After a century of speculation by writers, filmmakers, travelers and scholars, being Australian' has become a recognisable shorthand for a group of national characteristics. Now, in an era of international terrorism, being seen as un-Australian' has become a potent rhetorical weapon for some, and a badge of honour for others.
Catriona Elder explores the origins, meaning and effects of the many stories we tell about ourselves, and how they have changed over time. She outlines some of the traditional stories and their role in Australian nationalism, and she shows how concepts of egalitarianism, peaceful settlement and sporting prowess have been used to create a national identity.
Elder also investigates the cultural and social perspectives that have been used to critique dominant accounts of Australian identity, including ideas of class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and race. She shows how these critiques have been, in turn, queried in recent years. Being Australian is an ideal introduction to studying Australia for anyone interested in understanding Australian society, culture and history.
Part 1: Stories in the making
1 Imagining nations: Telling national tales
2 The working man is everywhere: Class and national identity
3 The invisible woman: Gender and nation
4 Populate or perish: Sexuality and nation
5 White Australia meets multiculturalism: Ethnicity and nation
6 The myth of terra nullius: Indigeneity and nation
Part 2: Ways of being Australian
7 The cultural nation: Art, cinema and music
8 The heart of the country: Place, space and land
9 The land of the long weekend: Public holidays and national events
10 Taking to the streets: National uses of public spaces
11 Backyards and barracking: The everyday in Australia
12 Australia on display: Museums, heritage and the national capital
References
Index
Biography
Catriona Elder lectures in the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Sydney.
A clever work: incisive and original. At a time when Australian identities have never been more debated, Elder finds an open way through the closed doors which often restrict cultural representations of Australian-ness.'
Professor Adam Shoemaker, Dean of Arts, ANU
This is a timely and significant new analysis essential reading on issues of identity and our own anxieties about national belonging and what it means to be Australian' in a globalising world.'
Kate Darian-Smith, Professor of Australian Studies and History, University of Melbourne
