The Australian Imaginary

Literature has always played a central role in the definition a nation’s self-image and the formation of a national imaginary. This subject offers a broad historical sweep of Australian literature over the last 150 years to examine the different faces and facets of Australian life. It introduces students to competing narratives about the Australian nation, explores the complex entanglement of Indigenous and migrant histories in this country, and reflects on the relationship between colonial and modern Australia. Reading across a range of literary forms – short story, novel, poetry, play and graphic fiction – students will discover how literature helps us understand the forces that have shaped contemporary Australia today.