Beach culture focus wins student the 2002 NSW History Fellowship

18-October-2002

A University of Wollongong student, whose book project will focus on the sexual and social relationships between young people on Sydney's northern beaches between the 1950s to 1980s, has been awarded the 2002 NSW History Fellowship.

The $20,000 fellowship to Ms Margo Beasley from the Department of History and Politics, is awarded annually by the NSW Ministry for the Arts. Ms Beasley is currently in the final stages of another project ­ her PhD thesis which is centred on work, men and women on the Sydney waterfront in the early 20th century.

Her PhD supervisors are Dr Ben Maddison (History and Politics) and Dr Maree Murray (Management). However, it is her other project involving the northern beaches which has won her the fellowship.

Although the PhD and northern beaches projects are separate, one intersection they have is Ms Beasley's interest in gender ­ that is how men and women live their lives and how they relate. Ms Beasley's book will contrast the generally positive image of surfing culture with the darker side of life for young people.

There were high levels of unreported gang rape and other kinds of sexual assault on Sydney's northern peninsula.

"In addition, willing and unwilling sexual activity resulted in unplanned pregnancy, abortion and adoption," Ms Beasley said.

She said such events had long-term consequences for boys as well as girls and the book will examine the cultural circumstances within which beach boys and girls interacted with each other.

The judging committee for the fellowship agreed that Ms Beasley's project was an important study of social history in NSW. They said that interactions between men and women, within the context of the narcissism and physicality of Australian beach culture, provided a metaphor for Australian society in general.

For further information contact Margo Beasley on (02) 9958 7971 or Dr Maree Murray on 4221 4360.