"Reconsidering Race": How Far has Barry McGowan's "Refreshing Sea Breeze" Blown?
Date
2019
Authors
Couchman, Sophie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Centre for the Study of the Chinese Southern Diaspora, The Australian National University
Access Statement
Open Access
Abstract
In considering my contribution for this special issue, I kept returning to an article Barry
McGowan published in 2004 in Australian Historical Studies, ©Reconsidering Race: The Chinese
Experience on the Goldfields of Southern New South Wales©. This article is arguably even more relevant
today than when he wrote it. Barry was an archaeologist and professional historian with a valuable insight
into the intersection of academic and public history. In ©Reconsidering Race©, Barry identified a gap
between popular impressions of Chinese-Australian goldfields history and those newly emerging within the
academy, and argued that the Lambing Flat riots in colonial New South Wales are often elevated to an
archetype of Chinese-Australian race relations despite evidence of very different experiences on other
significant goldfields such as Braidwood and Kiandra. This research note reflects on Barry©s article through
a discussion of four examples of how Chinese-Australian history has been interpreted for the public. In it I
argue that we need find ways to communicate succinctly the complexity of Chinese goldrush race relations
and history for the general public and, in particular, to be cautious when discussing anti-Chinese violence
on the goldfields. Finally, I reiterate the need to challenge and breakdown clich©d historical narratives that
circulate in popular impressions of Chinese-Australian goldfields history
Description
Keywords
race relations, Chinese-Australian history, goldrushes, Australian history, public history, professional history, Australian archaeology
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Source
Chinese Southern Diaspora Studies
Type
Journal article
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Entity type
Publication
Access Statement
Open Access