Deals with various questions, themes and debates which have shaped current perceptions of the past and the evolution of historical literature in the Australian national context. Special attention is paid to the problems of attempting history in a national perspective and representative examples of colonial, as well as early and more recent Australian historiography. Also deals with individualism and the recent new historiography including feminist perspectives and the globalisation of ideas and topics which include the role of libraries and similar institutions and the Internet, film and memory, postmodernism and the killing of history.

At the conclusion of the course, students will have a good grasp of the developments, trends and controversies of/in Australian historiography. Students will have an ability to critically analyse the different theoretical approaches of Australian historians, recognise their ideological positions and reflect on the political and subjective nature of history. Ultimately, students will be encouraged to think about where they stand in relation to the field and their own approach as future historians.