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Editorial
| This issue of Labour History contains a thematic section that focuses on labour biography and the significance of the individual in labour history. It is edited by Harry Knowles and Mark Hearn and consists of their introduction, nine articles and a postscript by Nick Salvatore. There have been substantial criticisms of biography ranging from a fundamental objection to its inclusion in historiography to doubts about the significance of the individual's impact in a society characterised by an emphasis on class or social groups. The articles in this collection challenge these criticisms and validate the role of individual biographies in highlighting historical context. They indicate that labour biography has broadened beyond `great men' to include women activists and notables in the world of work, a fascinating example being Bathsheba Ghost, the matron of the Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary from 1852–66. |
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While biography may have been marginalised in the past, Melissa Kerr's survey of labour history research projects, published in this issue, reveals that it has a high research profile in current Australia labour historiography. An important source for future research into Australian labour biography is the Biographical Register of the Australian labour movement which provides data on over 2,000 individuals. Andrew Moore and John Shields at the Business and Labour History Group, University of Sydney, have an ongoing project to maintain this resource. The changes to Labour History's editorial policy which were announced in the May 2004 issue acknowledge that biography is emerging as an area of special interest. |
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With such a large section devoted to Biography, there are only two other articles: Corinne Manning examines the impact of the adoption of assimilation policies towards indigenous Australia. Her article focuses on the provision of Aboriginal welfare in two housing estates in Victoria during the 1950s and 1960s. Tod Moore's article studies a piece of socialist utopian fiction entitled Melbourne and Mars, published in 1889. This book, which is also perceived as an early example of Australian science fiction, has the main character in telepathic communication with another self on the planet Mars. Martian society is a socialist one based on unlimited electrical energy tapped from the planet's magnetic field. Labour History would welcome other contributions that explore utopian literature, whether in the science fiction genre or otherwise. |
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The robust debate concerning Keith Windschuttle's recent controversial work on Aboriginal history continues from the Contested Histories Forum in the November 2003 issue, with a response from Windschuttle and a counter-response by Naomi Parry. This exchange will conclude the debate for Labour History. |
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We publish the address by Senator John Faulkner, given at the launch of Michael Hogan's history of the Glebe branch of the Australian Labor Party, in which Faulkner extols the significance of local labour history. Melissa Kerr examines the results of the recent survey of Labour History subscribers' research interests and projects. A list of the current research projects will be placed on the Society's website, www.asslh.com. There is a conference report by David McKnight that highlights the ongoing debate of the meaning of social democracy. |
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Complementing the book review section, this issue carries a refereed review article by Ian Hampson who assesses five books on the subject of international unionism in the global political economy. |
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Forthcoming editions of Labour History will carry thematic sections on Australia-UK comparative labour history, and the `Extreme Right' in Twentieth Century Australia, to appear in May 2005 and November 2005 issues respectively. |
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The term of the current editorial board concludes on the 31 December 2004. I would like to thank the members of the editorial board for their assistance over the last three years. I especially wish to thank Margaret Walters and Carl Power in the Labour History office for the crucial role they play in the production of the journal. I am indebted to Melanie Oppenheimer and Bradon Ellem who each assumed the role of Acting Editor at different times when I was away on leave during the year. |
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