Australian Studies

To many individuals the continent of Australia is an unknown and mysterious 'last frontier' with its Aboriginal culture, pioneer history, unique flora and fauna and a vast 'unexplored' outback. All these special icons have a story – Australian Studies is that story. It tells how the world's scientists are turning to Australia to seek answers to such things as the origin of life on Earth and Mars and when and how people explored the planet and how they developed the first culture, tens of thousands of years ago. The story includes our tough and independent founders with their tiny and isolated population on the far side of the world who grew a democratic and multicultural society on the biggest and driest island continent on Earth.

The history of Australia's involvement in world affairs over the last hundred years now places it in a special role in global politics. Today Australia plays an increasing role in strategic and world affairs, global economics, and sport all of which focuses the world's attention on us as a people. While parallels are made with founding cultures, Australia is developing its own culture based upon cultures from all over the world, all of which stand on the shoulders of the oldest continuing human culture in the world. The need to know the country you live in increasingly impinges on every profession. The history and development of Australia and its relationship with the international community lies behind the most pressing issues dealt with by Government, the law, industry and commerce.

Studying Australian Studies At Bond

Australian Studies aims to provide a broad understanding of the natural, social and political development of Australia. Themes explored within Australian studies include:

• The development of the Australian continent
• The origin, variation and unique development of Australian Aboriginal culture
• Early Australian history, race relations, Australian American relations, Australia at war, multiculturalism and contemporary Aboriginal issues
• Australia’s political foundations and the development of federalism, judiciary and legislature
• Australian popular culture, Australian literature, the media and cinema and the ways in which they mediate ideas about Australian identity and character
• Australia’s international and regional affairs, its regional identity, foreign policy, international military and commercial considerations
• Australia’s social issues, crime, deviance and social control

Students can major in an Australian Studies program that encompasses continental and cultural History (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal), Culture, Literature, Film and TV, Journalism, Criminology and International Relations as well as being compatible with a host of other undergraduate courses within the Faculty.