The National Library and the Humanities Research Centre at ANU presented a series of discussions about 'Historians at Work', featuring prominent Australian historians in conversation among themselves and with the audience.
Historians and the media
Thursday 30 August, 2012
National Library Conference Room
With some notable exceptions, the traditional way for historians to publish the results of their research is through books and articles in scholarly journals.
Increasingly, though, they are looking to communicate by other means, including film, television, radio, newspapers and the web. Should historians be embracing these alternative ways of communicating with their audiences? What are the potential benefits and possible risks? Michelle Arrow, Frank Bongiorno and Clare Wright discuss the opportunities and challenges.
Restoring history to family history – and vice versa
Thursday 20 September, 2012
National Library Conference Room
Professional historians have traditionally regarded family history with suspicion, if not disdain. Perhaps there is good cause: many family histories are introspective and self-serving, ignoring historical events beyond the immediate family. On the other hand, family histories offer opportunities to reach new audiences and explore neglected aspects of the past. On the eve of the National Library's Family History Day, Tim Bonyhady, Stephen Foster and David Walker talk about what family history means to them.
The historian's boots
Thursday 11 October, 2012
Humanities Research Centre, Sir Roland Wilson Building, McCoy Circuit
Three well-travelled historians, Mark McKenna, Maria Nugent and Peter Stanley test the dictum that historians need 'a stout pair of boots'. What are historians looking for when they set out on foot (or by road, rail or air) in quest of the past? And how often do they find it? Has the digital age made travel superfluous? Do historians' observations of particular landscapes help shape their perceptions of the past? Does proximity to historical sites foster empathy with those who once inhabited them? When everything is considered (including jet lag, carbon emissions and the risk of deep vein thrombosis), would the conscientious historian do better to stay at home?
Listen to Audio below: