Convention and Contradiction: Representations of Women in Australian War Films, 1914-1918

This paper examines the representation of women in Australian cinematic war dramas made between 1914 and 1918, showing how the representations were shaped by political, industrial and ideological influences, and identifying the range of representations present in the films. It observes that while there was considerable overlap with other media in the representation of women, there were images ignored by films, while others were unique to the cinema

\u27That Sacred Band of Crusaders:\u27 The AIF as God\u27s Warriors

This paper explores notions of the First AIF as agents of God’s will during the First World War, asking how various participants in the ranks saw themselves and their fellows in such a role. Issues of a righteous war, holy warriors, the war as God’s punishment and cleansing of a sinful world are examined, as well as those who doubted the spiritual function of the war

South Pacific Cultures and the Concept and Practice of History

The practice of history is often assumed to be transparent and universal, but in fact it is a highly specialised phenomenon which exists only in certain societies. This raises problems for those writing about cultures where the practice of history has not traditionally existed, one such region being the South Pacific. A better understanding of the oral nature of Pacific societies and the way in which this affects one’s understanding of the past will be helpful to the historian of this region, and others like it

Film and National Mythology: the Anzac Legend in Australian Films

Creative Nation is the first Reader on Australian Cinema and Cultural Studies published in India that introduces Australian films (historical, contemporary, art house, short, digital and documentary) as well as cultural texts (pop and hip hop, popular theatre, film music, Aboriginal songs and music, mass art, queer and photographic culture) for an international scholarship in order to broaden Australian studies in nations that have recently begun to explore this field, especially in Asia

Revisiting the Secular Anzac: The Anzacs and Religion

One of the \u27givens\u27 of the Anzac myth is that by and large the Australian soldier is not interested in religion

In Two Armies: The Experiences of Two Salvationists in the First AIF 1914-1918

This paper explores the experiences of two Salvationists in the ranks of the AIF. It is particularly interested in understanding the relationship between their commitment to the Salvation Army and any issues this may have caused with their commitment to the Australian Imperial Force. It examines the way one Salvationist dealt with personal stresses in maintain his faith, while the other case study explores the way in which service in Palestine reinforced faith through the many sites of biblical interest

The Legend of William McKenzie, Anzac Chaplain

William McKenzie was a Chaplain in the First AIF who achieved legendary status during and after the Great War. Stories about him abounded, some gaining sufficient credibility to be included in formal biographies and entries in published dictionaries of biography. This paper explores the legends and seeks to establish their factuality, as well as attempt to explain the source, motivation and reason for the success of the legends

The Teaching of History as a Transformative Christian Tool in the Tertiary Classroom: A Study of Student Responses

This is a study of student responses to the teaching of history in an American university context, conducted by an Australian professional on a year’s exchange. It is based on an analysis of data drawn from student response surveys conducted across the units taught. The results highlight a number of key principles for a curriculum that is centred around the revealing of Jesus, particularly in the nature and effect of the learning experiences he created as a master teacher during his earthly ministry. Students identified the following qualities as responsible for measurable changes in their attitudes and perspectives: inspirational teaching, the promotion of critical thinking and discernment and the creation of relevant Christ-centred educational encounters, utilising an inquiry-oriented, open-discussion, and deep-learning context. Students considered these approaches transformational, inspiring them to life-long learning. This study draws on the Christian educational perspectives of White (1903), Palmer (1993) and Kilgour (2019), particularly for its theoretical framework

Understanding History: Seventh-day Adventists and their Perspectives

History is never abstract. It is always the story of how we came to believe and act the way we do today. Understanding the history of a particular denomination can transform discussions of contemporary issues from divisive stonethrowing to a more sensitive awareness of how and why certain beliefs and practices are current, or are currently under threat of change. And a knowledge of a Seventh-day Adventist understanding of history explains a great deal about the church and touches on many of the key conflicts and controversies that have affected, and currently affect, the church. Hence, it is topical for the teacher in Adventist schools, and by parallel, to teachers in all Christian schools

Signs of Spiritual Crisis or Evidence of Unexpected Commitment? Attitudes to Compulsory Church Parades in the First AIF

This study explores the attitude of Anzac soldiers to the compulsory Church Parades, drawing evidence from a reading of the diaries and letters of over a thousand soldiers. It examines the complex reactions to Church Parade and draw conclusions about the varied attitudes of soldiers who recorded attending Church Parades in their letters and diaries. Far from producing definitive evidence for the irrelevance of religion to Australian soldiers during the Great War, the study highlights the range of religious attitudes, including the surprising number of soldiers who recorded positive responses to these parades. Even negative attitudes to Church Parades could stem not just from the secular soldiers, but also from the disappointment which religiously committed soldiers felt during times of forced religious activity. Responses to compulsory religious activities in the army do not uniformly support the irreligious nature of the Anzacs. Rather they show that a significant minority — larger and more expressive than generally imagined, and not all of them devout — valued religion and recorded their sentiments about it in their personal writings