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Latest Event

Re-Orienting Whiteness

This conference invites scholars to explore the potential, or otherwise, of whiteness studies to analyse the operations of 'race', past and present.
Keynote speakers include Ann L. Stoler (New School for Social Research), Aileen Moreton-Robinson (Queensland University of Technology), Lynette Russell (Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies, Monash University), Patrick Wolfe (La Trobe University) and Matt Wray (Harvard University). Featuring a public forum: 'After the Apology: Perspectives from Indigenous Speakers'.

2008 Calendar of Events

January

February

Writing and Teaching Australian History in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries

The School of Historical Studies is holding a symposium in honour of Professor Marian Quartly to mark her retirement. Speakers include John Rickard, Graeme Davison, Alan Atkinson, Andrew Markus, Pat Grimshaw, Ann McGrath and Marilyn Lake.

March

HTAV Student Lecture Renaissance Italy

Renaissance Italy Program.

10.00am - 11.00am Lecture One: The Italian Peninsula and the Renaissance (Nick Frigo, Genazzano FCJ College)

11.00am - 12.00 noon Lecture Two: Renaissance Florence (Peter Howard, Monash University) Download PowerPoint Presentation [pdf 1.35MB]

Revolutions Program

1.30pm - 2.30pm Lecture One: B. France - Area of Study 1 (David Garrioch, Monash University) Download PowerPoint Presentation [pdf 372kb]

  • Date: Sunday 16 March 2008
  • Time: 10.00am - 2.30pm
  • Venue: Economics and Commerce Building
    University of Melbourne, Parkville

Now: A symposium on the genocide in Darfur

The symposium is for those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the causes of the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan and to reflect on what can be learned from scholarly approaches to genocide prevention.

Professor Yehuda Bauer, a world leading expert on the Holocaust and genocide, author of countless books and articles, and adviser to the United Nations on genocide prevention, will lead the symposium. Professor Bauer is visiting Monash University as a guest of the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation.

Excavations at Mut el-Kharab, ancient capital of Egypt's Dakhleh Oasis 2008

The Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History and the Egyptology Society present a free illustrated lecture by Associate Professor Colin Hope.

  • Date: Tuesday 18 March 2008
  • Time: 8.00pm
  • Venue: Lecture Theatre E7, Building 72, Clayton Campus

Thai Buddhism in the 21st Century: Contested Views

A lecture by Prof. Donald Swearer, Director of the Center for the Study of World Religions and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, MA., U.S.A. This event is jointly organized by Monash's Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology and the Monash Asia Institute.

The Medieval Imagination
Illuminated manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia and New Zealand

A free exhibition of medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts featuring treasures from the collections of Cambridge University and from Australian and New Zealand collections.

  • Date: Friday 28 March to Sunday 15 June 2008
  • Venue: Keith Murdoch Gallery, State Library of Victoria
    328 Swanston Street, Melbourne
  • Details: See website www.slv.vic.gov.au/goto/medieval

April

'On Courts, Cows and Conflicts in British India'

The School of Historical Studies hosts Ian Copland's Inaugural Professorial Lecture. Light refreshments will be served following the lecture.

Medieval Faire

Be transported back to the Middle Ages as the State Library of Victoria hosts a Medieval Faire to celebrate the stunning exhibition The Medieval Imagination: Illuminated manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia and New Zealand

  • Date: Sunday 20 April 2008
  • Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
  • Venue: The State Library of Victoria
  • Details: No bookings required. See website www.slv.vic.gov.au/goto/medieval

May

'Creation and Regulation in the 12th Century: New Ideas and the Naming of the Heresy'

Clare Monagle will give one of three lively lectures exploring various aspects of Medieval life at the State Library of Victoria as part of The medieval Imagination: Illuminated manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia and New Zealand exhibition at the State Library of Victoria. Clare's talk will consider the relationship between theology and social control in the 12th century.

  • Date: Thursday 8 May 2008
  • Time: 6.30pm - 7.30pm
  • Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
    328 Swanston Street, Melbourne

The archaeology of early Christianity; new evidence from Monash University excavations in Egypt's Dakhleh Oasis

The Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History and the Egyptology Society present a free illustrated lecture by Dr. Gillian Bowen.

  • Date: Tuesday 15 May 2008
  • Venue: Lecture Theatre E7, Building 72, Clayton Campus

Books, Imagination and Community in Medieval Europe Conference

A conference run by the State Library of Victoria, with speakers from Monash (Prof. Bill Kent, Prof. Constant Mews and Brownyn Stocks), interstate and overseas (Prof. Jeffrey Hamburger, Harvard; Prof. James Marrow, Princeton).

