RADICAL
NEWCASTLE
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Dr James Bennett (History, UoN)
j.bennett@newcastle.edu.au
– Radical labour history: ‘Rats and Revolutionaries’: The Labour
Movement in Australia and NZ (2004)
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Dr Nancy Cushing (History, UoN)
Nancy.Cushing@newcastle.edu.au
– PhD thesis at UoN: ‘Creating the Coalopolis: Perceptions of
Newcastle, 17170-1935’ (1995)
– Publications on environmental issues in Newcastle, notably air
pollution
– Publications on the Pacific Highway as heritage road
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Dr Troy Duncan (History, UoN)
– Writing a biography of Francis deWitt Batty
– Co-authorship of a history of Newcastle Grammar School
– Co-writer of detailed report on James Fletcher Hospital for NCC.
Support for the Project
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Gionni di Gravio (Cultural Collections)
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Gregg Heathcote (Cultural Collections)
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Humanities Research Institute
(Director: Professor Hugh Craig)
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School of Humanities and Social Science
(Acting Head of School: Dr Roger Markwick)
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Further possible university support: ‘Radical Newcastle’ a
potential source for UoN 50th anniversary in 2015
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To recover the radical and
often submerged
dimensions of Newcastle’s
history
To build partnerships with
the local community
To develop a greater
appreciation of
connections between past
and present in local
history
To give local history
(people, places and
events) a greater profile
through a range of events
and outputs
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A 1or 2 day colloquium in early
October 2011
– A forum for presentation of
research and feedback
linked to web and
publication outcomes
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a web-based resource managed
by Cultural Collections at UoN for
community access
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Publication of an illustrated
anthology on ‘Radical Newcastle’
(and the Hunter region) by a
commercial or university press
comprising chapters of between
2000 and 3000 words each
Concept Map from Nov 2010
meeting
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15 broad themes identified
– Aboriginal resistance and Indigenous and non-Indigenous
activism
– Convict rebels
– Radicalism and the labour movement
– Heritage campaigns and citizens’ action
– Environmentalism and direct action
– Anti-war protest
– Protest and radical political activism in the Depression era
– Religion and radical clergy
– Education in Newcastle
– Social movements
Concept mapping (continued)
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Business and revolutionary change
Social action and radical lives
Political thought, agendas for change and radical action by the state
Radical sites
Radicalism and creative expression
‘Radical Newcastle’ Project form
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To assist the editorial collective in planning the various aspects of this project, we request that you confirm your
contact details and your planned contribution to this project.
Please return this form as an email attachment to Nancy Cushing (nancy.cushing@newcastle.edu.au) or by post
to Dr Nancy Cushing, School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, 2258) by
Friday 15 April 2011.
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Name
Mailing address
Email
Telephone
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I am planning to write an entry on:
Short title:
Time period:
A brief description of the radical event/person/place:
I am working (circle one):
With others (list names)
On my own
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I would like to be matched with a co-author
Signed:
Date:
Jeff Sparrow & Jill Sparrow,
Radical Melbourne (The Vulgar
Press, 2001)
 Ray Evans & Carole Ferrier,
Radical Brisbane (The Vulgar
Press, 2004)
 Terry Irving & Rowan Cahill,
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Radical Sydney: Places, Portraits
and Unruly Episodes (UNSW
Press, 2010)
 ‘Radical Newcastle’: some
continuities, but aim to be more
genuinely collaborative in writing
the book; the project needs to
connect with local community
through contributors
 Archival material, notably Cultural
Collections (Gionni di Gravio)
 Earlier published histories