AustLit

Indigenous and Other Australians Since 1901 explores how, despite widespread settler belief at Federation that Indigenous people would ‘die out’, they in fact survived, and populations have grown rapidly, with debates on their position in Australian society now a defining political issue. There are important insights throughout the book and some fascinating historical material is presented from Rowse’s comprehensive research. In particular, Rowse develops a powerful devise of distinguishing between (loosely categorised) ‘South’ and ‘North’ Australia, insisting that the very idea of a unified ‘Australia’ remains a ‘Southern continental projection’ by a ‘settler-colonial nation state’.' (Introduction)