Bain Attwood has won the State Records
John and Patricia Ward Prize in the New South Wales Premier's
History Awards for his book 'Rights for Aborigines'
.Bain Attwood has won the State Records
John and Patricia Ward Prize in the New South Wales Premier's
History Awards for his book 'Rights for Aborigines'
.
In his book, Bain Attwood charts a century-long struggle for rights for Aborigines in Australia. He tracks the ever-shifting perceptions of race and history and how these impacted on the ideals and goals of campaigners for rights for indigenous people. He looks at prominent Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal campaigners and what motivated their involvement in key incidents and movements, and investigates how they found enough common ground to fight together for justice and equality for Aboriginal people. The book draws on a wide range of sources, incorporating government documentation, the records of political organisations of widely ranging views, newspapers and the oral record and personal accounts of many people involved in trying to bring about a change in perceptions and actualities.
Attwood consciously strives for objectivity and admits the importance of his own perspective and interpretations of the past. His research has been described as breaking new ground in documenting the close relationship that developed between Indigenous political leaders, white activists and humanitarians on both sides in the struggle against racial discrimination.
Bain Attwood is Associate Professor in School of History at Monash University and a leading scholar in cross-cultural history. He is author of The Making of the Aborigines and editor of In the Age of Mabo, Telling Stories and Frontier Conflict .