This interdisciplinary subject allows us to understand ourselves and our relations to others better. It examines how identities are never simply one thing or another—for instance, being a woman or a man—but are always situated in relation to other differences, such as race, class or sexuality. Beginning with ways different identities are shaped within an Australian context, the subject asks how individuals develop diverse forms of belonging within systems of social power and knowledge. We question taken for granted assumptions about identity formation and analyse various forms of representing and understanding identities in their diversity through Aboriginal studies, philosophy, media studies, sociology, literature, law and history. Materials for study include film, youtube clips, historical texts, personal stories, statistics, and advertisements. Our aim is to explore the possibilities for promoting social transformation, equity and social justice.

Subject rules