The History Wars by Stuart Macintyre5/11/2023 ![]() ![]() He has provided a deft and judicious anatomising of the History Wars, though some have seen this as another lethal missile. More seriously, historians themselves - including some of those under attack - have proved sometimes to be clumsy defenders of their work.Īs one of the reigning doyens of the profession, Stuart Macintyre has sought to instil reason and civility into the public debate. It has become clear that the general public has a poor understanding of its methods, safeguards and essential qualifications - not helped by the gratuitous pronouncements of editorial writers and, worse, of radio shock jocks. As so often before, indigenous Australians have been collateral victims.Īrguably, the greatest assault has been on the discipline and practice of history itself. There has been a tearing down of academic reputations, especially in the attacks on the pioneering work of Lyndall Ryan and Henry Reynolds. One was the effective removal of the director of the National Museum of Australia. The dispute has raged in the leaders and columns of the daily newspapers, it has divided colleagues and it has roused the ire of politicians and the public at large. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |