History Week 2015
War, Nationalism and Identity-
- Soldier in sheepskin waistcoat, June 1915. From NRS 4481 MS3393P.
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- Opening ceremony of Mosman Cottage Soldier Settlement, December 1916. From NRS 4481 MS4860P.
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- Roll of Honour, Parliament House, March 1916. From NRS 4481 ST6186P.
It is often argued that the Australian was born of war, on the slopes of Gallipoli to be precise. But historians have also suggested that the cost of the war was so great- the country was left internally divided, a generation of men was lost on the battlefields of the Western Front and the economy was left shattered- that in 1919 Australia was a broken nation.
How then does war shape ideas of nation and identity? Is baptism on the battlefield a prerequisite of nationhood and a sense of national identity? What are the roles of ideas and political movements in creating and shaping nation states? In 2015 the theme of History Week focused on the history of nation building, nationalism and national identity as the products of both peaceful and violent processes, focusing on generals and politicians, constitution makers and revolutionaries.
NSW State Archives presented the following new webpages for History Week 2015:
