: Longman, 1988.
-
Turner, Graeme. National Fictions:
Literature, Film, and the Construction of the Australian
Narrative. Sydney, Boston: Allen and Unwin, 1986.
-
White, Richard. Inventing Australia:
Images and Identity 1688-1980. Sydney; Boston: Allen
and Unwin, 1981.
-
Whitlock, Gillian and David Carter.
Images of Australia: An Introductory Reader in Australian
Studies. St Lucia: Universityof QueenslandPress, 1992.
-
Whitlock, Gillian and Gail Reekie (eds.).
Uncertain Beginnings. St Lucia: University of
Queensland Press, 1993.
Aboriginal
issues:
-
Broome, Richard. Aboriginal
Australians: Black Response to White Dominance: 1788-1980.
North Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1982.
-
Edwards, W.H. An Introduction to
Aboriginal Societies. Wentworth Falls, N.S.W.: Social
Science Press, 1988.
-
Haebich, Anna. For Their Own Good:
Aborigines and Government in the Southwest of Western
Australia 1900- 1940. Nedlands, WA: University of
Western Australia Press, 1988.
-
Healy, J.J. Literature and the
Aborigine in Australia. St. Lucia, Qld., Australia:
University of Queensland Press, 1989.
-
Miller, James. Koori: A Will To Win:
The Heroic Resistance, Survival and Triumph of Black
Australia. London: Angus and Robertson, 1985.
-
Reynolds, Henry. The Other Side of
the Frontier: Aboriginal Resistance to the European Invasion
of Australia. Ringwood: Penguin, 1990.
-
Reynolds, Henry. This Whispering in
Our Hearts. St. Leonards, N.S.W.: Allen and Unwin,
1998.
-
Rutherford, Anna, ed. Aboriginal
Culture Today. Sydney: Dangaroo, 1988.
-
Shoemaker, Adam. Black Words, White
Page: Aboriginal Literature, 1929-1988. St.Lucia:
Queensland University Press, 1992.
-
Shoemaker, Adam. Swimming in the
Mainstream: Australian Aboriginal and Canadian Indian Drama.
London: Sir Robert Menzies Centre for Australian Studies,
Institute of Commonweath Studies, University of London,
1990.
20th
century Literature:
-
Barry, Elaine. Fabricating the Self:
The Fictions of Jessica Anderson. St. Lucia, Qld.,
Australia: University of Queensland Press, 1992.
-
Bennett, Bruce. Australian Short
Fiction: A History. St. Lucia, Qld., Australia:
University of Queensland Press, 2002.
-
Carroll, Dennis. Australian
Contemporary Drama. Sydney: Currency, 1995.
-
Ferrier, Carole, ed. Gender,
Politics and Fiction: Twentieth Century Australian Women’s
Novels. St. Lucia: Universityof QueenslandPress, 1985.
-
Gelder, Ken and Paul Salzman. The
New Diversity: Australian Fiction 1970-1988.
Melbourne: McPhee Gribble, 1989.
-
Goodwin, Ken, and Alan Lawson, eds.
Macmillan Anthology of Australian Literature. South
Melbourne: Macmillan, 1990.
-
Holloway, Peter, ed. Contemporary
Australian Drama. Sydney: Currency, 1987.
-
Kiernan, Brian. Patrick White.
London; Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1980.
-
Taylor, Andrew. Reading Australian
Poetry. St. Lucia: UQP, 1987.
-
The Penguin New Literary History of
Australia. General Editor: Laurie Hergenhan. Editors:
Bruce Bennett et. al. Ringwood (Vic.): Penguin, 1988.
-
Walsh, William. Patrick White’s
Fiction. Hornsby, N.S.W.; Boston: George Allen and
Unwin Australia, 1977.
Issues
of the journal Australian Literary Studies also contain
useful articles.
Australian Film:
-
Hall, Sandra. Critical Business: The
New Australian Cinema in Review. Adelaide; New York:
Rigby, 1985.
-
McFarlane, Brian. Novel to Film:
Introduction to the Theory of Adaptation. Oxford: Clarendon
Press; New York: OxfordUniversityPress, 1996.
-
O’Regan, Tom. Australian National
Cinema. London; New York: Routledge, 1996.
-
OZ film – Australian Film in the
Reading room.
http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/Reading...film/post.html
-
Screen Australia's website:http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/
especially recommended: Research and Statistics, Policy
Research - and Submissions, Get the Picture
Women
Writers:
-
Bennett, Bruce. Dorothy Hewett:
Selected Critical Essays. South Fremantle (WA):
Fremantle Arts Press, 1995.
-
Bird, Delys and Brenda Walker, eds.:
Elizabeth Jolley: New Critical Essays. Moss Vale (NSW):
Angus and Robertson, 1991.
-
Brooks, David and Brenda Walker.
Poetry and Gender: Statements and Essays in Australian
Women’s Poetry and Poetics. St. Lucia: UQP, 1989.
-
Daniel, Helen. Liars: Australian New
Novelists. Ringwood: Penguin, 1988.
-
Jolley, Elizabeth.Central Mischief:
Elizabeth Jolley on Writing, Her Past and Herself.
Ringwood: Penguin, 1993.
-
Salzman, Paul. Elizabeth Jolley’s
Fictions: Helplessly Tangled in Female Arms and Legs.
St. Lucia: UQP, 1993.
-
Whitlock, Gillian, (ed.) Eight
Voices of the Eighties: Stories, Journalism and Criticism by
Australian Women Writers. St. Lucia, UQP, 1989.
Issues
of the journal Hecate also contain useful articles.
Language:
-
Collins, Peter., and David Blair, (eds.)
Australian English. St Lucia: University of
Queensland Press, 1989.
-
The Australian National Dictionary.
Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Platypus
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