Harvard Australia Chair to Discuss 'Indigenous Autobiography' April 13

Released on 03/31/2004, at 12:00 AM
Office of University Communications
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

WHEN: Tuesday, Apr. 13, 2004

WHERE: Great Plains Art Collection in the Christlieb Gallery, 1155 Q Street

Lincoln, Neb., March 31st, 2004 — Australian anthropologist Timothy Rowse, visiting professor and holder of the Australia chair at Harvard University, will speak April 13 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in a lecture titled "Indigenous Autobiography in Australia and the U.S.A."

The seminar will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Great Plains Art Collection, 1155 Q St. The event is free and open to the public and is the April seminar on Research and Region presented by the Plains Humanities Alliance at UNL.

A specialist in the culture and history of the Aboriginal peoples of South Australia and Australia's Northern Territory, Rowse will analyze and compare indigenous autobiographical literatures. Indigenous autobiography stands at the intersection of a number of different cultural projects -- national history writing, literary canon formation, and the social mobilization of grievances. Rowse will compare discussions in Australia and North America about how this genre of "historical literature" can be read.

He is the author of "After Mabo" and "White Flour, White Power: From Rations to Citizenship in Central Australia."

While in Lincoln, Rowse will also be a guest lecturer in UNL honors classes in history and anthropology. His visit is sponsored by UNL's Honors Program, the Department of Anthropology and Geography, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Plains Humanities Alliance.

The Research and Region seminar is an outlet for local and visiting scholars to present their research about the Great Plains and other Plains regions to faculty, graduate students, and the interested public. The seminar meets several times a semester. Seminar organizers are happy to include presentations of scholars' research-in-progress, including graduate students' dissertation proposals. Forward proposals to John Wunder, Plains Humanities Alliance, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1221 Seaton Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0692. <

CONTACTS: Deborah Eisloeffel, Plains Humanities Alliance, (402) 472-9478; or Timothy Rowse, Australia Chair, Harvard University, (617) 496-0882 ()