Providing a play on actual historical eventsversus possible ones, this fascinating volume asks leading Australian historians to wonder what might be if key episodes in Australia s past had turned out differently. Re-imagining Australia s environment, race relations, art, political life, and national identity, this title poses such questions as What if France had colonized part of Australia in the 18th century? What if the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps had played only a minor role in the Gallipoli landing in World War I? and What if Aborigines had been granted...

Peace marches, protest demonstrations and campaigns for or against every cause imaginable have long been part of the Australian social and political landscape. This lively book blends the voices and experiences of insiders involved in particular causes with a bigger picture that analyses successes and failures, communication of ideas and social and political impacts.

The non-violent protests of civil rights activists and anti-nuclear campaigners during the 1960s helped to redefine Western politics. But where did they come from? Sean Scalmer uncovers their history in an earlier generation's intense struggles to understand and emulate the activities of Mahatma Gandhi. He shows how Gandhi's non-violent protests were the subject of widespread discussion and debate in the USA and UK for several decades. Though at first misrepresented by Western newspapers, they were patiently described and clarified by a devoted group of cosmopolitan advocates. Small groups of...