University of Southern Queensland

Constructing history: Selective representations of Indigenous Australians and British heritages in Queensland History

curriculum

A Dissertation submitted by Heather L. Sharp, BA, BEd, GCPTT, MEd.

For the award of

Doctor of Philosophy 2010

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Abstract History curriculum has in recent years been the topic of much public interest, from debates

framed within the context of the recent history/culture wars to issues related to content and

pedagogical approaches within the proposed national curriculum. Framed by this sustained

public, media and government interest in school curriculum; this project analyses Australian

content present in textbooks and syllabus documents within the History curriculum in

Queensland schools from three selected 20th century time periods. Historical periods were

selected to demonstrate the connection between public discourses and school History

curriculum content, and illuminated through British heritages and Indigenous representations.

The historical periods are characterised by two features: first, when major historical or social

events occurred within a short timeframe creating an identifiable shift in public discourses,

and second, when a new or revised syllabus was implemented in Queensland government

schools. Three specific areas of focus that meet the two characteristics listed above are: the

period just prior to and just after World War I (WWI); the Australian Black Movement 1964-

1975; and the 1988 Bicentennial era. Each era is significant for quite divergent reasons, but

with the common factor that they have each made a significant contribution to Australia’s

history, and in terms of constructions of national identity, continue to do so, they find place in

this thesis. They have each been examined through a selected exemplar topic dominant to the

era. The ideas of British heritages were in the case of the WWI era; Indigenous

representations in the 1964-1975 era; and both British heritages and Indigenous

representations in the 1988 Bicentennial era.

The methodological approach, in consideration of Michael Apple’s (1993, 2000) concept of

official knowledge draws analysis from a selection of school texts using a bricolage approach

encompassing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), visual analysis strategies and historical

methodology approaches. After an analysis of the school texts through a five stage process,

this project concludes that textbook research is an important component in considering the

direction of History as a school subject, particularly in the current neo-conservative

educational environment, including the construction and implementation of the proposed

national curriculum. As Davis writes, “I firmly believe that increased knowledge about

textbooks can and will facilitate understanding of the actual school curriculum in practice”

(2006, p. xi). This project, then offers a timely analysis of History curriculum from past eras

through British heritages and Indigenous representations.

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Certification of Dissertation I certify that the ideas, results, analyses and conclusions reported in this dissertation are entirely my own effort, except where otherwise acknowledged. I also certify that the work is original and has not been previously submitted for any other award, except where otherwise acknowledged. ______________________________ ______________ Signature of Candidate: Heather Sharp Date Endorsement ______________________________ ______________ Signature of Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Jon Austin Date ______________________________ ______________ Signature of Supervisor: Dr Andrew Hickey Date

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Acknowledgements Completing this dissertation has occurred over a number of years, and during this time I have

received encouragement and support from a number of people. They are mentioned here.

Librarians have been exceptionally helpful in providing me with assistance to source and

obtain resources, and especially in the early phases of my research, provided guidance on

where to locate specific texts. This includes librarians from The John Oxley Collection at the

State Library of Queensland, The National Library of Australia, Rosemary Mammino from

the history collection at the Education Queensland Library at Coorparoo, and the University

of Newcastle Library staff, in particular the Interlibrary Loans section. The interest shown in

my research and helpfulness demonstrated made the data collection phase a far less daunting

experience than it otherwise could have been.

 

I am sincerely grateful to the people who lent me curriculum materials or historical resources

from their private collections, often for extended periods of time. I realise that a lot of trust

was placed in me treating these resources with the care and attention they required—thank

you in particular to Julie Ballantyne, Janelle Griffiths and Garry Sharp. The donation of a

large number of textbooks by Mr and Mrs Joy Nelson, originally used by their son Stuart

Nelson as a young school boy is, in particular, appreciated. During various stages of my

research, the generosity they displayed to me was a significant motivator to continue. I hope

this dissertation does some justice to their generosity.

