HistoryAtWork Newsletter | Winter 2020

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Winter 2020 Greetings history friends and colleagues, Life is a little quieter than usual as we move through winter with yet another tightening of restrictions in Victoria, so this newsletter invites you to engage with history more actively than usual. :) We ask for your help (the Humanities dilemma), if you’d like to be a guinea pig (for a project we’re piloting), and what you think (about statues). We hope you’re faring well and look forward to hearing from you in relation to one or more of our invitations below. Emma and Susan Can you help? Australia’s large and diverse community of thinkers and doers is about to be slammed by its federal government. In particular those planning to study history, culture, languages, philosophy, literature, communications and other important humanities subjects. The Humanities are not a closed shop – they underpin the lives and work performed by all Australians. Those who already or aspire to work in the sciences, technology, engineering and medicine are also required to think critically, apply analytical and interpretive skills, practice empathy, reason and argue, question assumptions, write fluently, be cognisant of other societies and cultures … the list goes on. Every Australian who furthers their formal education is better equipped to contribute to shaping our world. We live in an ever-changing society that is better served by a rich and diverse mix of learning and experience. We think raising the cost of a humanities degree by more than double is egregious and seriously short sighted. If you agree please consider adding your signature to this petition developed by ‘Concerned social scientist, humanities and arts academics’. It invites students, staff and members of the public:  https://bit.ly/3ds7aqG   Would you like to be our walking guinea pigs? Covid time has become synonymous with walking time. Whether you’re a curious ambler or a pedestrian with a purpose how much more interesting might your walking be if you could tap into your locale’s memory? We’re piloting a project to bring local walkers in touch with local history. We think by knowing our ‘hood’s memories we can better appreciate their rich, long lives, gain a generous, multi-layered perspective on our own contemporary places, and feel more connected to our neighbourhoods. We don’t want to focus on grand narratives, great architecture or wondrous nature, but on the streetscapes and day-to-day happenings that have made our neighbourhoods the places they are today. We’d be grateful if you could help us test this theory. Let us know the general location of your favourite or regular walking route, whether it be for pleasure or to the shops, and leave the rest to us. We’ll bring your streets to life with real stories so you can tap into your community’s historical consciousness, know how your neighbourhood has been shaped and changed, and who by. And when we're ready we'll send you your neighbourhood stories to explore. We'll also ask for comments or suggestions so watch out for updates as our project develops. What do you think? Recent news has drawn attention to an informal collection of public memorials across the colonised world representing deeply contested histories. The reporting and commentary has been eloquent, combative, persuasive, dogmatic, insightful and shallow depending on who and what you read. We have our views too but still question how this might play out for the better. We’ve identified some possibilities and would love to know if you favour one or another, or something else altogether. Should these memorials be a.     Demolished and removed without trace from the site b.     Demolished but with remnants left on site to tell the story of society’s changing attitudes c.      Left as they are – with the statue and any current interpretation intact d.     Retained intact but with interpretation that includes the story of the colonised or enslaved e.     Removed to some other location – a museum or park dedicated to the story of the colonised or enslaved f.      Some other solution If you’d like to tell us the thinking behind your point of view, that would be marvellous! (and our pick of the writing for its clarity, explanation of what statues are and what to do about them is this by Claire Baxter - https://medium.com/@clarenceb30/statues-arent-our-history-they-re-our-archaeology-e3f12996092a And if you still want more history This Bayeux Tapestry was a record of William the Conqueror’s achievements in ending Anglo-Saxon rule over England, but we’ve made it a lot easier for you to write about your achievements and family history yourself with our DIY Memoir © 2020 History At Work Pty Ltd. ACN – 628 206 726   ABN – 96 986 965 179

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