Introduction
Convict, prison and court records can provide rich, if sometimes disturbing, evidence of the lives led by our ancestors. This unit draws upon the expertise of leading historians of crime, the law, and convict transportation to guide you through the vast archival underbelly of the criminal justice system. You will learn about convicts’ journeys from the time of their trials and transportation, through to living under sentence in the Australian penal colonies, and what likely became of them afterwards. You will be shown how to find and use a wide range of digital records and other relevant research materials to contextualise individual convict’s life stories. This is a unit for those who want to get ‘forensic’ about the past.
Summary
| Unit name | Convict Ancestors |
| Unit code | HAA007 |
| Credit points | 12.5 |
| College/School | Arts and Society Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Discipline | History and Classics |
| Coordinator | Doctor Alana Piper |
| Available as an elective? | Yes |
| Delivered By | University of Tasmania |
| Level | Foundation or Enabling |
Availability
Specific information on 2027 unit availability will be available in August
Learning Outcomes
- Be familiar with the wide range of historical records available to locate individual convicts transported to the Australian penal colonies and to trace their life course experiences
- Be able to read, transcribe, and understand key material presented within convict, court, and prison records
- Be able to situate the experiences of individual convicts within a relevant wider context and convey this information clearly and succinctly
Fee Information
2027 fee information will be available in August.
Teaching
| Teaching Pattern | Weekly online learning materials (e.g. short video lectures, discussions, readings, activities) (approx. 6 hours). |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Online transcription exercise (10%)|Four online quizzes (40%)|Convict case study (50%) |
| Timetable | View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable |
Textbooks
| Required |
All required learning materials will be provided in the unit's MyLO site. |
|---|---|
| Recommended | Any recommended readings will be provided in the unit's MyLO site. |
The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.