Studying online (if an online offering is shown below)
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
This unit critically explores the colonised history of Australia, historical and current racism and structural racism as seen in policies and practices and the impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, those with ‘settler' ancestry, and more recent immigrants, with a particular focus on the role of social work. The myth of a ‘peaceful settlement' is explored alongside concepts of privilege, critical whiteness and anti-oppressive theoretical frameworks, inclusion/exclusion and allyship are interrogated. Students will draw on lived experience, and/or their prior knowledge gained from SWSP2001 Knowledges and Skills for working with Indigenous Peoples, and practice observations and experiences gained from SWSP3001 Field Education 1 to consider how culturally secure communication and interventions may be created within alternative frameworks, such as ‘third space'.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
Availability Location Mode Not available in 2025 UWA (Perth) Off-campus - Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 3 core unit in the Social Work major sequence
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) critically analyse the impacts of colonisation, racism and structural racism on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples those with ‘settler' ancestry, and more recent immigrants; (2) develop and critique you own cultural standpoint and the impacts of this on your work with Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander peoples in the context of your practice framework; (3) evaluate of the principles of cultural security as they apply to your practice framework; (4) critically analyse a case study as observed or experienced during SWSP 5309 Field Education utilising antioppressive and critical whiteness theoretical frameworks, encompassing the concept of power
; (5) analyse specific frameworks such as 'third space' that embrace cultural security, responsive communication and allyship; (6) critically analyse the relevance of decolonising principles to the future of the social work profession, and more broadly, to the role of social work in actively challenging colonialist policies and practices; and (7) examine professional practice principles as they apply to workplace and university professional behaviour.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) individual reflective journal; (2) presentation and individual paper; (3) case study; and (4) professional behaviour assessment. Further information is available in the unit outline.
To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the professional behaviour assessment component.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit rules
- Contact hours
- Lectures
Tutorials
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.