June

Limmud Oz

Australia's annual festival of Jewish learning and culture, hosted in 2008 by the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation.

  • Dates: Saturday 21 to Tuesday 24 June 2008
  • Times: Opening night Saturday 8.00pm at Glen Eira Auditorium
    Sunday 22nd 9.00am - 6.00pm
    Monday 23rd 4.00pm - 10.00pm
    Tuesday 24th 4.00pm - 10.00pm
  • Venues: Opening night, Glen Eira Auditorium,
    Corner Glen Eira and Hawthorn Roads, Caulfield
    Festival days, Monash University Caulfield Campus
  • Contact: Limmudoz@arts.monash.edu.au

Two new books to be launched by Monash e-press

Australians Experiencing Italy edited by Bill Kent, Cynthia Troup and Ros Pesman and Australians in Britain edited by Carl Bridge and David Dunstan.

July

Locating History

The Australian historical Association (AHA) Biennial Conference.

  • Dates: Monday 7 to Thursday 10 July 2008
  • Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
  • Venue: The University of Melbourne
  • Contact: www.theaha.org.au/

The Tail Wagging the Dog? Oral history, digital story-telling and old Media

Making Public Histories - New Seminar Series [pdf 33kb]

Michelle Rayner, Executive Producer of social history programs at ABC Radio National, will discuss the implications of the brave, new and seemingly limitless world of digital online storytelling for her own practise of producing oral history radio programs.

  • Date: Thursday 24 July 2008
  • Time: 5.30am - 7.00pm
  • Venue: State Library of Victoria, seminar room 1, entry 3 La Trobe St
  • Contact: State Library of Victoria
  • No charge and no bookings required

August

Jud Suss: A Third Reich Field Guide to Jewish Beats

The Australian Centre for Jewish Studies Winter School presents a screening of this 1940 film that sought to mobilize anti-Semitic sentiments in Europe. Following a screening of the film, Professor Jay Gellar of Vanderbilt University will offer a commentary and lead a discussion.

  • Date: Sunday 3 August 2008
  • Venue: Monash University, Caulfield Campus
  • Time: 7.30pm
  • Contact: acjc@arts.monash.edu.au (03) 9902 0771
  • Numbers are strictly limited. Early bookings are strongly advised.

Reading Identities-a symposium

The School of Historical Studies invites you to a symposium on 'Reading Identities'. The speakers will include Professor Jane Caplan, who is visiting Monash from Oxford University, Professor Leah Garrett, who has just taken up the the Loti Smorgon Research Chair in Contemporary Jewish Life and Culture in the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Dr Michael Hau from the School of Historical Studies and Dr Franz-Josef Deiters from the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics.

  • Date: Monday 4 August 2008
  • Venue: The Elizabeth Burchill Rooms, Building 68, Clayton Campus
  • Time: 3.00pm-6.00pm
  • Contact: Susan Grist (03) 9905 2164
  • RSVP by Wednesday 30 July 2008

Australians in Italy - Book Launch

Monash University ePress is delighted to invite you to the launch of Australians in Italy: Contemporary Lives and Impressions edited by Bill Kent, Ros Pesman and Cynthia Troup.
To be launched by Professor Ian Donaldson with a performance by David Eckstein and Jin Shi Tang.

  • Date: Tuesday 6 August 2008
  • Venue: Readings Bookshop, 309 Lygon Street, Carlton
  • Time: 6.00pm
  • Contact: Sarah Cannon (03) 9905 0526
  • Bookings are essential. RSVP by Wednesday 30 July 2008

Spiritual Journeys: Mysticism Across Religions

A free public seminar exploring mystical experience in Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Eastern religious traditions. Speakers include, Constant Mews, Nathan Wolski, Salih Yucel and a panel of experts on Eastern mystical traditions.

Memphis in the New Kingdom

The Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History and the Egyptology Society present a one day series of lectures by Professor Alain Zivie (French National Centre for Scientific Research), Beatrix Gessler-Lohr (University of Heidelberg), and Jaromir Malek (Griffith Institute, Oxford University).

