Settler society in the Australian colonies: The political and cultural changes of the 1830s - 1860s in imperial context.

该项目直接处理联邦教育部长于2006年8月召开的澳大利亚历史课程全国首脑会议确定的核心问题。8月21日，约翰·赫斯特教授在《悉尼先驱晨报》上报道说，峰会已经就学校历史课程的“大问题”清单达成一致。清单包括从罪犯到自由社会的过渡，以及男女之间的关系。目前对这些主题及其相互联系的了解是有限的。这个项目将推进我们对一个关键历史时期的理解，以及澳大利亚民族认同的形成。

This project directly addresses issues identified as central by the national summit on the Australian history curriculum convened by the Federal Minister for Education in August 2006. Professor John Hirst reported in The Sydney Morning Herald on 21 August that the summit had agreed on a list of 'big questions' for school history curricula. The list includes the transition from a convict to a free society, and relations between men and women. Current knowledge of these topics and their interconnection is limited. This project will advance our understanding of a key historical period, and the formation of Australian national identity.