Australia: Australian Literature and Culture, Aboriginal to Contemporary

December 28, 2008 – January 17, 2009

This program is no longer accepting applications for Winter 2009

 

Australia is known around the world as a country of unsurpassed natural beauty and strong cultural identity. The most famous city in Australia, Sydney offers a cosmopolitan city center, vibrant cultural activities, sparkling beaches and dramatic national parks. As the gateway city and capital of New South Wales, Sydney is home to the Opera House, the historic Rocks area, Harbor Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, Parliament House and the State Library as well as almost 4 million residents and an excellent transportation system. And… we'll participate in the New Year’s Eve celebration, which boasts the world’s largest fireworks display and harbor-based activities.

An immersion into Australian culture and history, this course will explore the literature, dance, theater, and arts of aboriginal and contemporary Australia.

Our three-week stay in Sydney will coincide with the 2008 Sydney Arts Festival. The Sydney Festival, founded in 1977, is now one of Australia’s largest annual cultural celebrations with an international reputation for modern programming that attracts over one million spectators from around the world. For three weeks in January, the Festival hosts over 60 events involving more than 500 artists from Australia and abroad.

Much of Australia’s culture is derived from European roots, but distinctive Australian features have evolved from the environment, aboriginal culture, and the influence of Australia’s neighbors. The vigor and originality of the arts in Australia – literature, films, opera, music, painting, theater, dance and crafts – has achieved international recognition.

Accomodations

We will live in fully furnished apartments located one block from Coogee Beach in Sydney.

Faculty And Staff

Jason Rudy, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of English Literature at University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Rudy earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in English from Rutgers University, and is a specialist in nineteenth-century British literature and culture. Please contact Dr. Rudy for information about course content and itinerary.