The aim of the course is to outline the historical, political and cultural development of Australia and its diverse cultural milieu. The topics discussed include aboriginal cultures, European settlement, immigration policies, issues of nation, race and gender in Australian society, cultural cartographies, myths and misconceptions of what Australia is about. All these issue will be projected against exemplary Australian literary texts which have both form and question the cannon formation in Australian literature. An important backdrop for these discussions will be the postcolonial condition and the comparative analysis of Australian and other post-colonial societies within the Asian-pacific rim.
At the end of the course the students will have acquired knowledge and skills for interpreting the most important aspects of Australian social, political and cultural life.
- Teacher: Мадлен Данова