'An exploration of the work and legacy of one of Australia's most distinguished historians
'Stuart Macintyre was an eminent figure within the world of Australian history scholarship for 45 years. This collection of essays and responses revisits and extends this extraordinary life of achievement and engagement. Leading scholars write here of Macintyre's contribution to understanding radicalism and communism, postwar reconstruction, education and civics, universities, liberalism, historiography and the history wars. They also tell us about collegiality and friendship.
'The practice of history writing and telling has long been central to the narrative of the nation in Australia. The Work of History connects us to that past. It raises the question of what comes next, and re-values Macintyre's contribution, serving both as a snapshot of the state of the historian's art, and an introduction to those who come more recently to this highly contested field.' (Publication summary)
'History was work for Stuart Macintyre (1947–2021), writing was his pleasure, and he excelled at both. Peter Beilharz and Sian Supski, scholars from outside Macintyre’s own discipline of history, underscore the breadth of his interests and networks by initiating this collection of twenty-seven essays. They wish to honour Macintyre’s work and interrogate ‘the Macintyre effect’. That effect stemmed from prodigious scholarly output, intervention in national debates, political connections, service to professional bodies and key cultural institutions, a long career of teaching and leadership at the University of Melbourne, and mentorship. The editors seek to establish Macintyre’s legacy through the reflections of others on the interests and issues that inspired his life’s work. They want contributors to avoid genuflecting before launching off into tangential discussion of their own work, the bane of many a Festschrift. Most of them succeed. Contributors were instead asked to ‘add something new, or of themselves’.' (Introduction)
'There is a heaven for those writers whose work lives for generations, and Stuart Macintyre's will. This is not a conventional Festschrift, editors Peter Beilharz and Sian Supski tell us, where ‘invited scholars are licensed to give the subject a nod before bolting off elsewhere on their own’ (2). Instead, each contributor engages with a particular area of Stuart's work, and while some are reminiscences of collaboration and collegiality, others are extended conversations between close colleagues and comrades that we are privileged to overhear. The Work of History not only brings Stuart back, often in ways unknown to some of us, but will ensure that those who never knew him will enjoy his intellectual companionship.'(Introduction)
'There is a heaven for those writers whose work lives for generations, and Stuart Macintyre's will. This is not a conventional Festschrift, editors Peter Beilharz and Sian Supski tell us, where ‘invited scholars are licensed to give the subject a nod before bolting off elsewhere on their own’ (2). Instead, each contributor engages with a particular area of Stuart's work, and while some are reminiscences of collaboration and collegiality, others are extended conversations between close colleagues and comrades that we are privileged to overhear. The Work of History not only brings Stuart back, often in ways unknown to some of us, but will ensure that those who never knew him will enjoy his intellectual companionship.'(Introduction)
'History was work for Stuart Macintyre (1947–2021), writing was his pleasure, and he excelled at both. Peter Beilharz and Sian Supski, scholars from outside Macintyre’s own discipline of history, underscore the breadth of his interests and networks by initiating this collection of twenty-seven essays. They wish to honour Macintyre’s work and interrogate ‘the Macintyre effect’. That effect stemmed from prodigious scholarly output, intervention in national debates, political connections, service to professional bodies and key cultural institutions, a long career of teaching and leadership at the University of Melbourne, and mentorship. The editors seek to establish Macintyre’s legacy through the reflections of others on the interests and issues that inspired his life’s work. They want contributors to avoid genuflecting before launching off into tangential discussion of their own work, the bane of many a Festschrift. Most of them succeed. Contributors were instead asked to ‘add something new, or of themselves’.' (Introduction)
