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There’s more to New Zealand than just rugby!
How many New Zealanders move to Australia for short or long-term stays? How many Australians visit New Zealand, or settle there? What do Samuel Marsden, William Charles Wentworth and Henry Lawson have to do with New Zealand?
Did you know that the play about Ned Kelly by Douglas Stewart and the novels about Sydney by Ruth Park were written by New Zealanders? How did economic rationalism work differently in both countries and why? There’s so much more to know than rugby, wide-comb shearing and fireblight wars!
And tomorrow (Friday 25 September) at the University of Wollongong the Centre for Australian New Zealand Studies (CANZS) will be officially established for the first time.
About 25 people at UOW this year with links to, and projects on New Zealand, convened to establish a New Zealand Studies Research Group. Interests cross a wide disciplinary range from law to health to sociology to literature. It is headed by a steering committee of Associate Professor Paul Sharrad, Professor Shirley Leitch and Associate Professor Anne Collett.
Professor Sharrad said it marked the first formal structure in Australia for New Zealand studies and represents major potential for connections to similar centres in NZ, the US and the UK.
“The group hopes to develop community links and research collaborations with New Zealand as well as possibly establishing an on-line journal of Trans-Tasman studies, and planning regular seminars and an international conference,” Professor Sharrad said.
CANZS will be housed under the umbrella of CAPSTRANS (Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies) to provide a further extension to its Pacific focus and complement Australian Studies work with comparative research. It will look to create opportunities for further internationalisation of the University through undergraduate/postgraduate and staff exchanges with NZ.
Dr Lydia Wevers, Director of the Stout Research Centre, Victoria University, Wellington, will deliver a plenary address followed by papers from local researchers tomorrow.
Photo/filming/interview opportunity:
When: 9.45am to 10am Friday 25 September just ahead of the 10am start of the inaugural gathering of CANZS.
Where: Seminar Room 2, first floor of the Library.
Further information: Contact the workshop convener, Associate Professor Paul Sharrad, on 4221 4757 or 0428 790 378 (m).