David Walker

Biography

David Walker graduated from Adelaide University ( First class Honours History, Tinline Scholarship). PhD completed in the Research School of Social Sciences at ANU in 1972. Lectured in History at Auckland University before moving to the History Department at the University of New South Wales in 1977. Appointed to the Chair of Australian Studies at Deakin University in 1991. 1997-98: Monash Chair of Australian Studies at Georgetown University, Washington DC. ;2010: Distinguished Visiting Chair of Australian Studies, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; 2013-2016: Inaugural BHP Chair of Australian Studies, Peking University, Beijing.

David has written extensively on Australian social and cultural history and is the author of Anxious Nation: Australia and the Rise of Asia, 1850-1939 (UQP, 1999), winner of the Ernest Scott prize for History in 2001. His latest book is Stranded Nation: White Australia in an Asian Region. Forthcoming books are The Story of Australia: a new history of people and place by Louise Johnson, Tanja Lukins and David Walker (2021) London: Routledge and Two Roosters: bridging the Australia China divide, David Walker and Li Yao (2022) Melbourne: Melbourne University Publishing.

He is also a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia; David was appointed a Member (AM) in the General Division of The Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday 2018 Honours List for significant service to education as an academic in the field of Australian studies, and to international relations.