Category: News
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Thank You, June McBeth!
June McBeth retired this year after many years of dedicated service to the University of Melbourne. Since 2007, through many changes, June has been a constant, providing excellent support to staff and students in Classics & Archaeology, the Grimwade Centre, History, HPS, Jewish and Hebrew Studies, and Philosophy. June played an absolutely key role in keeping […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/05/13/thank-you-june-mcbeth
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SHAPS Digest (April 2021)
A monthly roundup of media commentary, publications and projects, and other news from across the School community.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/05/10/shaps-digest-april-2021
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Astronomy in World History
One of the most popular subjects in the History and Philosophy of Science program is the second-year summer intensive, Astronomy in World History (HPSC20015). Conducted over ten days, this subject explores the history of astronomy across a variety of cultures including the Babylonian, Ancient Greek, Chinese, Indian and Arabic civilisations. As well as learning through […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/05/03/astronomy-in-world-history
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Music, Physics, and Conservation: An Interview with Dr Gea Parikesit
Music and physics are interconnected in ways that are not only fascinating but also crucial for how we go about conserving musical instruments. Grimwade Centre Visiting Scholar Dr Gea Parikesit applies his scientific expertise to enhance our understanding of musicality and how to care for musical instruments. Ashley Hayes spoke with him about his ongoing […] -
Exploring the History of Piracy
In 2019 Dr Sarah Craze completed a PhD on the history of the 2008–2012 Somali piracy epidemic. Her study of this topic also explored historical connections to piracy in the Caribbean and the East Indies centuries earlier. In this interview with Dr Henry Reese, she discusses her work on this fascinating category of historical actors. […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/04/22/exploring-the-history-of-piracy
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Reflecting on the Career and Work of Christopher Cordner
Associate Professor Christopher Cordner retires from teaching this year after more than three decades in Philosophy at the University of Melbourne. During this time his contribution to his students and the wider philosophical community has been immense, and his work in moral philosophy has been globally recognised. He will continue to be a valued part of […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/04/12/an-interview-with-christopher-cordner
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SHAPS Digest (March 2021)
A monthly roundup of media commentary, publications and projects, and other news from across the School community.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/04/07/shaps-digest-march-2021
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The Life Stories of Gippsland Lakes Fishers
An oral history project involving SHAPS Fellow Nikki Henningham is preserving the memories of the people who fished the Gippsland Lakes before commercial fishing was shutdown. This article, authored by Nikki and republished from Pursuit, explores the project. With little fanfare or attention, commercial fishing in the Gippsland Lakes in eastern Victoria ceased on 1 […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/04/02/the-life-stories-of-gippsland-lakes-fishers
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Mediterranean Archaeologists Gather Online
In January 2021, over 200 archaeologists of the Mediterranean came together online for the inaugural Mediterranean Archaeology Australasian Research Community (MAARC) conference. The digital conference, organised by Gijs Tol, Emily Simons, Madaline Harris-Schober, and Larissa Tittl (Classics & Archaeology) surpassed all expectations in numbers of participants and sheer diversity of papers. Emily and Maddi report […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/04/01/mediterranean-archaeologists-gather-online
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Gita Yoga: Interview with Dr Fay Woodhouse
In October 2020, SHAPS Fellow Fay Woodhouse released her new book, Gita: Melbourne’s First Yoga School – 65 Years of History, exploring the different phases of Melbourne’s first full-time permanent yoga school, founded in 1954. Nicole Davis chatted to Fay about the book, the history of Gita Yoga, and its place in Melbourne’s and Australia’s […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/03/25/gita-yoga-interview-with-dr-fay-woodhouse
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The Truth Behind A Pirate Legend
Benito de Soto was a ruthless and violent pirate, but his story has been rewritten (and reimagined) over 200 years to create his modern rebel reputation. Dr Sarah Craze and Associate Professor Richard Pennell from SHAPS explore his story in this article, republished from Pursuit. You may have already heard of the pirate Benito de Soto […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/03/23/the-truth-behind-a-pirate-legend
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Fifty Years of French Revolution: A Celebration of Peter McPhee
In October 2020, Professor Peter McPhee delivered his final lecture for the undergraduate History subject The French Revolution, rounding off an astonishing fifty years of teaching this subject. To mark this occasion, SHAPS hosted an online celebration in honour of Peter’s outstanding career as an extraordinarily gifted, inspiring and dedicated teacher. Below you can watch […] -
Indigenous Culture Collections
In November 2020, the Grimwade Centre – in partnership with Humanities 21 – hosted an online event showcasing Indigenous Collections at the University of Melbourne. The program featured a fascinating cross-section of stories about Indigenous artefacts and the people who create, collect and conserve them, as well as those who draw on them for their […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/03/15/indigenous-culture-collections
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SHAPS Digest (February 2021)
A monthly roundup of media commentary, publications and projects, and other news from across the School community.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/03/08/shaps-digest-february-2021
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Is This the End of the ‘American Century’?
Is the United States’ time in the sun as the world’s superpower coming to an end? While American exceptionalism reigns supreme, the Capitol Hill riots revealed a truth. Hansen Lecturer in Global History Dr Sarah Walsh explores the history of how American foreign policy has been imagined and mythologised in this article, republished from Pursuit. […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/03/07/is-this-the-end-of-the-american-century
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Episode 6 in the SHAPS Podcast Series: Professor Mike Arnold
Professor Mike Arnold discusses his research on the intersections between death, technology and society, in this final episode of the SHAPS 2020 'Disaster and Change' podcast series, hosted by Dr Henry Reese. -
Welcome Dr Richard Lee, New Lecturer in Chinese History
In February 2021 Dr Richard Lee commenced his appointment as Lecturer in Chinese History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies. He will be teaching Modern China in Global History (Semester One) and Cold War Cultures in Asia (Semester Two), as well as supervising Honours students. In this interview, Dr Lee responds to a […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/02/22/welcome-dr-richard-lee
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Vale, Josie Winther
The staff of the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies mourn the passing of long-time colleague and former School Manager Josie Winther, who passed away in January 2021. Josie dedicated over 40 years to the University, starting out in the Faculty in her late teens. Josie started off as an admin assistant in the Department […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/02/18/vale-josie-winther
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Introducing New Lecturer in Gender History, Dr Annabelle Baldwin
Newly appointed Lecturer in Gender History, Dr Annabelle Baldwin, is a specialist in twentieth-century European and global history, with a particular interest in Holocaust studies, focusing on Jewish women’s and girls’ experience of sexual violence during the Holocaust. Annabelle will be teaching two brand-new undergraduate subjects: the first-year subject Gender Rights and Leadership in History […] -
Reflections on the VCA Digital Archive of Student Film
Donna Lyon is impressive. Not only is she a film producer and lecturer at the VCA film school, Donna is also finishing up her PhD on creating the VCA Digital Archive – a growing, online repository of over 1,800 student short films tracing back to the 1960s. This mammoth project required input from a range […] -
Classics on YouTube: An Interview with John Henry
In 2018, current MA candidate in Classics John Henry created his own YouTube channel, Foxwede History, where he delivers mini-lectures on myth, literature and history through his alter ego, Dr Eldon Foxwede. Beautifully produced and presented with humour and creativity, his videos have drawn an audience from many different countries. We spoke with John about […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/02/09/classics-on-youtube-an-interview-with-john-henry
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Meet the 2021 Hansen PhD Scholar, Georgia Comte
Since 2016, an annual Hansen PhD scholarship in History has been awarded to support an outstanding researcher with a commitment to promoting History to the wider community. This year’s Hansen PhD scholar is Georgia Comte, who will be investigating gender and sexuality in late eighteenth- to early nineteenth-century French art. Georgia embarks on this project […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/02/05/meet-the-2021-hansen-phd-scholar-georgia-comte
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SHAPS Digest (January 2021)
A monthly roundup of media commentary, publications and projects, and other news from across the School community.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/02/02/shaps-digest-january-2021
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What Philosophy Can Tell Us About Sex and the Human Condition
Dr Damon Young is an associate in Philosophy, and the author of several acclaimed nonfiction books, including Philosophy in the Garden (MUP 2012) and The Art of Reading (MUP 2016). His most recent book is On Getting Off: Sex and Philosophy (Scribe 2020) which looks more closely at this most intimate (but often disparaged) part of […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/01/29/philosophers-on-sex
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Darius von Güttner on Bona Sforza and Polish Foreign Policy (1518–1548)
A video recording of Darius von Güttner's presentation to the SHAPS Fellows & Associates Seminar (January 2021). -
A Shipwreck and a Song: Isabel Hollingdale on Family History, Creativity and the Women of World War Two
In the third-year History capstone subject, students are encouraged to experiment with presenting historical research in creative formats. One student in the 2020 cohort, Isabel Hollingdale, an accomplished musician and singer-songwriter, wrote and recorded a song. In the latest of the Forum podcast series, Henry Reese spoke with Isabel about her work, which brings together […] -
History Capstone 2020 Showcase
