AustLit

'Black, White and Exempt is an edited collection of insightful and innovative chapters, examining an underexplored aspect of the system that controlled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for much of the twentieth century. Beginning with Queensland in 1897, state-based Protection regimes introduced exemption clauses into the Acts which enabled segregation and micro-management of Indigenous life. Under these clauses, Indigenous people could appeal to authorities to obtain a formal legal status which, in theory, allowed them to escape from racist prohibitions on access to public spaces and citizenship rights.' (Introduction)

Indigenous and Other Australians Since 1901 explores how, despite widespread settler belief at Federation that Indigenous people would ‘die out’, they in fact survived, and populations have grown rapidly, with debates on their position in Australian society now a defining political issue. There are important insights throughout the book and some fascinating historical material is presented from Rowse’s comprehensive research. In particular, Rowse develops a powerful devise of distinguishing between (loosely categorised) ‘South’ and ‘North’ Australia, insisting that the very idea of a unified ‘Australia’ remains a ‘Southern continental projection’ by a ‘settler-colonial nation state’.' (Introduction)

'After the Apology, a feature length documentary written and directed by Indigenous filmmaker and academic Larissa Behrendt, is currently being screened in communities across Australia. There was a series of screenings in communities across Australia. There was a series of screenings in Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory on August 22-23. (Introduction)