Welcome! I am a historian at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. I specialize in the history of the eighteenth-century world, particularly the British Empire and the many indigenous societies it encountered. I also have interests in visual history, anthropological history, experimental uses of biography, and issues surrounding higher education and the humanities. On this site you’ll find links to my historical writing, reflections on my historical reading, and discussions of various historical engagements (oh, and an unlikely page on swimming).
Recent Posts
Yearly Faves
Around New Year I usually back-track though my non-professional reading and compile a top five. Last month I came up with these: 1) Music and Freedom, Zoe Morrison—an Oz writer, though this is set largely in Oxford, UK; excellent storytelling, strong characters, lots of music. 2) 4321, Paul Auster, a rare male entry! I didn’t … Continue reading Yearly Faves
“History Lesson”
Yesterday I found these notes in my inboxes: Hiya Kate – I’m doing a story about the friendship between arthur phillip and bennelong for tomorrow’s paper..I’d love to get your input…Chris Hook, Journalist, Daily Telegraph. And: hello there …I’m a daily tele journalist doing a story for tomorrow about Australia Day and the friendship between … Continue reading “History Lesson”
Cherokees in the Revolutionary Era
In November 2017 I was delighted to be a part of an online roundtable blog on ‘Native American Revolutions’ hosted by the innovative Age of Revolutions historioblog. It begins: The usual story told of the Cherokees in the revolutionary era is a dire one. Starting with the catastrophic Anglo-Cherokee War of 1760-61, this story traces … Continue reading Cherokees in the Revolutionary Era
Historians on the Automated Future
Consequences for higher education, work, and the care of bodies. That’s a rather grandiose title for this post, which spruiks just two pieces recently uploaded by historians. But I think they are among the best short things I’ve read this year; and they speak unusually well to each other. The first is by Frances Flanagan, an … Continue reading Historians on the Automated Future
