Benjamin T. Jones
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drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones
@drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
590 followers 340 following 94 posts

Associate Professor in History at Central Queensland University. Australia on the World Stage (Routledge, 2022).

Videos
Political science 32%
Environmental science 26%
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drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · 13d
It was great to chat with Chris Spyrou on The Briefing podcast about Australia Day and what patriotism really means. I always appreciate longer discussions especially on topics that so often get reduced to meaningless soundbites. Chat starts at 12:12. play.listnr.com/podcast/the-...
Albo pleads for unity + How patriotism became ‘cringey’
Monday Headlines: Australian of the Year named, dingoes involved in Canadian backpacker's death euthanised. calls for a full investigation after second fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, heatwave to h...
play.listnr.com

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

lizhumphrys.bsky.social
Elizabeth Humphrys @lizhumphrys.bsky.social · 18d
If anyone here has ever used my research (book, chapters, articles) in their teaching could you send me the details of where and how so I can document 'research impact' better for my institution. Could be on neoliberalism, unions, heat and climate change, anything. Many thanks!

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Dec 21
Some thoughts from me on fascism and Australian history. Including multiple perspectives in the national story is not woke, it is what democracy looks like.

aristotlesaustralia.substack.com/p/fascism-an...
Fascism and Australian History
We shouldn't be afraid to use the F word
aristotlesaustralia.substack.com

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Dec 14
I don't follow Elon on X but on the odd occasion I still log in, I always see the latest thing he has posted. To be honest, I find it sad as much as anything.

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Nov 13
What happens to Indigenous history in a post truth world?

open.substack.com/pub/aristotl...
Dispossession: Would White Australia Just Get Over it?
The message from the failed Voice referendum to First Nations was 'just get over it'. Would White Australia do the same?
open.substack.com

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Nov 12
This was a pleasure to edit. The papers come from the wonderful histories of northern and regional Australia stream at the AHA conference this year. Thanks to all the talented contributors.
austhistassoc.bsky.social AHA (Australia) @austhistassoc.bsky.social · Nov 11
AHA members Lyndon McGarrity and Ben Jones have co-edited a special issue of Australian Studies Journal, on "Histories of Northern and Regional Australia". Access the special issue at the link to read the latest work from a bunch of AHA members! australienstudien.org/australian-s...
Australian Studies Journal 44/2025 – German Association for Australian Studies
German Association for Australian Studies
australienstudien.org

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

austhistassoc.bsky.social
AHA (Australia) @austhistassoc.bsky.social · Nov 11
AHA members Lyndon McGarrity and Ben Jones have co-edited a special issue of Australian Studies Journal, on "Histories of Northern and Regional Australia". Access the special issue at the link to read the latest work from a bunch of AHA members! australienstudien.org/australian-s...
Australian Studies Journal 44/2025 – German Association for Australian Studies
German Association for Australian Studies
australienstudien.org

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Nov 10
In Elections Matter, Richard Reid argues convincingly that 1969 was one of the most significant elections. If Gough got in 3 years earlier, it all would have looked very different.

publishing.monash.edu/product/elec...
publishing.monash.edu

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Nov 10
I wonder how many fantastic scholarly books MUP knocked back to make room for this.

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Nov 7
Uber driver picking me up from campus: so what do you study?

Me, choking back tears: thank you 🙏

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Oct 31
It was a pleasure to deliver the keynote for the Australian Independent Schools History Symposium. My talk was titled, is real history possible in an era of fake news. You can read it here.

aristotlesaustralia.substack.com/p/is-real-hi...
Is real history possible in an era of fake news?
What is post-truth history and why the age of AI makes historical literacy more urgent than ever.
aristotlesaustralia.substack.com

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Oct 30
Publication day! New issue of the Australian Studies Journal is open access. It was a pleasure to guest edit this special issue on histories of northern Australia. The articles come from papers presented at the 2025 AHA co-hosted by CQUniversity and JCU.

australienstudien.org/australian-s...
Australian Studies Journal 44/2025 – German Association for Australian Studies
australienstudien.org

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

mikejonesphd.bsky.social
Mike Jones @mikejonesphd.bsky.social · Oct 28
My new website is live! It's a work in progress, with lots I still want to do, but after many years my last site became completely non-functional so this is the first step: mikejonesonline.com #archives #history #historian #consultant #GLAM #academia #website
Home - Dr Mike Jones
professional historian and archivist Connect with the past I am an accredited professional historian and archivist with eighteen years experience working on public history, archives, collections, and ...
mikejonesonline.com

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Oct 12
Design the marking rubric so that they can be failed for other factors (be prescriptive about what sources must be used etc). Sadly AI use is more or less unprovable and the uni will back the student if they challenge.

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Sep 18
Wonderful outcome but this national treasure never should have been under threat.
ozworders.bsky.social Australian National Dictionary Centre @ozworders.bsky.social · Sep 18
We were very pleased to get the news today that the Australian National Dictionary Centre will be saved, thanks to an anonymous donation and the halt on involuntary redundancies under the Renew ANU plan. We thank everyone for their generous support through these difficult times.

