The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines wellbeing as a ‘state of health or sufficiency in all aspects of life.’ While a person’s socioeconomic status (income, employment and education) is likely to be a component of their wellbeing, a person’s interaction with the natural, man-made and social environment as well as their physical, mental and emotional health are also vital components. Because of unique cultural and historical factors, Indigenous notions of wellbeing can be somewhat different to those of the rest of the Australian population. Language and cultural maintenance in the face of pressures from the dominant culture are important aspects of wellbeing for many Indigenous Australians. Kinship obligations and attachment to country also tend to be much stronger. Ultimately, an Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian with given levels of material and socioeconomic status may report quite different levels of wellbeing.
The aim of this course is to summarise and discuss the existing research on the economic, social and political determinants of Indigenous wellbeing. Students will be exposed to a range of theoretical frameworks within the social sciences that touch on or have insight for Indigenous wellbeing. Students will also be guided through a critical discussion of the quantitative and qualitative evidence that has formed our current understanding of wellbeing. Finally, students will discuss and evaluate the current policy framework for Indigenous affairs in Australia from the perspective of wellbeing.
There is no assumed knowledge for the course.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Discuss the main frameworks for analysing wellbeing in general, as well as Indigenous wellbeing in Australia.
- Critique the available evidence on Indigenous wellbeing
- Identify research gaps and possible strategies to fill these gaps.
- Examine the main determinants of Indigenous wellbeing.
- Evaluate current policy frameworks with regards to how they do or do not deal with wellbeing in an evidence-based way.
- Write and debate effectively on Indigenous issues.
Indicative Assessment
- Literature based essay proposal due before Lecture Block 1 (1,000 words - 20%) - LO1
- Major essay due before Lecture Block 2 (3,000 words - 40%) - LO2,3,4,6
- Final take-home exam (3 x 600-800 word essays - 30%). - LO5
- Class participation and online discussion (10%) - LO6
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The workload for the course will be structured as follows:
- Reading and Writing Block 1 – 18 hours
- Lecture Block 1 – 18 hours
- Reading and Writing Block 2 – 36 hours
- Lecture Block 2 – 18 hours
- Exam Preparation Block and take-home exam – 30 hours
The course includes 6 hours of compulsory tutorial discussion.
Prescribed Texts
A reading brick will be made available
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Students continuing in their current program of study will have their tuition fees indexed annually from the year in which you commenced your program. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1994-2003 | $1542 | |
| 2014 | $2478 | |
| 2013 | $2472 | |
| 2012 | $2472 | |
| 2011 | $2424 | |
| 2010 | $2358 | |
| 2009 | $2286 | |
| 2008 | $2286 | |
| 2007 | $2286 | |
| 2006 | $2286 | |
| 2005 | $2286 | |
| 2004 | $1926 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1994-2003 | $3618 |
| 2014 | $3762 |
| 2013 | $3756 |
| 2012 | $3756 |
| 2011 | $3756 |
| 2010 | $3756 |
| 2009 | $3618 |
| 2008 | $3618 |
| 2007 | $3618 |
| 2006 | $3618 |
| 2005 | $3618 |
| 2004 | $3618 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Winter Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1669 | 01 Jul 2015 | 24 Jul 2015 | 24 Jul 2015 | 30 Sep 2015 | In Person | N/A |
