Pacific Courses based at the ANU

Prehistory of Oceania PREH2005 Lecturer: Professor Spriggs Prerequisite: Introduction to Archaeology (PREH1111) or Introduction to World Prehistory (PREH1112) Syllabus: The prehistory of the Oceanic islands, spanning Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, including New Zealand. The course will examine the evidence for the initial settlement of these regions, and also cultural developments through prehistoric times to the ethnographic present.

Anthropology of New Guinea and Melanesia (ANTH2007) Lecturer: Dr Gardner Prerequisite: Introduction to Anthropology (ANTH1001) Syllabus: The geographical setting, ecology, population and communications. Production and distribution of subsistence and exchange items. Traditional social organisation (i) in coastal Melanesia, (ii) in the interior of New Guinea. Ceremonial exchange and traditional political authority. Ritual activity and the analysis of symbolic systems. Millenarianism and political movements in the context of colonial and post-colonial social change. Present-day national politics and its impact at village level.

Department of History Colonial and Contemporary Pacific Islands (HIST2054) Lecturer: Dr Lal Syllabus: Coups in Fiji; secessionist politics in Melanesia; independence struggles in Kanaky and French Polynesia; continuing American and French colonial presence in the island; indigenous rights movements across the Pacific; the politics of aid and dependent, neo-colonial relationships æ this unit aims to provide undergraduates in history and other social sciences with a comprehensive introduction to the historical roots of many social, political and economic problems besetting contemporary Pacific island nations. Topics to be covered include: the politics of culture contact, the advent of colonial rule, the nature of the colonial experience under British, German, Australian, Japanese, American, French and New Zealand administrations, the impact of World War II on the politics and culture of the Pacific islands, decolonisation and dependency. Throughout, the emphasis will be on the perceptions and reactions of Pacific island peoples themselves and on the complex and fascinating ways in which they attempted to come to terms with the bewildering array of changes that come to their island and beaches from about the middle of the 19th century.

Linguistics Austronesian Linguistics (LING2010) Coordinator: Dr Ross Prerequisites: Introduction to Syntax, Phonetics and Phonology, Historical and Comparative Linguistics. Syllabus: Detailed study of the grammar of a particular Austronesian language. Comparative study of the phonologies, morphologies, and syntax of the languages of the Austronesian family.

Political Science Pacific Politics POLS2055 Lecturer: Dr Sutherland Prerequisite: Political Science 1 or with the permission of the Head of Department; Introduction to Sociology or Introduction to Anthropology or Introduction to Global Change or Economics 1 Economics for Social Scientists. Syllabus: The unit is about the island countries of the Pacific. It surveys the islands and their place in the international community and examines key issues at the national level: the process of decolonisation; forms of government and political participation; economic structures and national development strategies; culture and ideology; the situation of Pacific women. Key political and social agencies are then discussed: trade unions, the media, the military, education, religion and traditional institution. The unit then turns to foreign policy issues, particularly those relating to aid and regional cooperation.