With the recent boom in family history research, many Australians are discovering that long-held family myths and mysteries can cover hidden truths about our past. Ashley will talk about her work mapping and analysing the Library’s collection of self-published family histories and examine how families use inherited secrets, stories, and memories to both reproduce and challenge silences about Australia’s colonial history.

Dr Ashley Barnwell is a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Melbourne and a 2019 National Library of Australia Fellow, supported by the Stokes Family.