Big Stories: Culture, Memory and Power (11108.1)

Human beings engage with multiple narratives every minute of every day: narratives are political, historical, interactive, affective and effective - they are used to shape culture, to cast and re-cast history, and to form and manipulate identity. This unit uses a multi-disciplinary approach to explore and interrogate the role and function of narrative as a form of cultural memory and a social technology. It will examine the ways in which narratives aren't just 'told', but are lived and represented, and will provide students with both foundational knowledge in the Arts and Humanities and an ongoing context for their studies in their specialist majors and the Bachelor of Arts.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Interpret and analyse key global, cultural, political, economic and historical narratives;
2. Creatively apply key narratives to a chosen field of creative and cultural practice;
3. Integrate key narratives in changing professional and cultural environments; and
4. Critically examine narratives on indigeneity (subject to consultation).

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.