Western Australia: an important centre of European Studies
European history has never been more pertinent than it is right here and now in Western Australia. And it’s all thanks to the careful stewardship of Susan Broomhall, Professor of History at The University Western Australia and Director of the Centre of Medieval and Early Modern Studies.
At first glance, a career in early European history may seem like an unlikely path for a native of Perth to take, but for Broomhall, UWA has become the perfect base from which to pursue her passion. Drawn from an early age by the exotic lure of Europe, she began to travel the Continent in her teens. She quickly became fascinated with its history and how deeply it resonated with the life we lead in Australia, even today. “At UWA, we bring a uniquely Australian perspective to European history that comes from being on the outside,” she asserted.
From the beginning, Broomhall was determined not to be the kind of historian that works in isolation, sitting alone in her study all day reading books. As she explained, “We’re always collaborating, not just within our University or across Australia, but also internationally. We’re currently working with academics in Europe, Asia and the USA. It’s a vital part of our success.”
Professor Broomhall considers it critical to be part of a network. Now that countries around the world have digitised their collections, the sources can be accessed from anywhere and geography is no longer an impediment. To test ideas in an academic marketplace and to work collaboratively has become a fundamental to the way the History Department operates at UWA. Her approach has given rise to many innovative projects that draw the attention and esteem of the academic community globally.
The University offers many opportunities to travel and host visitors. “With such a beautiful setting, beside the Swan River, it’s not hard to convince people to come and work with us in Western Australia.” Plus today’s multimedia platforms make it easy to open up major discussions across the world. Most recently the Department ran a seminar series with academics in Sweden, presenting papers and sharing ideas to break new ground.
A Centre of Excellence
It is this spirit of collaboration that saw Professor Broomhall become involved in the Centre of Excellence in the History of Emotions: the first collaborative Humanities Centre in Australia. The project uses historical knowledge from Europe 1100-1800, to understand the long history of emotional behaviours, applying this knowledge to improve the social, cultural and emotional welfare of modern Australians.
The Centre has become a leading contributor to a fast-growing international research field. Membership includes universities around Australia along with eight international Partner Investigators from major institutions in the UK, Europe and Canada. The project attracts many international academic visitors to Australia each year, and collaborates on major international events in Germany, Italy, the UK, China, the USA and Canada.
“The support we received from UWA was fantastic,” Professor Broomhall explains. “They backed us 100%, giving us the help and advice we needed to get it up and running. They value the work we do and that’s so crucial for me.”
It is projects like these that have ensured UWA upholds its reputation as the best place to study medieval history in Australia and a world renowned centre for European Studies.
“We’re always collaborating, not just within our University or across Australia, but also internationally. We’re currently working with academics in Europe, Asia and the USA. It’s a vital part of our success.”
