Research Seminar, HDR Poster Competition, and Celebration

Join us for the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry Semester 2 Research Celebration and HDR Poster Competition.

• Friday 1 November 1:30-4:30pm (followed by ‘pay your own way’ drinks at St Lucy’s)
• Event schedule:
  • Research Seminar 'Reform' (1:30-3pm) E302 Forgan Smith. Details below. 
  • Afternoon Tea & HDR Poster Competition (3-4:30pm) outside E318 Forgan Smith Tearoom.
  • Celebration (Pay your own way) at St Lucy’s Café (from 4:30pm).

Register here

• • CONTACT: For event queries please email admin-hapi@uq.edu.au

Research Seminar Topic - Reform

Speakers:

The idea of reform—in the sense of planned change for the better—is ubiquitous in modern life. It is presented as the solution to a wide range of social, economic, and political problems. The term is used and abused to describe everything from minor procedural tweaks to the overhaul of political institutions. Yet, reform appears (at best) a perpetual work in progress. Even those reforms that are implemented often have only incremental or indeed negative effect. This panel will explore the limits of reform from a variety of historical and disciplinary perspectives. First, Kit Morrell will offer a brief historical overview of ‘reform’ as a word and concept and a case study of institutional reform in the Roman republic, refuting the modern contention that ancient Rome lacked a concept of reform while outlining some obstacles to reform in practice. Next, Yuan Jing will consider the case of the 1950s land reform of the People’s Republic of China as an example of disjunction between legal change and entrenched social norms: while the Land Reform Act and Marriage Law are widely regarded as implementing equal property rights for women, in fact women remained marginalised in accordance with traditional patriarchal ideology. Richard Leo will then consider the limits of reform in the contemporary context of intercultural education in Australian schools and efforts at decolonisation. Finally, Peter Ellerton will discuss the work of the Critical Thinking Project as an ongoing attempt to reform the culture of Australian schools and support teach