Just over ten years ago the High Court shook Australia up with the recognition of common law native title. A whole new area of Australian law was born with the Mabo decision. This course takes students through the statutory and judge-made law on native title (the claims process, extinguishment, recognition, future acts etc). But native title law does not make sense unless one steps back and also looks at the policy and political debates which have surrounded it since 1992. As well as doing that, the course will offer insights into how native title has played out on the ground, within government and amongst practitioners, with the help of selected guest lecturers. The course will progress by both direct teaching and class discussion through this significant and controversial new area of Australian law. Students will develop their legal knowledge and a better understanding about an issue of fundamental social and political importance.