ATS2556 Power struggles: anti-colonialism and anti-racism in history
Faculty of Arts
ATS2556 Power struggles: anti-colonialism and anti-racism in history is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Caulfield and Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Caulfield, Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 5 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ATS2556
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS2556
No unit lists ATS2556 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Pre-requisite: Must have completed 12 credit points of Arts units.
Overview
The struggle of colonised peoples to attain independence from foreign domination is one of the defining features of contemporary world history. In this unit, you will explore modern anti-colonial movements in the Asia-Pacific, Africa and other locations, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between racism and colonialism. You will investigate the ongoing push for decolonisation in the contemporary world, including the enduring legacies of colonialism in settler colonial contexts such as Australia and the United States. Your investigation will centre on a selection of historical case studies of anticolonial resistance and decolonisation from the eighteenth century to the present, with an emphasis on the self-determination of indigenous and other marginalised groups. You will discover how decolonisation interacts with other themes such as gender and violence, and explore and debate the evolving meaning of decolonisation, including consideration of the ‘silences’ of the archive in historical research, and the legacies of colonialism in education and the university.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Caulfield | On campus |
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- In-class participation acitivityExercise15%
- Research AssignmentWritten15%
- EssayWritten40%
- ReportWritten15%
- Oral PresentationPresentation15%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
explain the major types and theories of colonialism (settler colonialism, plantation colonialism, etc.) and theories and interpretations of decolonisation, and explain the development, strategies and trajectories of important anti-racist and anti-colonial movements in world history;
- 2
explain the ongoing legacies of colonialism, including contemporary decolonisation movements, and the significance of decolonisation in world history;
- 3
independently research and critically analyse a variety of historical texts (including contemporary documents, polemical literature and historical scholarship);
- 4
work collaboratively with peers;
- 5
communicate ideas orally and in writing.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Tutorials24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachResearch activities
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
This unit allows you to develop your research skills by engaging in structured inquiry using a systematic approach and discipline-specific methodologies.
Learning resources
Technology resources
This unit requires access to a laptop that meets minimum specifications (https://www.monash.edu/esolutions/students/bring-your-own-device-byod). Free specialist software is available via MoVE (https://www.monash.edu/learning-teaching/innovation/learning-technologies/move).
Where it fits
ATS2556 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Julie Kalman
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Julie Kalman
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS2556?
ATS2556 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS2556 offered?
In 2026, ATS2556 runs in Semester 1 at Caulfield and Clayton.
How much work is ATS2556?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS2556 have an exam?
No. ATS2556 has 5 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS2556?
ATS2556 is part of History.