This is the first major collaborative reappraisal of Australia's experience of empire since the end of the British Empire itself. The volume examines the meaning and importance of empire in Australia across a broad spectrum of historical issues-ranging from the disinheritance of the Aborigines to the foundations of a new democratic state. The overriding theme is the distinctive Australian perspective on empire. The country's adherence to imperial ideals and aspirations involved not merely the building of a 'new Britannia' but also the forging of a distinctive new culture and society. It was Australian interests and aspirations which ultimately shaped 'Australia's Empire'. While modern Australians have often played down the significance of their British imperial past, the contributors to this book argue that the legacies of empire continue to influence the temper and texture of Australian society today.
Reviews
... an impressive book, adventurous in conception, and packed with challenging essays, several verging on sheer brilliance. * The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs *
...a timely re-evaluation of the influences that helped shape modern-day Australia...a fascinating companion to the Oxford History of the British Empire that should engage students and academics alike and all those interested in contemporary Australia and the shadow of its colonial past. * Lucy Popescu, Tribune *
a very fine collection of essays which does a great deal to further our understanding of the central place of the Empire in Australia's history. It deserves to be widely read and debated. * Christopher Waters, Labour History *



Book Information
ISBN 9780199563739
Author Deryck Schreuder
Format Paperback
Page Count 440
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 623g
Dimensions(mm) 233mm * 156mm * 21mm