Swinburne History

Politicians and commentators frequently frame contemporary events by analogies to the past: Waterloo, Munich, Hitler, the Great Depression, etc. Historians, by contrast, often show why such analogies are misleading, how the politicians got it wrong, while sociologists try to discover the hidden interests behind the analogy - what the politicians were trying to accomplish with it - and hence to discredit it. But analogies, philosophers have shown, are never completely right or completely wrong; no two events are exactly the same, nor are any two that involve humans completely distinct, which is why teachers always ask their students to compare and contrast. How, then, are we, the critical public, to make sense of the use of historical analogies in public? Factual criticism and discovery of intentions are indeed important, but they are not nearly enough. In this lecture, I outline a number of different dimensions that critical publics must bring to their reception of historical analogies. Based on recent work in the emerging field of memory studies, I explore the role of fantasy, emotion and aesthetics in the deployment, and hence reaction to, historical analogies in public discourse.



Professor Jeffrey Olick (University of Virginia) was invited to Swinburne under the Board of Research Visiting Professor Grant Scheme, and this lecture was presented as part of the PVC(R) Visiting Professor Lecture Series.

Chancellor Bill Scales talks about the history that has framed Swinburne's evolution from a technical college to a university.

Vice-Chancellor Ian Young talks about Swinburne's long commitment to vocational learning, combining teaching with industry collaboration.

Papermaze guides the newly graduated student through the process of applying for a job and attending job interviews. Papermaze, a 1977 education videotape produced by Swinburne College (later renamed Swinburne University of Technology) Audio-Visual Services in liaison with Swinburne's Student Services and the college's Applied Research and Development Department. The video features Margaret Burdeu.

This 1984 production portrays the life of George Swinburne, Australian politician and founder of Eastern Suburbs Technical College, Hawthorn (now Swinburne University of Technology).

Chilly Pom Pom is a 1965 film made by Swinburne students for a fourth year Art Folio project. An advertisement for a beer product called 'Chilly Pom Pom'. It was the first time a 16mm film was made for a Swinburne art course folio.

1982 video interview with Gwen Swinburne, daughter of George Swinburne, founder of Swinburne University of Technology (formerly Eastern Suburbs Technical College).



Video produced by Swinburne Television, 1982. Interviewer: Maurita Harney.

1982 video interview with Gwen Swinburne, daughter of George Swinburne, founder of Swinburne University of Technology (formerly Eastern Suburbs Technical College).



Video produced by Swinburne Television, 1982. Interviewer: Maurita Harney.

1982 video interview with Gwen Swinburne, daughter of George Swinburne, founder of Swinburne University of Technology (formerly Eastern Suburbs Technical College).



Video produced by Swinburne Television, 1982. Interviewer: Maurita Harney.

The programme was recorded by the Swinburne Audio Visual Department using Philips video 80 system. This episode includes a demonstration of magnetic force using a large, weak horseshoe magnet and a steel rod along with an explanation of electromagnetism.