Throughout the early twentieth century, anthropologist, biologist and zoologist Baldwin Spencer published several influential books arguing the case that Indigenous Australians were culturally inferior to the British.

At the same time, he was a meticulous genealogist and some of his research played a pivotal role in the successful land claims for Aboriginal tribes in Central Australia.

In the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus lies the Baldwin Spencer Building, named after the anthropologist with a mixed track record. The university is now implementing a new strategy to examine the names of its buildings over the next 12 months. UniMelb will also set up a forum for experts to discuss to historical legacies of universities, their built environments, and how to make higher education communities more inclusive.

“Whilst we're recognising the absolute critical importance of creating an inclusive campus, we also recognise that the way forward or how we deal with these issues is through a scholarly approach,” explains professor Ian Anderson, UniMelb’s pro-vice chancellor, engagement. “To actually look at these histories in their complexity and to make sure that we're not making simple, sloganistic, responses to our past.”