The evolution of an intellectual community through the words of its founders: recollections of Australia's economic history field

Authors

Claire Wright, University of WollongongFollow
Simon Ville, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

110730

Publication Details

Wright, C. & Ville, S. (2017). The evolution of an intellectual community through the words of its founders: recollections of Australia's economic history field. Australian Economic History Review: an Asia-Pacific journal of economic, business and social history, 57 (3), 345-367

Abstract

Analysing the dynamic evolution of a scholarly field requires an understanding of the social interactions within its community as well as the impact of the written word. Influence might diffuse through mentoring, graduate supervision, seminar discussion, and management roles. To date, our knowledge of the growth of economic history in Australia after 1945 draws heavily upon the impact of a number of key publications. We interview a broad selection of academics who worked in the field of Australian economic history, approximately 1950-90, to provide a fuller understanding of the evolution of this interdisciplinary field. Our results confirm, complement and, in some cases, challenge conventional views.