AHA (Australia)

History and AI Explore the article collection: History and AI. Published in History Australia.

For the entire month of December, the History Australia special collection on history and AI is free to read! Grab a cup of tea, settle in, and happy reading! www.tandfonline.com/journals/rah...

AHA Conference 2026 - The Australian Historical Association Monday 29 June–Friday 3 July 2026, Macquarie University The 45th Australian Historical Association (AHA) Conference will be hosted by Macquarie University.  The organising committee are excited to…

Exciting news: the CFP for the 2026 AHA Conference is live! We'll be meeting at Macquarie University, on Dharug Country in Sydney, to discuss and explore the theme of "Changing Minds". We'd love to see you there: all the details are at the link! theaha.org.au/aha-conferen...

Reciting the names of the dead: how Australia’s response to HIV/Aids was emotionally – and politically – powerful | Leigh Boucher Researchers now describe it as both historical phenomenon and public health model. Its success was remarkable

In the latest instalment of Past/Present, AHA's column in The Guardian, Leigh Boucher considers the history of World Aids Day and the success of activist-led safe-sex campaigns in Sydney. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

30 new Fellows elected to Humanities Academy – Australian Academy of the Humanities The Australian Academy of the Humanities has today announced the election of 30 new Fellows. Fellows are among the nation’s most influential thinkers, providing insight essential to Australia’s…

Congratulations to AHA members Rachel Fensham, Anna Johnston, Tamson Pietsch, Paul Turnbull, and Andrekos Varnava: newly elected Fellows of the Australian Academy of the Humanities! humanities.org.au/power-of-the...

Academic Freedom Symposium – Australian Academy of the Humanities Join us at this year's CHASS in Melbourne to explore what it means to define, contest and safeguard academic freedom in the 21st century.

This time next week a whole host of AHA members will be speaking as part of the Aus Academy of the Humanities and CHASS' symposium on academic freedom. It's free and open to the public: register your attendance at the link! humanities.org.au/events/acade...

Book Launch: The Australian Wars | Australian War Memorial Donate Today

In Canberra tonight? Head along to the launch of "The Australian Wars" at the Australian War Memorial -- Rachel Perkins and Henry Reynolds will be discussing the book's stories of Indigenous resistance to colonial occupation. All the details are at the link! www.awm.gov.au/book-austral...

Australian Studies Journal 44/2025 – German Association for Australian Studies German Association for Australian Studies

AHA members Lyndon McGarrity and Ben Jones have co-edited a special issue of Australian Studies Journal, on "Histories of Northern and Regional Australia". Access the special issue at the link to read the latest work from a bunch of AHA members! australienstudien.org/australian-s...

In a world with democracy in decline, we have much to learn from those who rallied against Whitlam’s dismissal | Frank Bongiorno and James Watson In 1975, few Australians believed the dismissal of a democratically elected government was business as usual

There's a new instalment in Past/Present, AHA's monthly column in The Guardian! On the eve of the 50th ann. of Whitlam's dismissal, James Watson and Frank Bongiorno consider how "one of the biggest deals in Australian history" played out amongst ordinary people. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Power and Vision: Australia and the South Pacific Commission | National Library of Australia (NLA) 2025 National Library of Australia Fellow, Dr Alexis Bergantz shares his Fellowship research on the history of the South Pacific Commission.

2025 NLA Fellow Alexis Bergantz will be presenting on his Fellowship research at the NLA today! Head along to hear his presentation “Power and Vision: Australia and the South Pacific Commission”. Register at the link! www.library.gov.au/whats-on/eve...

Book launch: The Shortest History of Australia | National Library of Australia (NLA) Renowned historian Mark McKenna sits down with Frank Bongiorno to discuss Mark's new book and how it came together.

In Canberra tonight? Head along to the launch of Mark McKenna's new book "The Shortest History of Australia", at the NLA! All the details are at the link: www.library.gov.au/whats-on/eve...

Ikarians in South Australia, 1900-1945 | Anthem Press Emigration, Settlement, Community Building and Integration

Congratulations to AHA member Yianni Cartledge for the publication of his new book "Ikarians in South Australia 1900--1945"! Pick up your own copy here: anthempress.com/books/ikaria...

The AHA was delighted to see so many wonderful history projects receive funding in the latest round of ARC Discovery Grants, announced this week! Congratulations to all the successful applicants, especially the AHA members among them, and commiserations to those who weren't funded this time around.

