Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Edited by Carolyn Holbrook, Lyndon Megarrity, David Lowe, NewSouth Books, $39.99.
This group of concerned academic historians was motivated to write this book because they strongly believed in a 2017 quote by American historian, Steven Stoll.
“Seeing the world without the past would be like visiting a city after a devastating hurricane and declaring that the people there have always lived in ruins.”
That’s right; the lens on the world should be through the past.
Written with certitude, the academics reiterate the importance of seeing the world, and confronting its many challenges, with an understanding of what has gone before.
Today the world appears more volatile than it has been for many decades and our problems are more intractable. “Besides our descent into irreversible climate change, there is the threat of major conflict between West and Russia and China, and the unthinkable truth that the United States might soon no longer be a democracy.”
Lessons from History provides a roadmap for this vital knowledge, laying bare how history can and, indeed, should inform public debate.
“Our politicians and policymakers need at their disposal the best information in order to make decisions of untold consequence. This includes a sound knowledge of history. Politicians and policymakers must see the world with the past.”
A diverse range of historians, including Graeme Davison, Yves Rees, Joan Beaumont, Ann Curthoys, Mahsheed Ansari, Peter Spearritt and Frank Bongiorno, tackle the biggest challenges that face Australia and the world. They also show how the past provides context and insight that can guide us and prepare us for the future.
It’s a determined project. The understandable format of the 22 essays amount to more than 400 pages of investigation and contemplation with detailed references. Together they address a mix of pressing issues facing Australia today, a testament to the diversity of contemporary Australian history and its interdisciplinary reach.
