Deals with themes and debates that have shaped perceptions of the past and the evolution of Australian historical literature. Explores the individual works of historians who have been instrumental in shifting and challenging dominant representations of the past and the controversial reactions they have sparked. Pays special attention to the way historiography has developed around themes of race, gender, memory, the nation and postmodernism, and the ways in which these representations have played out in popular and alternative constructions of the past, in politics, in the press, in film, fiction and museums.

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 to the past, as well as gain some good theoretical knowledge for their own practice as potential historians.