historian july february australian historian commentator described historian public intellectual active citizen born adelaide attended undertook undergraduate study abandoning early desire methodist minister appointed lecturer melbourne new remained end career wife fellow student accompanied melbourne children catherine david subsequently head department reader history retired death distinguished career teaching supervision research developed new subjects teach addition concerning australian history pioneering subject designed inform students australia european cultural heritage work published europe translated languages swedish greek chinese spanish german portuguese russian turkish korean edit australia leading historical journal retirement travelled regularly sydney groups post graduate students thesis writing academic contribution produced large number important articles chapters books australian history academic interests wide ranging including social cultural political history goal qualities characteristics australian society developed described elegant outstanding stylist adept complex issues reducing crafting line eliminated doubt interpretation true correct historical work colleague noted challenged produced new insights wrote seminal books colonial new_south_wales described displaying raw intellectual power convict society enemies strange birth colonial democracy reprinted freedom fatal shore convict society enemies particularly influential arguing brutal slave society place rights freedoms established beginning study ground breaking work arguing national sentiment important economics uniting nation described shorter analyses notable distance australia response famous concept deserves attention receives challenges received wisdom colonial life best shorter pieces collected sense nonsense australian history major achievement project index newspaper public intellectual described creative historian capable engaging wide audience public intellectual delighted infuriated provoked contributed influential opinion pieces commentaries leading australian newspapers journals noted motivated independent mind defied simplistic partisan politics described old fashioned social democrat read encounter delighted facts logic evidence skill precision establish case conveying powerful insights historical experience process discussed common theme cited honest subject noted inspired commitment rigorous pursuit historical truth drove explore deeper patterns meanings past contemporary implications missed public appointments ivory tower academic held number influential appointments course career member prime minister republic advisory committee chair member council member member board canberra wrote official history australia new citizens took prominent history summit convened prime minister advised victorian government school history curriculum history adviser elected australia committed republican victoria died february age
John Hirst (historian)