Australian Policy and History is led by historians in the Centre for Contemporary Histories at Deakin University.
Australian Policy and History seeks to promote historians as constructive participants in the public policy debate. It emboldens them to look beyond the academy, to connect with policymakers, the media and the public, and to consider the ways that our knowledge and expertise can contribute to the advancement of Australian society.
Central to the ethos of Australian Policy and History is our non-partisan character. We aim to engage stakeholders from all areas of Australian society in a spirit of co-operation and problem-solving. While we recognise that many issues are complex and defy easy solutions, we are motivated by the desire to achieve public policy outcomes that are informed by historical evidence. We promote civility and respect in public debate.
As an established forum for policy-oriented history, Australian Policy and History brings academics and policymakers together in conversations about our shared past, present, and future. Recognising the wealth of untapped historical knowledge across the country, we provide opportunities for historians to hone their skills in communicating expertise to public audiences.
We partner with national and international bodies to ensure our work has the widest possible reach. Our Australian partners include the Museum for Australian Democracy and the Australian Historical Association. Our international partners include History and Policy in the United Kingdom, the National History Center in the United States and the Le Page Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University in the United States.
Our history
Australian Policy and History was co-founded in 2010 by Professor David Lowe at Deakin University, Professor Melanie Oppenheimer, now at Flinders University, Zoe Pollock of the History Council of New South Wales, and Professor Nicholas Brown from the Australian National University (ANU). In the late 2010s, Australian Policy and History became part of the International Network for History and Policy, comprised of academic historians around the world who share a view that the quality of the decision-making in the present, and about the future, benefits from a deeper shared knowledge of the past.
Under the stewardship of Associate Professor Carolyn Holbrook at Deakin, Australian Policy and History published insights from some of Australia’s leading historians on the pressing issues of the day, engaged policymakers and scholars in conversations about their work, and provided fellowships to support talented emerging historians whose work engaged with ongoing contemporary issues.
Now under the leadership of Dr Mia Martin Hobbs and Dr Geraldine Fela at Deakin, Australian Policy and History continues to promote historical perspective on the policy issues of the day. We are undertaking new initiatives to lead public conversations about the history of ongoing crises, understand how the past is being used and abused in the present moment, and foster dialogue between historians, activists, policymakers, and the public.
Our sponsors and partner organisations
