Abstract

Whether in the form of warfare, dispossession, forced migration, or social prejudice, Australia’s sense of nationhood was born from—and continues to be defined by—experiences of violence. Legacies of Violence probes this brutal legacy through case studies that range from the colonial frontier to modern domestic spaces, exploring themes of empathy, isolation, and Australians’ imagined place in the world. Moving beyond the primacy that is typically accorded white accounts of violence, contributors place particular emphasis on the experiences of those perceived to be on the social periphery, repositioning them at the center of Australia’s relationship to global events and debates.

Robert Mason is a lecturer at Griffith University, Queensland. He is editor of several collections, including Cultures in Refuge: Seeking Sanctuary in Modern Australia (2012 with Anna Hayes) and Migration and Insecurity: Citizenship and Social Inclusion in a Transnational Era (2013 with Niklaus Steiner and Anna Hayes). His research focuses on emotion and the legacies of violence in both migration and heritage.

“The contributions to Legacies of Violence represent a compelling effort to use violence as a framework for understanding the interconnectedness of issues like whiteness and the state. This collection makes an important contribution to our historical understanding of Australian history, and to the history of violence, race, gender, and sexuality.” · Gregory Smithers, Virginia Commonwealth University