Category: history
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Quarterly Essay David Malouf
What a comendable addition the Quarterly Essay is to the national debate. It is refreshing to engage with larger Australian discussions after floundering in the intellectual vacuum of ‘the global’ for such a long time. The problem with much discourse on ‘the global’ is that it is largely dismissive of national discussions. ‘The national’ is seen…
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A Brief History of the Melbourne Fringe Festival 1982-2003
A Brief History of the Melbourne Fringe: (1) The Melbourne Fringe Network was established in 1982 after the demise of the legendary Pram Factory in Carlton. The Pram Factory was the home of the Australian Performing Group which was a democratically run theatrical collective. The group was at its pinnacle during the sex, drugs and…
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The History Wars Continue: Keith Winshuttle Versus Simon Schama: A Hypothetical Trial
The History Wars Continue: A Hypothetical Trial by Craig Bellamy October 2003 History must strive to be an art before it can pretend to be a science J. H. Plumb (1969) Synopsis What follows is a hypothetical case in which Simon Schama is on trial in relation to a charge brought forward by Mr. Keith…
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The Death of Mr Practical: The Practical man and Globalisation
The Death of Mr Practical: The Practical Man and Globalisation by Craig Bellamy Synopsis There is a prevailing historical connection between Australia's colonial experience and our dominant intellectual tradition. Throughout the nation's short history of settlement, most of our leading intellectuals and rulers have displayed a certain ‘practicality' that is an Australian adaptation of a…
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John Curtin’s Letter of Inspiration
John Curtin and US General Douglas MacArthur meet at Parliament House on 26 March 1942. NAA: A1200, L36449 This is a letter sent to John Curtin by Chris Bennett in 1915 (President Trades Hall Council) quoted in David Day’s biography of John Curtin that I find inspirational…(p.213). …keep your pecker up and continue to fight…