| UNIT TITLE |
Aboriginal Perspectives on the Environment |
| UNIT CODE |
ACS2122 |
| CREDIT POINTS |
15 |
| FULL YEAR UNIT |
No |
| MODE OF DELIVERY |
On-campus
Online
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DESCRIPTION
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This unit investigates ecological explanations of cultural diversity, differing notions of sustainable development, and the ecological and spiritual interrelationship integral to Indigenous cultures. Students study traditional and contemporary Indigenous relations with the environment, paying particular attention to spirituality, fire and land management, analyse the convergences and divergences between Indigenous environmental perspectives and the environment movement, and explore current issues and artforms linking Aboriginal people and the environment.
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| LEARNING OUTCOMES |
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- describe and compare ecological and cultural explanations of human diversity;
- discuss and evaluate different notions of the term ‘sustainable development’;
- describe Indigenous Australian peoples’ traditional and contemporary spiritual/ecological relationship with the environment;
- analyse current environment management issues affecting Indigenous people;
- analyse government initiatives, policies and responsibilities with regard to Indigenous people, the environment and development strategies using current examples; and
- discuss how a range of Indigenous writers and artists incorporate their perspectives on the environment in their work.
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| UNIT CONTENT |
- The historical-ecological and cultural approaches to explaining human economic and social diversity.
- Sustainability and sustainable development.
- Indigenous peoples’ traditional and contemporary spiritual/ecological relationships.
- Land rights, native title and hunting and fishing rights.
- Indigenous relations with mining, pastorlaism, tourism, national parks and conservation areas.
- Government initiatives and responsibilities with regard to Indigenous culture, the environment, and sustainable development.
- Indigenous Australian writers’ and artists’ views on current environmental issues.
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| TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES |
Lectures, workshops, guest lecturers, fieldtrip, educational videos. |
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| GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES |
The following graduate attributes will be developed in this unit:
- Ability to communicate
- Ability to generate ideas
- Cross-cultural and international outlook
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| ASSESSMENT |
| Grading Schema 1 |
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| Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners. |
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Item
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On-Campus Assessment
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Value
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Portfolio
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Group presentation and in-class tests
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30%
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Essay
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Major essay
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40%
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Examination
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Examination
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30%
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Item
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Online Assessment
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Value
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Essay
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Minor essay
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30%
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Essay
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Major essay
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40%
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Examination
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Examination
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30%
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| Note: The unit ACS2122 is taught concurrently with ACS4101.
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| TEXTS |
| Rose, D. (1996). Nourishing terrains: Australian Aboriginal views of landscape and wilderness. Canberra: Australian Heritage Commission. [Free download]. |
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| SIGNIFICANT REFERENCES |
| Baker, R. (1999). Land is life: From bush to town: The story of the Yanyuwa people. St Leonards: Allen & Unwin |
| Berkes, F. (1999). Sacred ecology: Traditional ecological knowledge and resource management. Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis. |
| Callicott, J. Baird. (1999). Beyond the land ethic: More essays in environmental philosophy. New York: State University of New York Press. |
| Diamond, J. (1997). Guns, germs and steel: The fates of human societies. New York: WW Norton. |
| Flood, J. (2000). Archaeology of the Dreamtime: The story of prehistoric Australia and its people (1999 Revised ed.). Sydney: Angus & Robertson. |
| Head, L. (2000). Second nature: The history and implications of Australia as Aboriginal landscape. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press. |
| Langton, M. (1998). Burning questions: Emerging environmental issues for Indigenous peoples in Northern Australia. Darwin : Centre for Indigenous Natural and Cultural Resource Management, Northern Territory University. |
| Lindqvist, S. (2007). Terra nullius: A journey through no one's land. Granta: Allen & Unwin. |
| Nannup, N. (2004). Carers of everything (CD). Midland, Swan Catchment Council. |
| Sveiby, K., & Skuthorpe, T. (2006). Treading lightly: The hidden wisdom of the world’s oldest people. Crow’s Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. |
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| Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005) | |
| For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Student Equity, Diversity and Disability Service website: |
| http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/student/support/student-equity |
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Academic Misconduct
Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
- plagiarism;
- unauthorised collaboration;
- cheating in examinations;
- theft of other students’ work.
Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.
The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.
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