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Unit of study_

USSC1201: America and Australia: the issues compared

In this unit we explore major American social issues by comparing them with similar issues in Australia. What makes America different? How do personal rights, from gun rights to LGBTI rights, work differently in the two countries? What differences and similarities exist on issues like race and mass incarceration? How much do we either exaggerate or downplay political differences between the United States and ourselves?

Code USSC1201
Academic unit United States Studies Centre
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. identify key social differences and similarities between the United States and Australia
  • LO2. use comparison as a method of understanding social issues across different countries
  • LO3. explain the historical and cultural factors that lead to differences in social and political outcomes between the countries
  • LO4. critically analyse and evaluate claims that Americans and Australians make about your own uniqueness or difference from each other
  • LO5. reflect on how our understanding of American social issues affects our understanding of Australian social issues, and vice versa.