This course explores the human past – both recent and distant – of the Asia-Pacific region using the tools of language and linguistic analysis. The Asia-Pacific is renowned for its incredible linguistic diversity, and the languages that are spoken, written and signed in the region today hold many traces of past lives. This course introduces the principles and methods of historical linguistics used to reconstruct language histories, which are windows onto the social and cultural lives of past peoples and societies. Such language histories are a starting point for investigating narratives of the Asia-Pacific past using different lines of evidence from across different disciplines. Does evidence from historical linguistics, archaeology, population genetics, history, and anthropology tell similar or different stories about how people lived in the past? This question is explored through case studies from across Asia and the Pacific, such as the social and technological drivers of the expansions of large language families like Austronesian, Sino-Tibetan and Austroasiatic, the social and cultural factors shaping the many small language families present in New Guinea, and the social and political networks underpinning connections across South Asia and Wallacea. Linguistic histories are key to understanding the Asia-Pacific past, and the dynamics of language across time and space are essential to understanding the contemporary Asia-Pacific world.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Understand the contemporary linguistic and social diversity of the Asia-Pacific region through trans-disciplinary models of change over time.
- Critically apply theoretical frameworks and current methods of historical linguistics to reconstruct language histories.
- Investigate the linguistic and social past through sources and knowledges from different academic and indigenous perspectives.
- Construct narratives of the Asia-Pacific past that draw on evidence from a range of disciplines.
- Critically evaluate approaches to recovering the human past through an interdisciplinary lens.
Other Information
This is a co-taught course. Any cap on enrolments in one course applies to both courses combined.
Indicative Assessment
- Online quizzes (completed weekly and best 10 quizzes count towards mark) (5) [LO 1,2]
- Class participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Assignments - 3 x 15% (each one equivalent to 800 words) (45) [LO 1,2,3,5]
- Essay (2,000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
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 requires a total of 130 hours commitment, which includes:
- 36 hours of synchronous classes
- 94 hours of independent study, including readings and class preparation, as well as work on assessment items.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
This course has a set of weekly readings which are available from the course Wattle site.
Preliminary Reading
N/A
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:
- 1
- 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 |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $4500 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $5820 |
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.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3215 | 23 Feb 2026 | 02 Mar 2026 | 31 Mar 2026 | 29 May 2026 | In Person | N/A |