Dr. Alison Holland

Biography

Alison Holland is a leading researcher in Australian Indigenous history, focusing on rights discourses, race, colonialism, and humanitarianism in the twentieth century. She holds a BA (Hons class 1) and a Diploma in Museum Studies from the University of Sydney, along with a PhD from the University of New South Wales. Her notable works include the monographs 'Relations: The Story of Mary Bennett's Crusade for Aboriginal Rights' published by UWA Publishing in 2015, which was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's History Prize in Australian History in 2016, and 'Breaking Silence: Aboriginal Defenders of the Settler State, 1905-1939' published by Melbourne University Publishing in 2019. Additionally, she co-edited 'Rethinking the Racial Moment: Essays on Colonial Encounter' (Cambridge Scholars, 2011). Holland frequently contributes to 'The Conversation' on matters related to Indigenous governance policy frameworks. Prior to her academic career, she worked as a curator at the Justice and Police Museum in Sydney, NSW, and the Historic Houses Trust. She is currently the Chief Investigator on the ARC Discovery Project titled 'Policy Self-Determination: A Case Study of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission' and serves on the editorial board of 'Black Histories: Dialogues'. Her research interests span humanitarianism, human rights, Indigenous rights policy, and the historical interconnections of race and feminism within colonial contexts.

Research Interests

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