Australian Lives

CALL FOR PAPERS
Conference Theme:
AUSTRALIAN LIVES

Famous women, the man-in-the-street, politicians, sporting heroes, soldiers, migrants, miners, indigenous peoples, ethnic groups, country folk, novelists, the unemployed, actors, flying doctors, trade unionists, surfers, urban dwellers, back-packers . . . AUSTRALIAN LIVES are many and varied: now and in the past, and no doubt in the future too! But how can we categorise and examine them, both at the individual and collective levels? How do we deal with stereotypical depictions - and what is their relationship to 'real' LIVES?? What is the role of biography and autobiography, of history books, documentaries and films? How do art and literature depict and imagine AUSTRALIAN LIVES? What insights do we gain from television 'soaps' - and what do they tell us about the ways in which AUSTRALIAN LIVES are constructed for popular consumption? What is the relationship between LIVES and the changing nature of Australian identities and Australia's relations with other countries, near and far? What is the role of academics in researching, documenting, interpreting and elucidating these AUSTRALIAN LIVES? Where are the controversies; what are the issues?

This Conference seeks to explore these and other questions from an inter-disciplinary perspective that includes history, political science, anthropology, sociology, geography, archaeology, biography, fine arts, cultural studies, literature, film studies, migration and settlement studies, multiculturalism, gender and women's studies, war studies, sports studies, religion, education and other subject areas across the humanities and social sciences.

ABSTRACTS not exceeding 200 words should be submitted by 1 March 2006. Conference papers will comprise 25 minutes delivery time, followed by questions and discussions. Papers from postgraduates will be especially welcome. Notification of acceptance will be sent out shortly after the closing date. It is expected that a selection of the papers will be published in a Conference issue of the BASA journal, Australian Studies.

The University of Exeter in Cornwall is situated on the new Combined Universities in Cornwall campus at Tremough, near Penryn, Cornwall. Situated between Truro - the administrative capital of Cornwall - and the port of Falmouth on the south coast, the Tremough campus is easily accessible by road and rail, and there is a convenient airport at Newquay. Amongst Falmouth's many attractions are the recently opened National Maritime Museum Cornwall and Pendennis Castle, as well as the stupendous harbour itself and magnificent coastal scenery. The Conference will be held at the Tremough campus, where newly built en-suite accommodation will be available for Conference participants. There is also ample hotel, B&B and self-catering holiday accommodation in the Falmouth area. The conference programme will include an afternoon bus tour of West Cornwall.

All ABSTRACTS and correspondence should be sent to:

Professor Philip Payton, President, BASA,
Instiute of Cornish Studies,
School of Humanities and Social Sciences,
University of Exeter in Cornwall,
Tremough Campus,
Penryn,
Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK

E-mail: p.j.payton@exeter.ac.uk
Tel: (+44) (0)1326 371887