Making History is the capstone subject for our History majors — for many of our students this is their last academic unit of History. The subject gives students an opportunity to focus on History in the world as well as History in the academy. We always end the semester with a Closing Conference as an […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/01/22/history-capstone-2020-showcase
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Encounters, Agency, and Race in Oceania
A video-recording of the 2020 Greg Dening Memorial Lecture, delivered by Professor Bronwen Douglas.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/01/15/encounters-agency-and-race-in-oceania
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Introducing MAARC: A New Network for Mediterranean Archaeologists in Australasia
In 2020, Gijs Tol (University of Melbourne) and Jeremy Armstrong (University of Auckland) led a new initiative aimed at bringing together Australasian archaeologists of the Mediterranean. The result is a new organisation, MAARC (Mediterranean Archaeologists of Australasia Research Community). MAARC is set to hold its inaugural annual meeting, hosted by the University of Melbourne (in […] -
Scientist and Killer: A Split Life
How does an urbane chemist become a Nazi, then go back to being a respected researcher? And what does it say about the extent of the humanity in all of us? Dr Oleg Beyda explores the story of Hans Beutelspacher in this article, originally published in Pursuit. In his diaries and letters, the World War […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/01/04/scientist-and-killer-a-split-life
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SHAPS Digest (December 2020)
A monthly roundup of media commentary, publications and projects, and other news from across the School community.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2021/01/04/shaps-digest-december-2020
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Empowering Communities through Shared Learning
For the last nine years, conservator and Grimwade Centre PhD candidate, Sophie Lewincamp, has been investigating how conservators can better engage with community knowledge in a productive and equal way. Combining extensive on-the-ground experience with academic research and critical reflection, Sophie has developed a new community engagement framework called the Tiered Contact Zones Model. In […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/12/22/empowering-communities
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The Queen who Defied the Holy Roman Emperor
An Italian-born princess and sole heir to the Sforza dukedom, the life of Bona Sforza helps us understand how elite Renaissance women acquired, maintained and negotiated power. In this article, republished from Pursuit, SHAPS Fellow Darius von Güttner-Sporzynski explores the life of Queen Bona and her legacy. Among the women of the European Renaissance, Bona Sforza […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/12/20/the-queen-who-defied-the-holy-roman-emperor
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Exploring the History of Antimatter
Kevin Orrman-Rossiter is an unusual PhD candidate. Having completed a PhD in Physics early in his career, he is now immersed in a second PhD in History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) looking at the history of antimatter focusing on the positron, the antiparticle of the electron. In conversation with Samara Greenwood, Kevin describes what […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/12/18/exploring-the-history-of-antimatter
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Looking Back at the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic in Colonial Indonesia
Colonial Indonesia was hit especially hard by the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918–1919, with the highest death rate in Asia after India. History PhD candidate Ravando recently published a book (in Bahasa Indonesia) on this subject, drawing upon archives of the Dutch colonial Civil Medical Service and the contemporary Chinese-Indonesian press. In this blogpost, Ravando […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/12/15/1918-spanish-flu-colonial-indonesia
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Documenting the History of Worco Crafts Co-operative
After completing her PhD in History in 2019, Molly Mckew was commissioned to write the history of the Preston-based Worco crafts co-operative, to mark the fortieth anniversary of its founding. The project offered Molly the opportunity to build on her knowledge of the history of Melbourne inner-urban lifestyle experiments of the 1960s–1970s, and to apply […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/12/11/documenting-the-history-of-worco-crafts-co-operative
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Cataloguing the University’s School of Chemistry Collection
Grimwade Centre student Lia Sumichan worked in the University of Melbourne’s School of Chemistry Collection as part of the University’s Museums and Collections Projects Program. She told Isabella Walker how unique collection items and inspiring colleagues encouraged a newfound passion for chemistry. -
World AIDS Day: Interview with History Graduate Timothy Krulic
