NYC Gazette

Students at NYU Sydney are immersing themselves in Australian culture through a course titled "The Australian Experience," taught by Professor Lauren Nilsson. The class, popular among students from New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, delves into Australia's history and culture using both lectures and fieldwork.

Nilsson encourages her students to critically examine national identity, racism, migration, multiculturalism, Aboriginal Australians, and the effects of colonialism. She also aims to teach them cultural nuances such as the difference between a bloke and a Larrikin.

The course is designed to offer more than just textbook knowledge. “It’s like cultural translation, and I’m a cultural intermediary,” Nilsson explains. She emphasizes that the course provides insight into contemporary Australia rather than its postcard image.

One key aspect of the course involves exploring issues that overlap with American culture. Students often draw parallels between Australia's national day debate—known as Australia Day or Invasion Day—and Columbus Day in the United States. Nilsson notes that studying these topics in an Australian context allows students to engage critically without personal bias.

Field trips are integral to the curriculum. Students must visit one of Sydney's Asian food markets and complete a self-guided tour on Oxford Street in Darlington. This walk includes stops at significant sites from the first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras March in 1978.

“Sydney is known as the San Francisco of the Southern Hemisphere,” says Nilsson. The Mardi Gras event is likened to the Stonewall protest in America.

Through these experiences, students gain observational skills while discovering an authentic version of Australia beyond stereotypes associated with figures like Steve Irwin. Nilsson highlights how First Nations artifacts predate famous historical structures but remain less recognized due to European colonization timelines.

Despite academic rigor, Nilsson wants her students to enjoy their time in Australia. “I love it when students come up to me after a weekend and they’re like, ‘I met this guy and he was such a Larrikin,’” she shares.