  • Date: Sunday 17 August 2008
  • Venue: Lecture Theatre E7, Building 72, Clayton Campus
  • Time: 1.00pm-5.00pm
  • Bookings: Susan Grist (03) 9905 2164
  • Cost: $50 for non-members of the Egyptology Society of Victoria

Melbourne Writer's Festival - Rewriting the Jew

Contemporary literature has taken the traditional depiction of Jews in literature, which has been sustained since the middle-ages, and turned it on its head.
Setting us to rights are the experts Naomi Ragen, Dvir Abramovich, Fania Oz-Salzberger & Leah Garrett. Naomi Ragen’s visit is supported by the Zionist Federation of Australia.

  • Date: Friday 22 August 2008
  • Venue: ACMI 1, Federation Square, City
  • Time: 2.30pm - 3.30pm
  • Further Information: www.mwf.com.au
  • Download flyer [pdf 63kb]

Melbourne Writer's Festival - A Regency Tale: the life of Georgette Heyer

She didn’t invent the bodice-ripper, but Georgette Heyer brought to her Regency romances a depth of historical research that still astounds biographer Jennifer Kloester. Panel discussion chaired by Barbara Caine with Jennifer Kloester and K Reid.

  • Date: Saturday 23 August 2008
  • Venue: ACMI 1, Federation Square, City
  • Time: 2.30pm - 3.30pm
  • Further Information: www.mwf.com.au
  • Download flyer [pdf 63kb]

Melbourne Writer's Festival - More than a love affair? Australians in Italy

Ian Britain, Chris Wood and Cynthia Troup discuss with Bill Kent why they will never give up on Italy. Sponsored by Monash University.

  • Date: Thursday 28 August 2008
  • Venue: ACMI 2, Federation Square, City
  • Time: 11.15am- 2.15pm
  • Further Information: www.mwf.com.au
  • Download flyer [pdf 63kb]

Melbourne Writer's Festival - Rwanda

A million dead. Fourteen years later, Philip Gourevitch and Mark Baker go through the events leading up to Rwandan genocide and offer explanations for the enormities.

  • Date: Thursday 28 August 2008
  • Venue: BMW Edge, Federation Square, City
  • Time: 2.00pm - 3.00pm
  • Further Information: www.mwf.com.au
  • Download flyer [pdf 63kb]

Melbourne Writer's Festival - Writing voices into Australian history

Voices. Women. Men. Children. The marginalised. The winners. We hear them in the history pages but whose voices are we hearing - that of the writer or the subject? Come on a journey as a panel of historians delve into such ethical and historical dilemmas.
Chaired by Radio National's Michelle Rayner with Corinne Manning, Mark Peel, Richard Trembath and Dorothy Wickham.
Presented by the Professional Historians Association (Vic.).

  • Date: Sunday 31 August 2008
  • Venue: ACMI 1, Federation Sqaure, City
  • Time: 3.30pm- 5.00pm
  • Further Information: www.mwf.com.au
  • Download flyer [pdf 63kb]

Race, Nation, History: A Conference in Honour of Henry Reynolds

Convened by Professor Bain Attwood and Professor Tom Griffiths.

September

Unlocking the Medieval Imagination: Living history and public culture

Making Public Histories - New Seminar Series [pdf 33kb]

Shane Carmody, Director of Collections and Access at the State Library of Victoria, will consider the Library's recent exhibition, 'The Medieval Imagination: Illuminated Manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia and New Zealand', which drew capacity audiences, linked with medieval re-enactment groups, music groups, art and craft societies and the Universities, and challenged notions of public value being measured only in monetary terms.

Constant Mews, Professor of History and Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology at Monash University's School of Historical Studies, will reflect on the public nature of the history both celebrated and performed through the exhibition and associated events.

  • Date: Thursday 4 September 2008
  • Time: 5.30am - 7.00pm
  • Venue: State Library of Victoria, seminar room 1, entry 3 La Trobe St
  • Contact: State Library of Victoria
  • No charge and no bookings required

The Cotswolds in Jerusalem: the British Empire and why the Holy City looks like it does

A free public lecture by Professor Simon Goldhill

Everyone is familiar with the glorious view of the walls of Jerusalem, and with the bustling suk (market place) of the Old City. This talk will uncover the extraordinary history of how Jerusalem came to look like it does, the surprising role of some old school chums running the British Empire, and some of the forgotten history of the gates and walls which make Jerusalem what it is today.

Simon Goldhill is currently Professor of Greek Literature and Culture and Fellow and Director of Studies in Classics at King's College, University of Cambridge.

