Publisher Description

This imaginative and resonant book looks at the constitution as a cultural artefact. It attempts to understand the period during which it emerged, culminating in Federation in 1901. Irving looks beyond the well-known events, places and figures to locate federation and the constitution in the context of broader social, political and cultural changes. She argues that Australians displayed an ability to reconcile the demands of pragmatism with the urge of romanticism. Despite its paradoxical construction, there is something uniquely Australian about the constitution, and it marked a utopian moment as the old century gave way to the new. Irving analyses the background and outcomes of the recent Constitutional Convention and considers its significance for Australia's possible future as a republic.

Author Biography

Helen Irving holds degrees in political science, anthropology, history, and law. She is currently Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Sydney. Helen Irving has taught political science and constitutional law in several Australian universities since her first appointment in 1977 and was recently Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School from 2005 to 2006. She is the author of To Constitute a Nation: A Cultural History of Australia's Constitution and Five Things to Know about the Australian Constitution. She is also the editor of A Woman's Constitution?, The Centenary Co

Table of Contents

Chronology; Introduction; 1. Colonial nuptials; 2. The imaginary nation; 3. Imagined Constitutions; 4. Models for a nation; 5. Things properly federal; 6. White Australians; 7. Australian natives; 8. The people; 9. Citizens; 10. Half the nation; 11. The federal compact; Postscript.

Review

' ... the most impressive aspect of this book is the way it manages to cover everything you could want to know about the creation of the Constitution, without once becoming cluttered or confusing.' The Big Issue, Australia 'Helen Irving has made a unique and valuable historical contribution to the often dry, legal discourse about our Constitution.' Labour History

Promotional

This 1997 book is an imaginative and resonant exploration of the broader context of the Australian constitution.

Review Quote

"This is a wise and thoughtful book about a much explored process and its resulting document, and it is a tribute to her historical acumen that Irving is so persuasive in her interpretation." Pacific Affairs

Promotional "Headline"

This 1997 book is an imaginative and resonant exploration of the broader context of the Australian constitution.

Description for Bookstore

In this imaginative and resonant 1997 book, Irving looks beyond the well-known events, places and figures to locate federation and the constitution in the context of broader social, political and cultural changes. Irving analyses the Constitutional Convention and considers its significance for Australia's future.

Description for Library

In this imaginative and resonant 1997 book, Irving looks beyond the well-known events, places and figures to locate federation and the constitution in the context of broader social, political and cultural changes. Irving analyses the Constitutional Convention and considers its significance for Australia's future.

Details