Elected in 2024, Charles Schencking FAHA is a Professor of History at the University of Hong Kong. His current research focuses on why people donate to foreign countries after natural disasters — and what they might expect in return.
Power of the humanities
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Over 80 HASS projects have been funded in the 2025 round, with 23 Fellows receiving funding for projects including: heritage management of seawalls in the wake of climate change, the history and emergence of truth as a social value, preservation of Papuan languages, how people with a disability experience digital technology and more.
A new AAH and ACOLA research report shows outputs from Australia-Indonesia bilateral research relationships are at an all-time high — with benefits to global health, energy, trade, people and culture — with further opportunities to grow. At the same time, researchers warn we risk taking this relationship for granted, with a decline in language capability causing concern.
In his address at the Annual Academy Dinner on 14 November 2024, Professor Glyn Davis AC FASSA, Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (and honours student of Donald Horne), reflected on Horne as a ‘public intellectual’ and the space left behind in Australia’s discourse since his death. Download a PDF of the speech here.
Few 55-year-old organisations could still yarn with a founding member — in that way the Academy of the Humanities is in a unique and privileged position. Now 97, Foundation Fellow Emeritus Professor Francis West FAHA shares a few curious stories of the early years of the Academy and reflects on where it is now.
The career of highly respected German Studies scholar, Dr Margaret Anne Rose FAHA FRHistS, reveals the power of connecting literature, philosophy, political thought, art and history in humanistic discovery. Her award winning research shows the power of ideas in changing human history.
Freedom rider activist Gary Williams, distinguished theatre director Professor Julian Meyrick, Roman historian Professor Tim Parkin, an expert in decision-making Professor Katie Steele and an award-winning poet Professor Sarah Holland-Batt are among 41 distinguished humanities scholars and practitioners elected to Fellowship of the Australian Academy of the Humanities today.
What does Australian English sound like? In Donald Horne’s 1964 publication, The Lucky Country, language and how it shapes our identities was given only passing mention. Horne described ‘Australian language’ as largely derivative of ‘city slang’, ‘provincial idiom’ or ‘thieves cant’ from England. But James Walker FAHA, Professor of Linguistics, shows that the diverse languages of post-war migrants has enriched Australian English as it evolves in interaction with class and heritage to create a new national identity.
Research shows Indigenous populations face widespread digital exclusion across Australia. Distinguished Professor Bronwyn Carlson FAHA examines the Australian Government’s commitment to improve digital inclusion under the Closing the Gap plan, in this article, first published on The Conversation in October 2024.
Donald Horne, who served as chair of the Australia Council, thought that proper discussion of the arts and its role in shaping our national identity was all too rare in his era. Emeritus Professor Fred D’Agostino FAHA considers whether deteriorating discourse making good policy harder.
There’s been much talk recently about whether children under 18 should be banned from accessing social media. Many claim social media negatively impacts children’s wellbeing. But is exclusion the answer? What are the other solutions? Professor Axel Bruns FAHA from QUT Digital Media Research Centre and Dr Aleesha Rodriguez from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child examine how we can keep children safe online — while still upholding their rights to information and education.
This week Professor Helena Grehan FAHA reveals how the immersive experience of theatre helps audiences sit with complex and often contradictory ideas and emotions. She explores the multi-award production, Jurrungu Ngan-ga ‘Straight Talk’ and its call for us to reconsider ideas of incarceration, imprisonment and Australian nationhood.