 

Principia Methodologica, a group consisting primarily of higher degree students, convened

by Associate Professor James Ladwig at the University of Newcastle provided a rich

academic learning environment for me during my research. It is through this group that I was

able to discuss my research with people (other than my Supervisors), in a supportive and

academically challenging environment. Thank you to Associate Professor Ladwig for

providing a forum that enabled me to articulate and refine my research ideas.

 

In particular, I would like to thank my Supervisors for their academic guidance over the four

and a half years of this project. I am deeply thankful to my Principal Supervisor, Associate

Professor Jon Austin for his supervision and insightful advice and direction, particularly in

the area of research methodology. He also played an important role in assisting me to apply

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for and receive a scholarship so that I was able to complete my dissertation. For his active

support in this area, I express my genuine gratitude. I would like to thank my Associate

Supervisor, Dr Andrew Hickey, for his critical feedback and timely comments regarding my

progress both prior to and during his official involvement in this project. Reading Andrew’s

dissertation provided a source of inspiration and motivation to continue with my own.

 

The support of my family and friends during my candidature has been appreciated. In

particular, I would like to thank Gary, Michael and Anna Kilday for the support,

encouragement and enthusiasm they have shown for my project. Thank you to Mellisa Uren

for having a patient ear when I tried to articulate my ideas and encouraging words when

needed throughout this research journey; and for sharing in my enthusiasm, particularly

during my research trip to Canberra in 2009. Michael and Anna’s accompanying me on trips

to book stores, swap meets and antique shops to source textbooks meant my data collection

process was a shared endeavour and one that provided many hours of conversation

afterwards, making this part of my project a joint, rather than sole, experience. Thank you for

your willingness to participate in and for listening with such interest to news and ideas about

my research.

This research was completed with funding from an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship for the final 15 months of this project.

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Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... i Certification of Dissertation ..................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... v Chapter One: Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 

1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Working definitions. ................................................................................................. 3 

1.2 Rationale of the Study ...................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Motivation to Conduct the Research ................................................................................ 6 1.4 Purpose and Relevance of the Research .......................................................................... 7 1.5 The Epistemological Domain of Research ...................................................................... 8 1.6 Central Research Problem................................................................................................ 9 1.7 Structure of Dissertation ................................................................................................ 10 

Chapter Two: Literature Review ............................................................................................. 13 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 13 2.2 Introduction to Official Knowledge ............................................................................... 16 2.3 Defining Textbooks ....................................................................................................... 26 2.4 Defining hegemony as ideological power. ..................................................................... 36 2.5 Dominant discourses. ..................................................................................................... 40 2.6 Resistant discourses. ...................................................................................................... 42 2.7 Constructions of National Identity through School Curriculum .................................... 45 2.8 Curriculum Approaches in Humanities Disciplines ...................................................... 61 2.9 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 70 

Chapter Three: Methodology, Research Design and Conduct ................................................. 71 3.1 Introduction: Bricolage as Methodology ....................................................................... 71 3.2 Introduction to Critical Discourse Analysis. .................................................................. 81 3.3 Description of Critical Discourse Analysis Approaches ............................................... 88 3.4 Contentions with Critical Discourse Analysis Methodology......................................... 91 3.5 Introduction and Theoretical Framing of Visual Analysis ............................................ 97 3.6 Introduction to Historical Methodology ...................................................................... 103 3.7 Disclosure of Researcher ............................................................................................. 113 3.8 Data Collection and Selection ..................................................................................... 119 3.9 Research Analysis ........................................................................................................ 128 3.10 Post Analysis and Conclusion .................................................................................... 134 3.11 Chapter Conclusion and Summary ............................................................................ 135 

Chapter Four: Data Analysis Introduction ............................................................................. 137 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 137 4.2 Queensland Schooling Context and Education History Overview .............................. 137 4.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 144 

Chapter Five: Before and immediately after WWI ................................................................ 147 5.1 Historical Context of the Era ....................................................................................... 147 5.2 Education Context ........................................................................................................ 148 5.3 Categories Emerging from Analysis ............................................................................ 153 

