This course will introduce students to debates in heritage studies and museology about the implications of the ‘digital’ for how communities tell their histories in and about place—drawing on innovative projects and practices from Indigenous heritage management and stories of country. Students will be introduced to key concepts and theories, and emerging methods, in digital heritage, considering how heritage and digital systems interact, and the challenges and innovations of this interaction for Australian heritage practices. We will hear from traditional owners, community activists, GLAM professionals, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers about their work around Indigenous heritage—including, digital mapping and working with place, issues of ethical practice, open access/sharing/privacy, Indigenous data sovereignty and digital repatriation, digital curation and the impacts of this public interface on storytelling and storied places, and the implications of protocols and legislation around digital heritage. Ultimately, the course will encourage students to think reflexively and critically about their positions within these heritage systems and power structures; and, concurrently, to think ‘forward’ in imagining ‘future’ heritages for Australia in way that is cognizant of its Indigenous heritage and how we may collaboratively manage country in an intercultural and informed manner.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- explore the shifting epistemologies in the study, practice and reception of heritage and public history over time – and its interactions with the digital;
- understand principles of Indigenous heritage management, and how Indigenous heritage and Indigenous management of country—as storied, inter/multi-connected, performed, tangible and intangible—is translated, shared, aided by or constrained, and adapted to/through digital platforms;
- unpack key debates about the effects of the ‘digital’ on Indigenous heritage, including ethical issues, open access issues, privacy and ‘ownership’ of particular heritages—from the perspective of existing projects, initiatives, and new innovations across Australia; and
- encourage students to think reflexively, and to think ‘forward’ in imagining ‘future’ heritages for Australia; exploring emerging questions about managing country interculturally and together.
Indicative Assessment
- A reflexive research journal (ongoing) (30) [LO 2,3,4]
- Presentation/Participation in class (20) [LO 3]
- Essay (50) [LO 1,2,3,4]
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
This course is delivered in Intensive Mode. The 130 hours of total student learning time is made up from:
a) 35 hours of contact over 5 days; and
b) 95 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Prescribed Texts
Dunn, Stuart. A History of Place in the Digital Age. London: Routledge, 2019.
Harrison, Rodney et al. Heritage Futures: Comparative Approaches to Natural and Cultural Heritage Practices (London: UCL Press, 2020).
Kukutai, Tahu, and John Taylor, eds. Indigenous data sovereignty: Toward an agenda. Vol. 38. Anu Press, 2016.
Lewi, Hannah, Wally Smith, Dirk Vom Lehn, and Steven Cooke, eds. The Routledge International Handbook of New Digital Practices in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Heritage Sites. Routledge, 2019.
McPherson, Tara. “Why are the digital humanities so white? Or thinking the histories of race and computation.” Debates in the digital humanities 139 (2012): 160.
Ormond-Parker, L., Fforde, C., Corn, A., O’Sullivan, S. & K. Obata (eds), Information Technologies and Indigenous Communities. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2013.
Tebeau, Mark. "Listening to the city: Oral history and place in the digital era." The Oral History Review 40, no. 1 (2013): 25-35.
https://www.indigital.net.au/
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you 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). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found 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 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $3840 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $5700 |
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.
Autumn Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3548 | 13 Jun 2023 | 13 Jun 2023 | 16 Jun 2023 | 19 Jun 2023 | In Person | N/A |
