A/Prof Narrelle Morris

50In 2026, the Journal of Australian Studies publishes its 50th volume. To mark this occasion we propose a special issue for release in late 2026. For this volume, we would like to invite scholars to revisit its back issues - perhaps with nostalgia, perhaps with criticism, but always with the purpose of evaluating what Australian Studies has been, what it currently is, and what it can be. We seek articles of that can do one or more of the following: Select a particular article or special issue from the past to speak to from a contemporary perspective Revisit one of your own articles published in JAS to critically revise, update - or perhaps redact past scholarship Scholarly reflections of editorial experiences with the journal focused on characterising “Australian Studies” at the time Critical personal reflections Debates and disputes in Australian studies (on the pages and off of JAS ) A critical history of/commentary on JAS and its relationship to the field of Australian Studies more broadly Critical reviews of key themes the journal has covered (or not covered) over its history Critical reviews of the role of disciplines and disciplinarity within the interdisciplinary formation of Australian Studies We also welcome other proposals and suggestions. Please note that we are open to a wide range of lengths and formats in this context, as appropriate to the form of your contribution, and we invite contributors to specify a nominal word count in their proposal, noting that this cannot exceed 8000 words (inclusive of footnotes). We invite all contributors to provide a 300-500 word abstract proposal for their article by 30 March 2026 . This is to allow us to identify and remedy any potential overlaps, and to identify peer reviewers in advance. Outcomes and feedback on abstracts will be provided by 3 April at the latest. Please submit your abstracts to: journalofaustralianstudies@gmail.com with the subject line: Attn: JAS at 50 Special Issue.

Initial manuscripts are due in ScholarOne by 17 July 2026 ; however, we welcome early submissions. All manuscripts will be peer reviewed. In the spirit of collaboration, we ask that contributors to the special issue also assist with peer reviewing other contributions. After revisions based on the peer review are made, manuscripts will undergo an editorial review, after which they may be returned for further revisions. After this round of editorial revisions, the manuscripts will then be forwarded to our copyeditor by no later than 28 August. Final manuscripts (including peer review, revision, copyediting, and revisions after copyediting) are due by 9 October 2026. If you have any questions, please email the Editors: jess.carniel@unisq.edu.au and chris.hay@flinders.edu.au Production timeline at a glance Abstracts: 30 March 2026 Notification of acceptance: 3 April 2026 Initial manuscript submission: 17 July 2026 Peer review and revision process completed by: 28 August 2026 Final manuscripts (including peer review and copyediting) : 9 October 2026 Publication: December 2026

To celebrate our 50th volume, JAS invites you to contribute to a special issue on (the Journal of) Australian Studies at 50.

Please see the CFP below for details - and please circulate it far and wide!

@intlausstudies.bsky.social

#CFP #OzStudies #OzLit #OzHist #auspol #AustralianStudies

‘Kyle will definitely sue’: Sandilands and ARN face ugly legal stoush Sources said Sandilands is preparing to sue his employer if the company sacks the controversial broadcaster.

Let’s hope so? No sympathy here for either but it sounds like a marvellous opportunity for someone to return for their hat.

www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-a...

It’s a fascinating thread about moral panic of that era. These days, parents of Internet or gaming addicted teens would probably LOVE to see them reading a novel, in bed or out.

Keeping in mind that reading at night in 1908 is mostly still by gas light or candle light, although electricity is on the way in in Australia. So yes, reading probably did induce eye strain issues, no matter who it was.

There’s a published article, pretty recent, which makes the wage theft point. I think it’s Troy Heffernan’s. I have it in my workplace stash if you want.

You should see the nonsense Gen AI guidelines Curtin put out for HDR students. Amongst other things, the shoddy drafting explicitly *permits* students doing a Gen AI topic to falsify data, plagiarise and breach IP.

Exams + statutory interpretation not really a thing but the final assessment over the next month is going to sort the studious from the not.

If you make it to WA,time it for the monthly destash market www.perthhillsevents.com/hills-fabric...

I’ve got 180 enrolled in tri 1 and the in person lecture is now getting about 15-20, 6 weeks into the 10. Tute attendance is better and the week after the lecture topic but most of them haven’t watched it and some just won’t read anything. Not even assessment instructions!

😭🤦🏻‍♀️

Western Australia for a Human Rights Act Join the campaign for a fairer more equal Western Australia

Vic, ACT and QLD have one. The problem is that they are easily overruled or excluded by other legislation. QLD excluded its Act from changes to the bail laws as applied to CHILDREN! For anyone in WA www.wa4hra.com.au

And I firmly fended off the idea to bleach my WA blackbutt floors, which are glorious shades of honey and gold, to a darkened colour! Most bizarre.

I just had floorboards sanded and repolished and the company proudly showed me pics of genuine jarrah floors, beautiful in the before pic, now bleached to light grey and “much better”. I laughed. They were serious.

The mind boggles at how much print space (let alone $$$) went to promoting the MFP and breathless analyses of its impact on Australia and, conversely, those who thought it was just another example of the imminent Japanese economic invasion of Australia and so spent more print space fear-mongering.

The Epstein files name prominent Australians and senior US and UK officials.

I’m calling on the Australian Government to order an independent review for survivors, for accountability, and for our national security.

No one is above the law. Full statement 👇

Neither of us will be alive to see genuine Shinkansen type high speed rail here is my guess. It must be time to mention the Multifunction Polis again too.

Extreme lawful evil is a pub with dense paragraphs with 1 footnote at the end of each and ~10+ sources sans page now. It’s the height of arrogance from established scholars meaning the sources are impeccably there but it’s a degree’s worth of reading to find the specific source for one point.

And Australia was doing it too.

Every word of this is perfection.

Including me!

Delighted to become FRHistS on my 50th birthday!

Of course they do. Symptomatic of the election displays of $$$ empathy with tradies and ghosting of nurses, educators and carers. Yes, I know, not all men or women in either category.

Not a word apart from the backing track but you know exactly what it’s about. The arts are powerful. No wonder every tinpot dictator hates the arts. Kudos.

I hope I didn’t just do that to you! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Congratulations to last night’s Curtin Uni graduates, especially all the law and business law grads.

Better than the rappers. I had a chat to the dancers afterwards and they were delightful. It was their 8th performance.

In 1904 despite the rules saying that the masculine imports the feminine, the 🦕 of the WA Supreme Court decided that a “person” in the Act governing lawyers meant men. Edith Haynes was never admitted. See Margaret Thornton’s article classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/...

I shall render my verdict anon.

It was awesome. I was laughing so much it was hard to hold the phone steady. I smuggle it into the stage with me to capture the fireworks as we process out. Bonus that year.

Please tell me it’s not the rapping trio again, notwithstanding the valiant participation of the Auslan interpreter?