Reposted by Benjamin Jones, Catherine J. Frieman

marijataflaga.bsky.social
Marija Taflaga @marijataflaga.bsky.social · Sep 18
a huge day for the ANU and the @nteuact.bsky.social campaign to stop forced redundancies in the college of arts and social sciences and the college of science and medicine. This is genuinely an incredible result!

share.google/ORnkjimiuQiK...
No more involuntary redundancies at ANU as anonymous donation aids university
Anonymous donation helps save much-loved institution.
share.google

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

ozworders.bsky.social
Australian National Dictionary Centre @ozworders.bsky.social · Sep 18
We were very pleased to get the news today that the Australian National Dictionary Centre will be saved, thanks to an anonymous donation and the halt on involuntary redundancies under the Renew ANU plan. We thank everyone for their generous support through these difficult times.

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

stephenclarkenz.bsky.social
Stephen Clarke @stephenclarkenz.bsky.social · Sep 18
Hear! Hear! Dr Holbrook 👏 theconversation.com/the-australi...
The Australian War Memorial’s prize controversy betrays the institution’s purpose: to tell the messy truth about war
Chris Masters’ book on Ben Roberts-Smith was chosen to win the Australian War Memorial’s Les Carlyon Prize for Military History. But the prize wasn’t awarded. Why?
theconversation.com

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

as-ruby.bsky.social
Emily Gallagher @as-ruby.bsky.social · Sep 15
In Canberra next week? Come along and celebrate the launch of Playtime 🧸

Delighted to have Play School actress & singer Justine Clarke launch the book!

🗓️ 22 September, 6pm
📍 ANU Harry Hartog
Book Launch of Playtime: A History of Australian Childhood by Emily Gallagher
Book Launch of Playtime : A History of Australian Childhood by Emily Gallagher
events.humanitix.com

Reposted by Melanie O’Brien

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Sep 11
"If the ANU is not committed to research that tells the Australian story then well may we ask, what is the point of a national university?"

theconversation.com/the-anu-was-...
The ANU was set up to be a ‘national asset’. Here are 3 ways it can return to its original mission
After months of pressure, Australian National University vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell has resigned. This creates a unique opportunity for the federal government.
theconversation.com

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

australia.theguardian.com
Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · Sep 11
Gareth Evans scolds ‘bone-headed’ Meanjin publisher as imminent closure sparks protest
Gareth Evans scolds ‘bone-headed’ Meanjin publisher as imminent closure sparks protest
Exclusive: Critics want Melbourne University Publishing to transfer ownership of Meanjin rather than dissolve it. But CEO says ‘the journal is not for sale’ * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The former Labor attorney general and foreign affairs minister, Gareth Evans, has sent a scathing email to the chief executive of Melbourne University Publishing, lambasting its decision to scrap the literary journal Meanjin as “bone-headed”. Several hundred protesters gathered outside MUP’s Swanston Street headquarters in Melbourne on Thursday protesting against the imminent closure of one of the cornerstones of Australian literary culture for 85 years. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

crikey.com.au
Crikey @crikey.com.au · Sep 8
Opinion | Melbourne University Press says it shut down Meanjin for "purely financial reasons". Perhaps the university could have used some of its $273 million surplus to safeguard the seminal journal, @catrionamp.bsky.social‬ writes.
Meanjin's 'financial' shutdown doesn't add up
www.crikey.com.au

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Sep 2
I don't fall into the extreme camps that see generative AI as either the end of the humanities or its saviour. That said, I would never use AI in any of my writing and would request my name be taken off any joint paper that uses it. Imperfect, and frequently with typos, my voice is my own.

drbenjaminjones.bsky.social
Benjamin T. Jones @drbenjaminjones.bsky.social · Aug 25
"Despite my role in authoring a hybrid model, I am increasingly convinced that a direct-election model has the best chance of passing the high bar of a referendum."

A mea culpa of sorts from me and a concise history of the Republic debate in Australia.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The Elusive Australian Republic: A Short History of the Debate
For most of the 1990s a clear majority of Australians wanted to change the constitution to replace the British monarch with an Australian head of state. Despite this, the republic referendum of 199...
www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

phavictas.bsky.social
Professional Historians Association (Vic & Tas) @phavictas.bsky.social · Aug 24
ANU School of History invites applications for a PhD scholarship to research the Communist Party of Australia, 1970-91. The project continues the work of the late Prof Stuart Macintyre and is valued at AU$100,000 over a four year period.

programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/9520...

#phavictas

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

laurarad.bsky.social
Laura Rademaker @laurarad.bsky.social · Aug 15
Chancel Culture, David Pope

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

drjpersian.bsky.social
Jayne Persian @drjpersian.bsky.social · Aug 12
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Julie Bishop accused of bullying by ANU staff member, senate inquiry hears
Former member of the Australian National University council Liz Allen has used a Senate inquiry investigating university governance to allege Chancellor Julie Bishop harassed, bullied, and threatened ...
www.abc.net.au

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

michellearrow.bsky.social
Michelle Arrow @michellearrow.bsky.social · Aug 12
Help us reach our target of 5000 signatures - please sign and share!

Reposted by Axel Bruns, Benjamin Jones

drjpersian.bsky.social
Jayne Persian @drjpersian.bsky.social · Aug 1
www.crikey.com.au/2025/07/31/a...
The disastrous dismantling of the humanities in Australia’s universities has begun
A crisis is unfolding for the humanities and social sciences at universities across the country.
www.crikey.com.au

Reposted by Benjamin Jones

historyaustralia.bsky.social
History Australia @historyaustralia.bsky.social · Jul 31
Your #openaccess ☕📘 coffee read 📘☕ sorted! www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... #historyaustralia
@dranastevenson.bsky.social on ‘Workin’ 9 to 9, 24/7’: political humour about Australian politicians and ministerial staffers during the Rudd-Gillard era