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5.4 Category 1: Privileging British Heritages .................................................................... 153 5.5 Category 2: Australia’s Emotional Allegiance to Great Britain .................................. 157 5.6 Category 3: Australia’s Military Allegiance to Great Britain ...................................... 163 5.7 Category 4: Australia as a Colony, or Legislatively Part of Great Britain .................. 165 5.8 Category 5: World War I ............................................................................................. 166 5.9 Intersections of British Heritages and Indigenous Representations ............................ 178 5.10 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 182 

Chapter Six: Black Movement in Australia 1964 – 1975 ...................................................... 187 6.1 Historical Context of the Era ....................................................................................... 187 6.2 Education Context ........................................................................................................ 192 6.3 Categories Emerging From Analysis ........................................................................... 205 6.4 Category 1: Interactions with Explorers ...................................................................... 205 6.5 Category 2: Frontier Conflicts ..................................................................................... 232 6.6 Category 3: Tasmanian Indigenous Australians .......................................................... 240 6.7 Category 4: Colonial and Post Colonisation Representations ..................................... 247 6.8 Category 5: Contemporary Representations ................................................................ 262 6.9 Intersection of British Heritages and Indigenous Representations .............................. 271 6.10 Examples of Resistant and Alternative Readings of Indigenous Representations .... 274 6.11 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 280 

Chapter Seven: 1988 Bicentennial Era .................................................................................. 291 7.1 Historical context ......................................................................................................... 291 7.2 Education context......................................................................................................... 298 7.3 Categories emerging from analysis: Indigenous Representations ............................... 306 7.4 Category 1: Traditional lifestyles and environments (including contact pre-1788) .... 306 7.5 Category 2: Early Colonial History and Interactions with Explorers .......................... 317 7.6 Category 3: Frontier Conflicts ..................................................................................... 323 7.7 Category 4: Federation and the Constitution ............................................................... 326 7.8 Category 5: General civil action led by Indigenous Australians ................................. 329 7.9 Category 6: The Wave Hill Station Strike ................................................................... 331 7.10 Category 7: Indigenous knowledges .......................................................................... 343 7.12 Category 9: Representations in Social Studies Curriculum ....................................... 358 7.13 Categories emerging from analysis: British heritages ............................................... 360 7.14 Category 1: Examples of British Heritages Omitted From the Curriculum .............. 361 7.15 Category 2: Australia’s emotional allegiance to Great Britain .................................. 369 7.16 Category 3: Australia’s Dissociation from Great Britain .......................................... 373 7.17 Category 4: Foreign Policy Connections Between Australia and Great Britain ........ 383 7.18 Category 5: World War I (WWI) ............................................................................... 385 7.19 Category 6: Conscription ........................................................................................... 391 7.20 Category 7: Reason for Colonisation ......................................................................... 392 7.21 Category 8: Federation ............................................................................................... 393 7.23 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 396 

Chapter Eight: Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 407 8.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 407 8.2 Final Stage Analysis: Obstacles to be Tackled ............................................................ 407 

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8.3 Representations of British Heritages and Indigenous Australians in National History: A critical reflection. ............................................................................................................... 409 8.4 Closing remarks ........................................................................................................... 418 Reference List .................................................................................................................... 421 

 

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List of Figures Figure 3.1 Structure of Analysis……………………………………………………………129 Figure A1.1 History Wars Keating Manning Clark Blainey………………………………..448 Figure A1.2: Timeline of major shifts in the history/culture wars, 1993-2008…………….450

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List of Tables Table 2.1 Three Approaches to the Social Science Curriculum……………………………...62 Table 2.2 The Two Traditions of History Teaching……………………………….…………64 Table 3.1 Five Dimensions of Bricolage……………………………………………………..78

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Appendices Appendix A: Contexts……………………………………………………………………437 Appendix B: Textbook Annotated Bibliography ............................................................... 499 Appendix C: Preliminary Data Analysis Template ........................................................... 500 Appendix D: Sample Data Analyses.................................................................................. 501