Historians in Conversation - Series 2
Historians in Conversation - Series 2 (October/November 2026)
“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there” LP Hartley 1953
‘What do we want to know? What can we know?’
In Series 2 of Historians in Conversation, five Australian historians will discuss those questions in a series of sessions at Manning Clark House (Forrest ACT). Each session will start with a conversation between the guest historian and the project interviewer, Daniel Connell. After a break for refreshments the audience will be invited to join in.
Tickets are available for individual sessions in Series 2.
Session 1 - Thursday 29 October, 6-8pm - Bill Gammage, Humanities Research Centre ANU
Bill worked in the University of Papua New Guinea, Adelaide University and the Australian National University. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and was the Deputy Chair of the National Museum of Australia. He was also the historical advisor on the Peter Weir film Gallipoli and a member of the ABC’s Adeliade Anzac Day broadcast team for eighteen years. His publications examine subjects such as the experiences of ordinary Australian soldiers during the first world war, black-white relations in colonial Papua New Guinea, settlement and change in rural New South Wales, and the relationship between humans and their environment that evolved during the many thousands of years that preceded European settlement. His book ‘The Greatest Estate’ won the Prime Minister’s prize for history in 2012.
Session 2 - Thursday 5 November, 6-8pm - Professor Nicholas Brown - Centre for Biography, ANU
Nick writes about Australian twentieth century social, environmental history, biography, governance and public policy, and twentieth century internationalism. In addition to the Australian National University, he has worked in or with the Department of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the National Museum. He has also been Visiting Cabinet Historian at National Archives, Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Canberra Museum and Gallery and a member of the ACT Heritage Council. His study of Rick Farley, written with Susan Boden, reflects his interest in connecting biographical and public policy perspectives.
Session 3 - Thursday 12 November, 6-8pm - Distinguished Professor Ann McGrath AM - History, ANU
Ann’s latest project is 'Rediscovering the Deep Human Past: Global Networks, Future Opportunities'. She has a long-standing interest in the history of gender and settler colonialism. Among her publications are 'Illicit Love: Interracial Sex and Marriage in the United States and Australia' and 'Born in the Cattle'. She also coordinated the history project of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody. Ann is interested in presenting scholarly history in a range of genres including film and television and has curated exhibitions such as Women and Childbirth during the Federation Era and International Outlaws as National Heroes.
Session 4 - Thursday 19 November, 6-8pm - Associate Professor Romain Fathi – History, ANU
Romain examines the transnational dimension of wars and their aftermath in both the Australian and European contexts. He publishes in French and English. Core to the ANZAC legend is the belief that a special relationship was forged between Australia and France on the Western Front. Romain asked what do the French think? He is also interested in the history of public health, the Red Cross movement and the treatment of human remains in conflicts.
Session 5 - Thursday 26 November, 6-8pm - Dr Ruby Ekkel – History, ANU
Ruby researches changing attitudes towards animals and the environment, with special attention to the voices of women. She is an Associate Lecturer at the Australian National University and currently holds the 2026 NSW State Library Fellowship in Religious History, researching the impact of religious faith on nature education in NSW between 1884 and 1952. Ruby also contributes to public forums such as ‘The Conversation’, ABC Radio, and the Australian Book Review.
Dr Daniel Connell - Interviewer
Daniel’s background includes time at the Crawford School ANU, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission (now Authority), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Social History Unit) and Papua New Guinea's National Broadcasting Commission.
His PhD focused on the political history of the Murray-Darling Basin and made recommendations for its future governance which were very different from those subsequently incorporated into the MDB Basin Plan.
He has recorded many interviews for the Australian National University, the War Memorial, the Bureau of Statistics and the National Library of Australia’s Oral History Collection.
Recording of the conversations
With the generous support of the National Library of Australia, transcription-quality recordings of the conversations between the guest historians and Daniel Connell will be made and placed in the NLA's Oral History Collection for future reference.
“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there” LP Hartley 1953
‘What do we want to know? What can we know?’
