The right to vote has been a struggle the world over. Agitation for the right to participate in the election of the government is a common them in the history of many nations. Associated with the right to vote are a host of related rights: the right to equal access to public venues, the right to equal access to education, to equal treatment by the law... In recent weeks there … [Read more...] about Civil Rights, History, Now
Democracy
Queensland’s Bible in State Schools Referendum – 1910
My honours thesis, Queensland's Bible in State Schools Referendum 1910: A Case Study of Democracy, is now available to download from the University of Sydney eScholarship Repository. In it I explore a fascinating era of Queensland's history where women, Labour politicians and the Protestant clergymen of the Bible in State Schools League were key participants in a public debate … [Read more...] about Queensland’s Bible in State Schools Referendum – 1910
Sausages and Australian Elections
Sausages and elections go hand in hand in Australia. The schools and community centres which are used throughout the country as polling booths take advantage of elections to do some much-needed fundraising. The most popular fundraising event is the sausage sizzle. All that is needed is a barbeque, sliced white bread and tomato sauce to make a sausage sandwich. Often fried … [Read more...] about Sausages and Australian Elections
Utopia Girls: Historians and the Media
Historians don’t just write books. They write pamphlets, construct websites, conduct walking tours, talk about their work on radio… Communicating history is a creative process and this process starts with the choice of the medium and method to share the history. The diverse forms that historians use to share history are well recognised. The Australian Historical Association … [Read more...] about Utopia Girls: Historians and the Media
Book Review: Secularism or Democracy? by Veit Bader
This is a comprehensive book that explores issues of religion and state such as what role should religions have vis-a-vis the state, the role of secularism in government and society and how the state can deal fairly with the various religions. The author, Veit Bader, is an emeritus professor of sociology and philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. This is an academically … [Read more...] about Book Review: Secularism or Democracy? by Veit Bader