Description

The Pacific Studies minor employs an interdisciplinary framework to explore important historical and contemporary issues in Oceania, and to critically examine the ways in which knowledge about the region, and the region itself, have been framed, constructed and represented. The minor provides students with a deep understanding of the cultural, social, geographic and political diversity of Oceania, and the richness of perspectives on it, with a particular focus on indigenous epistemologies and voices. Australia’s historical and contemporary engagements with Oceania are critically examined from a range of vantage points. Students also engage with scholarly and policy debates of critical contemporary concern in the region, including those around gender, climate change, globalization, the arts, development, and peace, conflict and intervention. The enormous linguistic diversity of Oceania is reflected in the core courses of the minor, all of which are infused with indigenous voices and languages. Electives provide students with opportunities to further explore the Pacific through the disciplinary lenses of archaeology, anthropology, political science, literature and philosophy

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of a Bachelor degree with a minor in Pacific Studies, graduates will be able to:

• Speak and write about theories, factual content and research approaches relevant to Pacific Studies.

• Identify relevant regional and international literature relevant to Pacific Studies.

• Determine the processes through which current knowledge about Pacific Studies has been developed.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of perspectives on indigenous, popular, policy and scholarly debates in Oceania.

Course Lists

The course lists in the "Requirements" section below is a definitive list and includes all courses that can be counted towards the major, whether or not they are offered in the current year. For a list of courses that will be offered in the current year, please see the Summary of Courses page.