In Series 2 of Historians in Conversation, five Australian historians will discuss those questions in a series of sessions at Manning Clark House (Forrest ACT). Each session will start with a conversation between the guest historian and the project interviewer, Daniel Connell. After a break for refreshments the audience will be invited to join in.
Tickets are available for individual sessions in Series 2.
Session 1 - Thursday 29 October, 6-8pm - Bill Gammage, Humanities Research Centre ANU
Bill worked in the University of Papua New Guinea, Adelaide University and the Australian National University. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and was the Deputy Chair of the National Museum of Australia. He was also the historical advisor on the Peter Weir film Gallipoli and a member of the ABC’s Adeliade Anzac Day broadcast team for eighteen years. His publications examine subjects such as the experiences of ordinary Australian soldiers during the first world war, black-white relations in colonial Papua New Guinea, settlement and change in rural New South Wales, and the relationship between humans and their environment that evolved during the many thousands of years that preceded European settlement. His book ‘The Greatest Estate’ won the Prime Minister’s prize for history in 2012.
Session 2 - Thursday 5 November, 6-8pm - Professor Nicholas Brown - Centre for Biography, ANU
Nick writes about Australian twentieth century social, environmental history, biography, governance and public policy, and twentieth century internationalism. In addition to the Australian National University, he has worked in or with the Department of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the National Museum. He has also been Visiting Cabinet Historian at National Archives, Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Canberra Museum and Gallery and a member of the ACT Heritage Council. His study of Rick Farley, written with Susan Boden, reflects his interest in connecting biographical and public policy perspectives.
Session 3 - Thursday 12 November, 6-8pm - Distinguished Professor Ann McGrath AM - History, ANU
Ann’s latest project is 'Rediscovering the Deep Human Past: Global Networks, Future Opportunities'. She has a long-standing interest in the history of gender and settler colonialism. Among her publications are 'Illicit Love: Interracial Sex and Marriage in the United States and Australia' and 'Born in the Cattle'. She also coordinated the history project of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody. Ann is interested in presenting scholarly history in a range of genres including film and television and has curated exhibitions such as Women and Childbirth during the Federation Era and International Outlaws as National Heroes.
Session 4 - Thursday 19 November, 6-8pm - Associate Professor Romain Fathi – History, ANU
Romain examines the transnational dimension of wars and their aftermath in both the Australian and European contexts. He publishes in French and English. Core to the ANZAC legend is the belief that a special relationship was forged between Australia and France on the Western Front. Romain asked what do the French think? He is also interested in the history of public health, the Red Cross movement and the treatment of human remains in conflicts.
Session 5 - Thursday 26 November, 6-8pm - Dr Ruby Ekkel – History, ANU
Ruby researches changing attitudes towards animals and the environment, with special attention to the voices of women. She is an Associate Lecturer at the Australian National University and currently holds the 2026 NSW State Library Fellowship in Religious History, researching the impact of religious faith on nature education in NSW between 1884 and 1952. Ruby also contributes to public forums such as ‘The Conversation’, ABC Radio, and the Australian Book Review.
Dr Daniel Connell - Interviewer
Daniel’s background includes time at the Crawford School ANU, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission (now Authority), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Social History Unit) and Papua New Guinea's National Broadcasting Commission.
His PhD focused on the political history of the Murray-Darling Basin and made recommendations for its future governance which were very different from those subsequently incorporated into the MDB Basin Plan.
He has recorded many interviews for the Australian National University, the War Memorial, the Bureau of Statistics and the National Library of Australia’s Oral History Collection.
Recording of the conversations
With the generous support of the National Library of Australia, transcription-quality recordings of the conversations between the guest historians and Daniel Connell will be made and placed in the NLA's Oral History Collection for future reference.
Thursday 29 October 2026 - Thursday 26 November 2026 (UTC+10)
Location
Manning Clark House
11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest ACT 2603
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Historians in Conversation - Series 2
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