The Pacific Studies major employs an interdisciplinary framework to explore important historical and contemporary issues in Oceania. It also provides the basis for students to critically examine the ways in which knowledge about the region, and the region itself, have been framed, constructed and represented, with a particular focus on Indigenous epistemologies and voices. Students engage with scholarly and policy debates of critical contemporary importance in the region, including gender, climate change, globalization, the arts, development, and peace, conflict and intervention. The linguistic diversity of Oceania is reflected in the core courses of the major, which are infused with Indigenous voices and languages. The major provides students with opportunities to further explore the Pacific through the disciplinary lenses of archaeology, anthropology, Indigenous studies, political science, literature, philosophy, and visual arts.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically apply theoretical frameworks and research techniques to understand the global significance of Oceania as a region of diverse societies, cultures and languages;
- Demonstrate an understanding of diverse disciplinary approaches and methods drawn from the humanities, social sciences and environmental studies, to synthesize knowledge about Oceania and its place in the world;
- Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the diversity of indigenous, popular culture, policy and scholarly perspectives on and within Oceania;
- Evaluate knowledge and ideas and debate issues using academic and other approaches addressing a variety of scholarly, policy and public audiences;
- Exercise critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems individually as well as collaboratively.
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must consist of:
36 units from the completion of the following courses:
PASI1011 Pacific Encounters: An introduction to Pacific Studies
PASI1012 Pacific Worlds: critical inquiry in Oceania
PASI2001 Pacific Studies in a Globalizing World
PASI3001 Politics and Development in the Contemporary Pacific
PASI3002 Gender and Sexuality in the Pacific
PASI3013 Environment and Development in the Pacific
12 units from the following list:
ARCH2005 Archaeology of the Pacific Islanders
ASIA2001 Language in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2093 Natural Resource Conflicts in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2308 Linguistic Histories in Asia and the Pacific
ASIA2311 Gender and Cultural Studies in Adia and the Pacific
ENVS2005 Island Sustainable Development: Fiji Field School
PASI2002 Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th centuries
PASI2030 Study Tour: Regional Policymaking for Pacific Development
PASI3005 Pacific Islands Field School
PASI3010 Pacific Engagement Project
PASI3012 Readings in Indigenous Studies
POLS2055 Pacific Politics
STST2003 Australia and Security in the Pacific Islands
WARS2004 War in the Islands: The Second World War in the Pacific
12 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PASI2001 | Pacific Studies in a Globalising World | 6 |
| PASI2002 | Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th centuries | 6 |
6 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PASI1011 | Pacific Encounters: An introduction to Pacific Studies | 6 |
6 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA1025 | Asia and the Pacific: Power, diversity and change OR | 6 |
| ASIA1030 | Asia and the Pacific in Motion | 6 |
A maximum of 24 units may come from completion of courses from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH2005 | Archaeology of the Pacific Islanders | 6 |
| ARCH 3019: Topics in Pacific Archaeology | ||
| ASIA 3006: Prac Assign in Asia Pacific | ||
| ASIA3012 | Readings in Asian Societies and Histories | 6 |
| FREN 2022: French Lit & The Pacific | ||
| FREN 2026: New Caledonia: Fld Wk & Res | ||
| PASI3013 | Environment and Development in the Pacific | 6 |
| PASI 2020: Languages of the Pacific | ||
| PASI3001 | Politics and Development in the Contemporary Pacific | 6 |
| PASI 3006: Navigating the Pacific | ||
| WARS2004 | War in the Islands: The Second World War in the Pacific | 6 |
| POLS2055 | Pacific Politics | 6 |
| HIST2231 | Exploration: From Captain Cook to the Astronauts | 6 |
