‘Watch this space’
What is the relationship between place, space and history? How does a place engage with or resist its past? Whether these are urban or rural, public or domestic environments, history can add heritage and cultural value to our understanding of place. At the same time, contested histories can also demand sensitive, even controversial negotiation.

There are now many theories and practices concerned with researching and writing about space and place. These include creative responses to hearing place, heritage assessments, fictional and non-fictional works.

This Historically Speaking, the last for 2006, invites four history-practitioners to discuss their diverse approaches to specific urban, rural, public and domestic spaces.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

CHAIR
Dr Sara Wills
Sara Wills is a lecturer in Australian Studies at the Australian Centre, University of Melbourne, where she teaches in the area of immigration, multicultural and cross-cultural studies, and is currently exploring migrant hostel sites as places for understanding histories of arrival, reception and hospitality in Australia.

Dr Linda Young
Linda Young is a historian, curator and teacher. As a museum-based historian, Linda specialises in material culture as historical evidence, with special interest in domestic assemblages. Tuesday’s paper will address the representation of domestic spaces in house museums.

Dr Michelle Duffy
Michelle has broad-ranging academic experience in cultural geography and cultural studies. Her research has focused on the significance of sound and music in constituting communal space within local, national and regional communities.

Dr Paul Fox
Paul Fox is a member of the Landscape Advisory Sub-Committee of Heritage Council Victoria. His writings include articles on the history of Melbourne's cultural institutions, photography, the colonial frontier, and gardening. His first book is Clearings, the stories of six colonial gardeners and their making of the Australian landscape.