Timothy Krulic is an Honours graduate from the University of Melbourne, having undertaken a combined degree in History and English and Theatre Studies. Since 2015, he has worked at Living Positive Victoria, where he is currently a Health Promotion Officer. Forum’s Nicole Davis interviewed him recently about his current work and how his studies influenced […] -
SHAPS Digest (November 2020)
A monthly roundup of media commentary, publications and projects, and other news from across the School community.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/12/01/shaps-digest-november-2020
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‘Narratives & Power’: Melbourne Historical Journal Volume 47 Launch
Melbourne Historical Journal (MHJ), our very own postgraduate History journal, launched its much-anticipated Volume 47 on 5 November 2020. Themed Narratives and Power, the 2019/2020 edition features a range of research articles, reviews, lectures, and interviews. Each asks different questions of ‘narratives and power’, exploring themes of justice, representation, heritage, memory and honour. This piece […] -
Historians Working for Justice at the Waitangi Tribunal
Five History graduates from the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies have ended up working for New Zealand’s Waitangi Tribunal Unit at the Ministry of Justice. The Waitangi Tribunal is one of the key institutions engaged in protecting Māori rights under the 1840 Waitangi Treaty. At a time when the ‘job-readiness’ of Arts graduates has […] -
‘Donkey Work’ and the History of Labour
Kathryn Smithies, Associate in History, recently published the book Introducing the Medieval Ass, on the cultural and socio-economic history of the donkey (previously known as the ass) in the Middle Ages and beyond. She also blogs about all things donkey at bloggingdonkeys.com. In this piece, she explores the history of the phrase “working like a donkey”, […] -
Applied Proof Theory: Holding an International Workshop during the Pandemic
How do you hold an international workshop at a time when travel between continents is at a standstill and countries all over the world are in lockdown? Greg Restall, Professor in Philosophy, explains how this worked at the recent international workshop on Applied Proof Theory. -
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Internship
Grimwade Centre student Lisa Mansfield completed an internship at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Working alongside some of the world's leading time-based media conservators, Lisa was immersed in the fascinating and rapidly-evolving world of media art conservation. Here she talks to Isabella Walker about what she learned and observed over the course of her internship, and how her studies at the Grimwade prepared her for this experience.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/11/13/san-francisco-museum-of-modern-art-internship
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Rebuilding Life after Mass Violence: Lessons from the Chilean Truth Commission
History PhD candidate Amy Hodgson was recently awarded a prestigious Yale Fox International Fellowship. This graduate exchange scheme supports students who are committed to harnessing scholarly knowledge to respond to urgent global challenges. The Fellowship will support Amy’s research into the history of Chile’s post-dictatorship truth commissions. For her project, Amy has carried out a […] -
SHAPS Digest (October 2020)
A monthly roundup of media commentary, publications and projects, and other news from across the School community.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/11/06/shaps-digest-october-2020
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The Uncounted Death Toll of Coronavirus in Aged Care
Associate in History Marama Whyte reflects on the acute crisis in the aged care sector that has been revealed so tragically by the pandemic.blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/11/04/the-uncounted-death-toll-of-coronavirus-in-aged-care
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Feminism and the History of Democracy
The English historian Catharine Macaulay (1731–1791) was one of the leading radical thinkers of her time and, yet, she has been largely forgotten today. In this blog post, Karen Green, Honorary Professorial Fellow in Philosophy, and author of a number of works about Catharine Macaulay, makes the case for reintegrating her legacy into the history […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/11/02/feminism-and-the-history-of-democracy
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The Early History of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne
Not long before lockdown began, a display case documenting episodes from the history of the University’s Philosophy program was mounted on Level Four of the North Wing of the Arts West building at our Parkville campus. Since it will be some time before we can return to campus physically, we’ve decided to bring this display […] -
Meet the New History Society Office-Holders
The History Society is a student-led club for people who are studying or interested in history. Headed by a committee of passionate history buffs, our aims include promoting the study of history, providing a social network for fellow history buffs on campus and beyond, and running history-themed events such as trivia nights, film screenings, and […]blogs.unimelb.edu.au/shaps-research/2020/10/23/meet-the-new-history-society-office-holders
Number of posts found: 432