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Course Description

This course serves as an introduction to the literature and culture of Australia and New Zealand, focusing primarily on the twentieth century. We will explore the formation and constitution of national identities in these countries, and examine the ways in which issues of gender, class, and race disrupt these national identities. We will discuss the cultural impact of distance and isolation, and the important relationships (positive and negative) between Australia and New Zealand and Great Britain as the imperial cultural "center." The readings and films will illuminate conventions like "mateship" and "bush egalitarianism," and help introduce the class to the cultural politics of the aboriginal peoples of Australia and the Maoris of New Zealand.

Required Texts

Texts marked with an asterisk (*) are available through on-line reserve on the UMD Library Web page.

Discussion Schedule

NOTE: This syllabus is tentative and subject to change.
Any additions, modifications, etc. will be announced in class.

Policies

Attendance: You are required to attend all class meetings. If you do not attend class, you will miss important discussion and will almost assuredly fall behind in the readings. More than 4 unexcused absences will adversely affect your final grade, and may constitute grounds for failure.

Reading: To do well in this course, you must read carefully and think intelligently about what you have read. You must read each text before its scheduled discussion date (note that we will read the longer texts in installments). If you do not read the texts, or if you read only synopses (which, if even available, are often inaccurate and sometimes longer than the actual text), you are defeating the entire purpose of the course. In addition, good readers should be able to articulate their thoughts about what they have read. Consequently, substantive class participation is expected from everyone.

Reserve Texts: You will be asked to download reserved texts from the UMD Library Web page. You must print out these texts and bring them to class on the discussion dates.

Quizzes & Writing Assignments: We will have frequent quizzes (at least once a week) to encourage you to keep up with the reading and to attend class. Quizzes will typically be objective questions about the texts, but may also include brief in-class and/or take-home writing assignments. In-class quizzes and exercises may not be made up if missed.

Group Presentations: Each student will be required to participate in a group presentation to the class (lasting approximately 15–20 minutes) on a topic of significance to the aims of the course. These presentations will provide much of the contextual material that will enrich our understanding of Australian and New Zealand culture. The presentation topics are integrated into the Discussion Schedule. I will distribute a detailed assignment sheet outlining the requirements and expectations of the group presentation the second week of class.

Exams: There will be two exams: a mid-term (March 23) and a final (May 11). The exams will require detailed knowledge of what has been said in class (including group presentations) as well as the assigned readings, and they will be closed book. You are responsible for information offered by me and by your classmates in class discussions and group presentations.

Grades:

NOTE: You must satisfactorily complete all assignments to pass the course.

Office Hours: Think of my office as an extension of the classroom and use my office hours to discuss any aspect of your reading—problems, confusions, complaints, suggestions for further reading, etc. Please note that in addition to my regular office hours, I am also happy to set up mutually convenient conferences by appointment.

Communication: If during the semester you encounter any problem (physical, intellectual, etc.) that adversely affects your course work, please contact me immediately. Please note that I am almost always accessible via e-mail. Do not wait until several weeks after the fact to inform me of any incapacitating difficulties. I will be less than sympathetic.

Special Needs: Individuals who have any disability (either permanent or temporary) which might affect their ability to perform in this class are encouraged to inform the instructor at the start of the semester. Adaptation of methods, materials, or testing may be made as required to provide for equitable participation.

Conclusion

This is an ambitious course: in 15 weeks, we will read two centuries' worth of Australian and New Zealand literature and we will learn how to think and speak intelligently about what we have read. Be forewarned that this material is difficult and at times even obscure. But these texts are important because, regardless of their age, they reward us with insights into Australian and New Zealand thought, an understanding of their literary heritage, and a better understanding of these cultures today.