The Allan Martin Award, an early career research fellowship in Australian history, was announced at the 2021 AHA AGM on the 1st of July.
The judges were highly impressed by the diversity and the high quality of the proposals, and found it difficult to select one winner. Thank you to all entrants and congratulations to the winner and two ‘highly commended’ applicants.
Awardee:
Dr Annemarie McLaren (UWA), ‘When the Strangers Come to Stay: Aboriginal-Colonial Exchanges and the Negotiation of New South Wales, 1788-1835’
Citation: This is a sophisticated project that draws on ethnographic approaches to investigate the emergence of a distinct colonial formation in early New South Wales shaped by the entangled lives of Aboriginal local peoples and colonial newcomers. The proposed program of study is impressive, both for its academic rigour and for its commitment to consultation with Jerrinja Elders and communities in Sydney. With the support of the Allan Martin Award, Dr McLaren will undertake further research in Sydney and Canberra for the completion of her book project. Dr McLaren has established a strong record of publications and awards, including the 2020 AHA Serle Award for best postgraduate thesis. Her exciting research will provide fresh insights that will help scholars and the wider community gain a more comprehensive understanding of Indigenous-European encounters and relationships in New South Wales to the 1830s.
Highly Commended:
- Dr Margaret Cook (University Sunshine Coast), ‘“Actions of the Sea”: Storm Erosion in New South Wales’
- Dr Jason Gibson (Deakin University), ‘Being Drawn Together: An Intercultural History of Aboriginal Drawing in Australian Anthropology’