  • Date: Monday 22 September 2008
  • Time: 8.00pm
  • Venue: Building H, Room H.125
    Caulfield Campus, Monash University
  • Enquiries: (03) 9902 0771 or acjc@arts.monash.edu.au

October

Creating Victoria's Framework of Historical Themes

Making Public Histories - New Seminar Series [pdf 33kb]

Amanda Bacon (manager of the strategic projects unit in Heritage Victoria) will outline the origins and aims of a project which is developing a framework of historical themes for assessment, management, promotion and interpretation of Victoria’s heritage places and objects.

Sandy Blair from Melbourne-based consultancy firm Context will outline the challenges of creating a set of themes that are at once engaging, inclusive of a wide range of experiences, and also applicable across the natural, indigenous, and historic environments.

As Heritage Council representative on the project, Renate Howe will explore the different ways that historians, heritage professionals and local government administrators perceive historical themes.

  • Date: Thursday 16 October 2008
  • Time: 5.30am - 7.00pm
  • Venue: State Library of Victoria, seminar room 1, entry 3 La Trobe St
  • Contact: State Library of Victoria
  • No charge and no bookings required

'After sorrow: reconciliation, responsibility and Abrahamic traditions'

Pat Dodson, Chairperson Kimberley Development Commission and Chairman of the Lingiari Foundation, is keynote speaker at the 7th International Abraham Conference, with respondents Zuleyha Keskin, Vice president and team Executive Manager of Affinity Intercultural Foundation and Mark Leibler AC, Co-Chair, Reconciliation Australia.

The event is organized by Australian Intercultural Society, Asia-Pacific Centre for Interreligious Dialogue (Australian Catholic University), Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation and Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology (Monash University) and the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission.

November

Precarious Superiority: Some Explorations in Class, Gender and Social History

The School of Historical Studies hosts Mark Peel's inaugural Professorial Lecture. Download flyer [pdf 949kb]

'Exhibiting Melbourne: The city in the museum'

Making Public Histories - New Seminar Series [pdf 33kb]

Visitors to Melbourne can now approach the city's history through an impressive range of galleries and exhibitions, including The City Museum, The Australian Gallery of Sport, The State Library's 'Faces of Victoria', the Immigration Museum and Museum Victoria’s recently opened 'Melbourne Story'.

Speakers include Linda Young (Deakin University Museologist), Graeme Davison (Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor), Deborah Tout-Smith (Museum Victoria) and Richard Ferguson (MCC Exhibitions).

  • Date: Thursday 20 November 2008
  • Time: 5.30am - 7.00pm
  • Venue: State Library of Victoria, seminar room 1, entry 3 La Trobe St
  • Contact: State Library of Victoria
  • No charge and no bookings required

Medieval Music at Midday: Grumpy Old Acord

In the Middle Ages living to old age was a challenge; however, finding things to be grumpy about was not. The Carthusian Order even managed to be grumpy about music: it was a monk's duty 'to lament rather than to sing' and all instruments were forbidden.

Even in a grumpy concert we shall not linger too long with them, but shall present some exquisite expressions of grumpiness from the likes of Guillaume de Machaut, Eustache Deschamps, Oswald von Wolkenstein and Guillaume Du Fay. Musicians include Carol Williams (School of Historical Studies) and Sue Tweg (Centre for Drama and Theatre Studies).

  • Date: Sunday 30 November 2008
  • Time: 12.00pm-1.00pm
  • Venue: St Stephen's Anglican Church
    360 Church Street Richmond (some parking available in Docker Street)
  • Enquiries: 9851 6117
  • Cost: $15/$10 payable at the door

December

Visualising the Past: A Symposium

Speakers including Mark Salber Phillips from Carleton University, Maria Nugent from the Australian National Museum, and Bain Attwood, Seamus O'Hanlon and Barbara Caine from the School of Historical Studies, will present a seminar exploring history, painting, photographs and visual material.

Hidden Treasures: Egyptian antiquities in Hobart

Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History and The Egyptology Society of Victoria present and illustrated public lecture. The lecture will be followed by presentation of the 2008 student prizes.

Re-Orienting Whiteness

This conference invites scholars to explore the potential, or otherwise, of whiteness studies to analyse the operations of 'race', past and present.
Keynote speakers include Ann L. Stoler (New School for Social Research), Aileen Moreton-Robinson (Queensland University of Technology), Lynette Russell (Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies, Monash University), Patrick Wolfe (La Trobe University) and Matt Wray (Harvard University). Featuring a public forum: 'After the Apology: Perspectives from Indigenous Speakers'.

Past Events 2007 2006

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