KKB192 Smash the Act - Indigenous Australian Politics

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit will provide you with an introductory knowledge of Australian Indigenous political culture, history, politics and activism through exploration of Indigenous standpoints. The ongoing history of colonial policy will be examined through Indigenous peoples’ struggle for equal rights, Indigenous rights and self-determination. Core political concepts and institutions in Australian social life such as the nation-state, sovereignty, liberalism, representation and democracy will be viewed from Indigenous perspectives and critically analysed according to their capacity to accommodate Indigenous sovereign interests including treaty and institutional reform. You will be actively involved in contemporary debates such as government policy towards Indigenous peoples and communities, the continuing struggle for land rights and Native Title, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples and other relevant issues as they arise.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Challenge existing knowledge of the impact of colonialism on Indigenous people and the activism, resistance and self-determination response, by and from Indigenous peoples.
2. Critically analyse the current paradigms of contemporary Indigenous politics.
3. Critique current contemporary Indigenous realities and the resulting social and ethical responsibilities.

Content

Learning Approaches

When teaching Indigenous knowledges, student engagement with the learning content is crucial. In our unit, we are constructing learning which supports critical self- reflection and analysis. Our teaching approaches privileges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges / perspectives, voices and standpoints. A blended learning environment in this unit underpins the holistic nature of Indigenous knowledges. Group discussions, yarning circles, interactive lectures, tutorials and field trips, supported opportunities for a critical self- discovery journey will have deeper and transforming, culturally safe implications for your discipline studies and practice.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive peer feedback on your grasp of concepts and the perspectives you are engaging with through your contributions to unit discussion groups, yarning circles (blogs), reflections on field trips and shared impact of readings and other media you are exposed to. Assessment criteria sheets and individual feedback will support your summative assessment.

Assessment

Overview

Assessments in KKB192 are structured around Indigenous pedagogical practices and standpoints. Your three assessment items are designed to engage you to learn Indigenous politics and political movements as forms of resistance to colonisation and its continuing legacies from Indigenous knowledges and perspectives. In class learning activities include scaffolding of assessment tasks, which will assist you to develop your own knowledge and standpoints through critical examination of existing assumptions through theoretical and lived experiences of Indigenous Australians. Through interactive learning activities, your will develop and enhance your thinking and learning through research, analytical thinking and writing skills.

These assignments are eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Critical Analysis

Reflections of a field trip experience will be critiqued and reported on, incorporating academic references to support the analysis of contemporary Indigenous political movements. Instead of visiting the QUT Museum, a list of artworks and a narrative of these will be provided for students.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Letter to the editor

You will challenge existing knowledge of the impact of colonialism on Indigenous peoples by immersing yourself in, and appraising literature of a contemporary Indigenous political issue - Northern Territory Emergency Response OR the Adani mine as a Letter to the Editor. This article will highlight current contemporary Indigenous realities and the resulting social and ethical responsibilities.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Presentation (Oral)

Students will choose from a list of activists and provide a researched summary consolidating ethical and social responsibilities which emerge from your research.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students and staff who access campus buildings and facilities are required to complete the Tier 1 General Health and Safety Induction. This must be completed online.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Anti-Discrimination Act https://www.humanrights.gov.au/guide-australias-anti-discrimination-laws

First footprints (2013). ABC TV. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/first-footprints/

Koori Mail http://www.koorimail.com/ (available at QUT Libraries and can be purchased through News Agencies).

National Indigenous Television http://www.nitv.org.au/

The first Australians (2008). Blackfellas Films / First Nation Film Ltd: SBS.

Torres News http://www.torresnews.com.au/ (available at QUT Libraries and can be purchased through News Agencies).

United Nations Human Rights http://www.un.org/en/rights/

Foley, Gary. http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/indexb.html

Maddison, S. (2009). Black politics: Inside the complexity of Aboriginal political culture. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Miller, B. (2012). William Cooper, Gentle Warrior: Standing Up for Australian Aborigines and Persecuted Jews. Gordon: NSW: Xlibris Corporation Publisher.

Moreton-Robinson, A. (ed.) (2007). Sovereign subjects: Indigenous sovereignty matters. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Paisley, F. (2012). The Lone Protestor. Canberra: AIATSIS.

Other

To enable your full participation in the virtual learning environment, for example, participating in online activities and engaging with online learning materials, you will need access to a reliable computer with an internet connection, webcam, headset and microphone, as well as a learning environment where you are able to fully participate undisturbed when required.

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or facilities, refer to the Tier 1 General Health and Safety Induction.

Where substantial computer-based work is required, particularly in the case of fully online students, you are recommended to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work, and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.

There are no extraordinary risks associated with this unit.