Louise Edwards

Biography

Louise Edwards is Emeritus Scientia Professor of Chinese History at UNSW, Sydney. She is also Honorary Professor at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Modern Languages and Cultures and the University of Technology of Sydney’s Australia-China Research Institute and a Senior Advisor to Asialink at Melbourne University. In 2022 she was appointed as Chair of the Advisory Board to the ANU’s China in the World Centre. Her most recent sole-authored books include Citizens of Beauty: Drawing Democratic Dreams in Republican China (Washington University Press, 2020), Women Warriors and Wartime Spies of China (Cambridge University Press 2016), and Women Politics and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage in China (Stanford University Press 2008). She is a PhD graduate from Griffith University’s Division of Asian and International Studies. Louise served as both President and Secretary of the Asian Studies Association of Australia and on the executive of the Chinese Studies Association of Australia. She uses Modern Standard Chinese in her research.

By Louise Edwards

2024 Annual Academy Lecture, ‘Australians—the “aristocrats” of Asia?’ (November 2024)

Donald Horne dedicated a full chapter of The Lucky Country to challenge Australians to take Asia more seriously. In our 2024 Annual Academy Lecture, Emeritus Professor Louise Edwards FAHA FASSA FHKAH, scholar of Chinese history, addresses Donald Horne’s critique that Australians played an “aristocratic role” in Asia and explores the challenges the remnants of this aristocratic mentality pose for Australia at a time when Asia is increasingly wealthy, powerful and innovative. Full video and transcript available.

Australia’s China Knowledge Capability, Advisory Group

Our Australia’s China Knowledge Capability report was developed as a resource for those with a stake in the China relationship across the university, government, corporate, and community sectors – to consider how Australia can best develop a long-term capability which adapts and adjusts with the changes in both Australia and China over coming decades.