Congratulations to AHA member Annemarie McLaren for the publication of her new book "Aboriginal-Colonial Exchanges in New South Wales 1800—1835: When the Strangers Came to Stay"! Grab a copy at the link: global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Congratulations to AHA member David Lowe for the publication of his new book, "The Colombo Plan: Development Internationalism in Cold War Asia"! It's available to purchase here: www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...

Fellowships The Library offers a number of prestigious and competitive fellowships to support the study, writing and teaching of Australian history and culture.

Congratulations to the 2026 State Library of NSW Fellows, announced last night in Sydney, and especially the AHA members among them: Mark Dunn, Ruby Ekkel, Hannah Forsyth, Tamson Pietsch, and Nicole Townsend! www.sl.nsw.gov.au/about/awards...

AHA member and 2024-25 Carol Thomas Fellow Nancy Cushing will be delivering the Carol Thomas Lecture at the State Library of NSW tonight! All the details are here: www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/coral...

Free tomorrow night? AHA member Cath Bishop is delivering the 2025 Russel Ward Annual Lecture, in person at UNE and live online via Zoom! Cath will be revealing the complex and often hidden work of women behind the label "home duties". Register here: www.une.edu.au/about-une/ne...

Congratulations to AHA member Martin Thomas, whose book "Clever Men" has been named as a finalist in the 2025 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Awards! Read all about it here: www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/top/news_and...

OMG, a JOB! UNSW Canberra is looking for Level B and Level C positions in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences! Check out the job ad here: external-careers.jobs.unsw.edu.au/cw/en/job/53...

The fledgling UN tried to rein in mass-scale misinformation. The world turned its back and is now paying the price | Roland Burke The ruinous result of the US approach to freedom of information and media has made anti-democratic contagion impossible to ignore

The war against 'false news' is not 'new', but has been a concern of international organisations for over 100 years. The ever captivating Roland Burke launches a new Guardian column, Past/Present, sponsored by the @austhistassoc.bsky.social.

The fledgling UN tried to rein in mass-scale misinformation. The world turned its back and is now paying the price | Roland Burke Great new #history initiative to counterbalance the presentism of media. Well done @australia.theguardian.com @austhistassoc.bsky.social

The fledgling UN tried to rein in mass-scale misinformation. The world turned its back and is now paying the price | Roland Burke The ruinous result of the US approach to freedom of information and media has made anti-democratic contagion impossible to ignore

A new initiative from the AHA: a monthly column in The Guardian providing an historical perspective on present-day events! We're starting with Roland Burke, thinking about misinformation and the links between the UN of today and the 1930s. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Congratulations to AHA member Marnie Hughes-Warrington for being named as a finalist in the Women in Innovation SA awards!

Joel Barnes is working with us at the University of Sydney on a university truth telling project, which stimulated this important research. The value of real historical sleuthing... More to come, I hope
#austhist @sydney.edu.au @austhistassoc.bsky.social @humanitiesau.bsky.social

The Dixson family were great Australian philanthropists, but their wealth was built on slave labour The legacy of the Dixson family reveals a complicated history of interconnected global capital and racialised exploitation.

Important research here from Joel Barnes tracing the origins of philanthropic wealth in Australia. How should institutions reckon with these legacies?

theconversation.com/the-dixson-f...

Prime Minister's Literary Awards Celebrating outstanding literary talent in Australia and the valuable contribution Australian writing makes to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life.

Congratulations to AHA member Geraldine Fela, who last week won the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Australian History for her book "Critical Care: Nurses on the frontline of Australia's AIDS crisis" (UNSW Press)! Read more about the winners here: creative.gov.au/news-events/...

Thinking of applying for the Allan Martin Award, Kay Daniels Award, Serle Award, or the Hancock Prize? EOIs close next Tuesday, so make sure you reach out in time! Find all the information here: theaha.org.au/awards-and-p...

Still one day to register in time for tomorrow's workshop on teaching history and AI! This one's for AHA members, so it's a perfect reason to join if you haven't already! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

ECRs: Don't forget that applications for the 2026 AHA ECR Fellowship close THIS WEEK! Get all the details here: theaha.org.au/awards-and-p...

Wondering how AI will (and does already) impact history teaching? Register for this upcoming workshop, presented by the AHA, exploring just that! Follow the link for all the details: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...