Australian Studies in Conversation

“Australian Studies in Conversation” is an inter- and transdisciplinary interview series featuring prominent scholars and public intellectuals in the field of Australian Studies. It is intended as a resource for students, academics and the general public alike, and seeks to offer a meeting point with thinkers on and beyond their (published) work. Addressing both, (inter-)disciplinary questions as well as topics of broader concern regarding Australia and the world, this series offers points of departure for further critical and innovative thinking.

Please note: you may not download and/or redistribute any of the contents in this section without prior and written consent of the Centre for Australian Studies. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Interviewed by Dany Adone

coming soon

Interviewed by Dany Adone and David Kern

In this interview, Anita Heiss generously offers answers on questions we had about her latest work of fiction, Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams (2021) which just won the prestigious NSW Premier’s Literary Award (May  2022). Beyond her latest work, Anita Heiss talks to us about her writing in the context of ongoing conversations about history, settler colonialism, decolonization and political action.

Interviewed by Victoria Herche and David Kern

In this interview, Bill Ashcroft explores the origins, extensions, transformations and applications of postcolonial studies. With a specific focus on how postcolonial studies and Australian studies inform each other, he offers a case for inter- and transdisciplinary thinking in the service of social justice after invasion.

In this interview, Jamal Barnes (Edith Cowan University, Perth and The University of Notre Dame, Fremantle) talks about contemporary Australian (foreign) politics and offers thoughts on the importance of studying international relations in a globalized world. He also identifies a couple of key texts and studies in the field which may be of interest for students and other researchers in terms of an introduction.

Special Material in Celebration of the UNESCO Year of Indigenous Languages 2019

In celebration of the UNESCO declaration of 2019 as the Year of Indigenous Languages, the Centre for Australian Studies talked to several scholars and Indigenous experts on their work and experiences with Indigenous languages and cultures in Australia. We also had the pleasure to release an edited volume. This series of interviews and the book announcement can be found at the link below.
UNESCO Year of Indigenous Languages 2019