John Hirst – författare

The Family Court was a progressive reform of the 1970s. Now it is perhaps the most hated institution in Australia. In the 'Kangaroo Court', John Hirst investigates what went wrong.

This is a measured yet unsparing appraisal which interleaves individual cases with compelling legal and moral argument. Hirst takes us deep into the workings of the Court and the domestic apocalypses it sees every day.

He explores the Court's fervour to uphold the best interests of the child no matter what and traces its chilling consequence- a court where malicious allegations regularly go unpunished. He notes the Court's enormous power over individual lives, as well as its self-proclaimed status as a 'caring court', and wonders at its ability to overlook the defiance of its own authority. In closing, he considers how to reform an institution that has bred antagonism and extremism and too often entrenched paranoia and despair. Lucid and urgent,'Kangaroo Court'is a cautionary tale about the perils of high-mindedness when it comes to dealing with the breakdown of families.

'When Family Court judges talk piously of the 'caring court', I wish they could hear the roar of pain that their piety has caused.' -John Hirst,'Kangaroo Court'

This issue also contains correspondence discussing Quarterly Essay 16, Breach of Trust, from Paul Kelly, Paul Bongiorno, Mungo MacCallum, Natasha Cica, Alex Miller, and Raimond Gaita.

Sense and Nonsense in Australian History represents a lifetime''s original reflection by Australia''s most innovative and penetrating historian. Included here are classic essays on the pioneer legend, Australian egalitarianism and colonial culture. There are celebrated critiques of The Tyranny of Distance, multiculturalism and nationalistic history, as well as a substantial essay on Aboriginal dispossession and the history wars.In Sense and Nonsense in Australian History, John Hirst overturns familiar conceptions and deepens our sense of Australia''s development from convict society to distinctive democracy.‘One of the nation''s most independent and original historians’ —Geoffrey Blainey‘John Hirst is the gadfly of Australian history, stinging and provocative’ —Stuart Macintyre‘Essential reading for those who want to ponder, let alone write and teach about, Australian history’ —Robert Murray, Weekend Australian‘Sense & Nonsense in Australian History is an entertaining collection of essays which deserves to be read, re-read and debated by Australians interested in national identity.’ —Lyndon Megarrity, Overland‘A powerful controversialist … a brilliant historian’ —Australian Book Review‘One of Australia’s most productive historians’ —Ross Fitzgerald, Sydney Morning Herald‘Hirst’s fine discriminations and historical digging helps us understand why Australia is one of the oldest and most stable democracies in the world’ —Age‘Punchy, learned, witty’ —Canberra Times‘A stimulating and engaging contribution to current debates over Australian history’ —BulletinJohn Hirst was a member of the History Department at La Trobe University from 1968 to 2007. He has written many books on Australian history, including Convict Society and Its Enemies, The Strange Birth of Colonial Democracy, The Sentimental Nation, Sense and Nonsense in Australian History and The Shortest History of Europe.

Freedom on the Fatal Shore brings together John Hirst''s two books on the early history of New South Wales. Both are classic accounts which have had a profound effect on the understanding of our history. This combined edition includes a new foreword by the author.Convicts with their "own time", convicts with legal rights, convicts making money, convicts getting drunk - what sort of prison was this? Hirst describes how the convict colony actually worked and how Australian democracy came into being, despite the opposition of the most powerful. He writes: "This was not a society that had to become free; its freedoms were well established from the earliest times."“Colonial Australia was a more ‘normal’ place than one might imagine from the folkloric picture of society governed by the lash and the triangle, composed of groaning white slaves tyrannised by ruthless masters. The book that best conveys this and has rightly become a landmark in recent studies of the System is J.B. Hirst’s Convict Society and Its Enemies.” —Robert Hughes, The Fatal Shore“Anyone with an interest in Australian political culture will find The Strange Birth of Colonial Democracy invaluable.” —Professor Colin Hughes, former Electoral Commissioner for the CommonwealthJohn Hirst was a member of the History Department at La Trobe University from 1968 to 2007. He has written many books on Australian history, including Convict Society and Its Enemies, The Strange Birth of Colonial Democracy, The Sentimental Nation, Sense and Nonsense in Australian History and The Shortest History of Europe.

If there are genuine questions about Australian history, there is something to puzzle over. The history ceases to be predictable—and dull.From the author of The Shortest History of Europe, acclaimed historian John Hirst, comes this fresh and stimulating approach to understanding Australia''s past and present. Hirst asks and answers questions that get to the heart of Australia''s history:Why did Aborigines not become farmers?How did a penal colony change peacefully to a democracy?Why was Australia so prosperous so early?Why did the Australian colonies federate?What effect did convict origins have on national character?Why was the postwar migration programme a success?Why is Australia not a republic?Engaging and enjoyable, and written for the novice and the expert alike, Australian History in 7 Questions explains how we became the nation we are today.‘If you don''t always agree with the answers, you will certainly acquire a renewed interest in the questions. This, surely, is the highest hope of good history.’ —Saturday Paper‘An excellent tool for provoking debate’ —Age‘An intriguing approach’ —West Weekend Magazine‘With trademark clarity and insight, Hirst manages to touch every cornerstone of Australia’s past … every Australian should read this book.’ —Monthly‘Thought provoking’ —Daily Telegraph‘Instructively provocative’ —Burnie Advocate‘Australian History in 7 Questions is a lively and exciting book, showing the skills of a professional historian and social commentator … Anyone would benefit from reading this erudite short book.’ —Australian Journal of Politics and HistoryJohn Hirst was a member of the History Department at La Trobe University from 1968 to 2007. He has written many books on Australian history, including Convict Society and Its Enemies, The Strange Birth of Colonial Democracy, The Sentimental Nation, Sense and Nonsense in Australian History and The Shortest History of Europe.

Historia, política, filosofía, arte, lengua, ciencia, justicia e ideas revolucionarias en una síntesis magistral y esclarecedora, llena de sentido del humor y provocadoras reflexiones en torno a Europa. Una fascinante exploración de las cualidades que han hecho de sus habitantes una civilización que cambió el mundo. Con un rápido repaso histórico que va desde los antiguos griegos hasta el presente, John Hirst explora con detalle lo que hace de Europa algo único: su evolución política, la influencia transformadora de sus fronteras lingüísticas, la improbable mezcla de filosofía clásica, cristianismo y ethos guerrero germánico que alimenta su cultura y, por supuesto, las grandes invasiones que transformaron el continente.Escrito con claridad e ingenio, Una historia de Europa es un gran logro: se lee en dos tardes y se recuerda toda la vida.