The Australian Multicultural Writers subset reflects the diversity of Australia's literary community and the diversity of Australian culture in general. This subset contains biographical details of writers who have identified particular cultural backgrounds, and bibliographical description of their works, published both in English and in more than fifty other languages. The Australian Multicultural Writers subset includes writers who have identified both an indigenous heritage and additional cultural heritages. The Black Words Aboriginal and Torres Strait Writers and Story Tellers Subset includes all writers who have identified their Indigenous heritage.

Wollongong University takes special responsibility for recording multicultural Australian literature, under the direction of Wenche Ommundsen, a member of the AustLit Editorial Board. The Australian Multicultural Writers subset originated in the specialist Bibliography of Australian Multicultural Writers published by Deakin in 1992. The subset was added to AustLit in 2000 and has been revised and updated by research staff at Deakin University, Wollongong University and by the wider AustLit research team. Deakin University had primary responsiblity for the subset between 2000 and 2006. It continues to be built upon as more material by writers who fit the criteria is published.

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Read Wenche Ommundsen's introduction to the revised version of the Bibliography HERE.

The Australian Multicultural Writers subset includes biographical information about Australian writers who identify with particular heritages other than Australian (non English speaking and English speaking), cultural heritages, and bibliographical information about their works. While the subset concentrates on creative and critical literature, some non creative works are included.

The research into the literary careers of Australian multicultural writers which forms the basis of this subset was initiated by Lolo Houbein in 1973. Houbein compiled Ethnic Writings in English from Australia : A Bibliography which recorded literary works by first-generation migrants to Australia who published in English.

In 1986 Alexandra Karakostas-Seda extended Houbein's work to include authors writing in languages other than English, submitting the results of this research in an unpublished MA thesis 'Creative writing in languages other than English in Australia 1945-1987'. This work identified more than 300 writers of creative literature in thirty language groups.

The Bibliography of Australian Multicultural Writers brought together both Houbein's and Karakostas-Seda's work on writing in English and other languages. The coverage was expanded by Sneja Gunew and Jan Mahyuddin from the earlier first-generation migrant emphasis to include second- and third-generation writers from non-English speaking backgrounds. The inclusion of a broader range of Australian writers was intended to draw attention to the cultural backgrounds of 'well-known' writers and to encourage new critical considerations of their work.

The Bibliography of Australian Multicultural Writers became a part of the Australia's Literary Heritage Project in 1995 as a part of the bibliographical research carried out for the Bibliography of Australian Literature. From its inception in 1988, the AUSTLIT database also recorded information on writers' cultural heritage - including acknowledged English-speaking heritages.

AustLit contains thousands of records migrated from the Bibliography of Australian Multicultural Writers, and from the Deakin University Library catalogue. Many records about multicultural literature have been created by other AustLit contributors. All AustLit contributors continue to provide information about this segment of Australian literary culture, with Wollongong University taking special responsibility for the development of resources in this area.

Australian Multicultural Writers information is sourced from the full range of AustLit information sources, including the the National Bibliographic Database via Kinetica, and a number of specialist bibliographies, including:

• Serge Liberman's Bibliography of Australian Judaica
• Gaetano Rando's anthologies and critical writings on Italo-Australian writers
• George Kanarakis's Greek Voices in Australia

and

• Con Castan's critical writing and bibliographical work

Community organisations and media groups within particular communities and personal contact with authors also provide details about multicultural writing in Australia.

Many individuals, groups and organisations have assisted in the development of the Australian Multicultural Writers subset. We particularly wish to thank the following researchers and bibliographers for their work in this area:

• Lolo Houbein
• Alexandra Karakostas-Seda
• Sneja Gunew
• Jan Mahyuddin
• Maureen Simpson
• Santina Rizzo
• Alexandra Thomas
• Professor Margaret Cameron
• Helen Livingstone
• Alan Betteridge
• Marian Boreland
• Con Castan
• Serge Liberman
• George Kanarakis
• Gaetano Rando
• Rodney Noonan

We also thank the Deakin University units which have provided research support over many years, especially:

• the Deakin University Library including Librarian Sue McKnight
• AustLit Content Team members, Cate Richmond, Clara Ichlov and William Dolley
• the Faculty of Arts
• the School of Communication and Creative Arts (formerly the School of Literary and Communication Studies)

and the cultural organisations who have assisted during research:

• the Literature Board of the Australia Council
• the Australian Research Council
• the Victorian Office of Multicultural Affairs

Many press organisations provided assistance with the research leading to the production of this subset. We particularly thank:

• O Kosmos
• Il Globo
• The Age
• The Sydney Morning Herald
• The Australian
• Australian Book Review
• PEN International Newsletter
• SBS Radio stations, 2EA and 3EA

Above all, we thank the many writers who contributed information on their lives and work.

Australian Multicultural Writers is a separately published work within AustLit.
No part of this work may be reproduced without permission.
ISBN 0 9750867 2 3
© AustLit : The Australian Literature Resource 2004-

Australian Multicultural Writers.
Bibliography.
Includes index.
ISBN 0 9750867 2 3.

1. Australian literature - Minority authors - Bio-bibliography.
2. Australian literature - Foreign authors - Bio-bibliography.
3. Authors, Australian - Biography.
4. Australia - Literatures - Bio-bibliography.
I. Ommundsen, Wenche.
II. Deakin University. Centre for Studies in Literary Education.

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