The book honors the legacy of F B (Barry) Smith, a prominent Australian historian, by compiling essays from his admirers, colleagues, friends, and students. Contributions explore various themes, such as Joanna Bourke's insights on war and industrial trauma, and Peter Edwards' examination of the Agent Orange controversy, highlighting Smith's impact on historical scholarship and the diverse perspectives he inspired in others.
A public intellectual known for his deeply humane approach to social, economic and urban issues, Hugh Stretton was an Australian original. His Political Sciences was described by The Times Literary Supplement as 'a work of near genius'. His groundbreaking Ideas for Australian Cities became the manifesto for a generation awakening to the distinctive features of our cities and suburbs. In this selection, leading historian Graeme Davison includes highlights from these and other published and unpublished works, showcasing Stretton's bravura intellectual style, grounded analysis, literary flair and the remarkable range of his thinking on history, politics, urban planning, and progressive social and economic development. Davison also provides a substantial and valuable introduction, setting the work in context. Stretton saw the dangers of the neoliberal orthodoxy that took hold in the Anglophone world from the early 1980s. With subtlety, imagination and rigour, his work offers an alternative vision of a good and fair society.
Focusing on the evolution of urban culture in Australia, the book explores how artists, social scientists, poets, writers, reformers, and engineers have envisioned Australian cities over the past 200 years. Graeme Davison analyzes diverse perspectives from these observers, highlighting a unique Australian viewpoint on urban life and development. The examination reveals distinct themes and ideas that shape the collective imagination of Australian cities.
Focusing on the impact of economic fluctuations, this book explores how the experiences of boom and depression influenced the daily lives of ordinary Melbournians, reshaping their society and urban identity. It delves into the concept of 'suburbanism as a way of life' in the context of nineteenth-century Melbourne, highlighting the transformation of both work and home environments during this period of suburbanization.
