Talk:History wars

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[edit] Divisions

Do the History Wars really break down into the dichotomies of the political right and left, as this article implies? --Our Bold Hero 04:51, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Windschuttle

I'm planning to extend this article over the next several months to incorporate more detailed information on Windschuttle's major arguments and the responses to his works by members of the academic left. I will be using The Fabrication of Aboriginal History, Whitewash, Washout and the compilation of Windschuttle articles at sydneyline.com as the primary sources of information. Any suggestions for additional sources of information would be most appreciated. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 220.245.91.117 (talk • contribs) 04:26, 12 November 2006 (UTC)

Currently the text says "Keith Windschuttle said the history of European settlement in Australia.'[7]". I'd like to know what he said! Martin Rundkvist 19:39, 7 June 2007

This article is ridiculous you have one man's words vs an entire nation of Indigenous Australians + Countless published works by both non-Indigenous & Indigenous peoples + government records = poorly educated, closed minded, grasping at straws attempt to air one misguided person's frustration.

As a user I have always found Wikipedia to be a fantastic source of information and opinion especially when researching information from overseas. I don't oppose you having created this article as it illustrates an 'Australian viewpoint'. However I do think that you should include in this article that this is a very small and unrecognised view amongst Australians.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by Miaraw (talk • contribs) 23:32, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

Actually no, Keith represent many australians and - as he has pointed out in his own works - the current academic left tend to ignore the work of their predecessors (pre 1970's) that donot lend credence to the notions of genocide etc that are put forth today. 08:11, 8 June 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 211.30.161.222 (talk)

[edit] Relationship with US culture war

Unless I'm missing something big, the History Wars of Australia have no particular similarity to the American Culture war. I'd recomend removing the comparison.Rbl 05:09, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

The History wars appear to be the main Australian expression of the left/right stuggle for cultural dominance in Australia, I see a clear parralel to the US Culture war. Paul foord 05:41, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Merge article

Very little information in Black armband view of history is not already covered in the broader article History Wars, and the former is really inseparable from the latter. I would suggest that the articles be merged.Edelmand 12:23, 11 February 2007 (UTC)

  • Oppose merger - appreciate the comments by Edelmand, however, the topic History Wars is broader, the phrase Black armband has some currency on its own and I think they are worth being separate articles, notwithstanding the Black armband article could do with some work. The black armband phrase is more political and more mainstream than historians having divergent points of view.--Golden Wattle talk 19:48, 11 February 2007 (UTC)
  • Merge - Duplicity of information and should be placed as section titled "Results", of History Wars Prester John 19:33, 14 February 2007 (UTC)
Comment - do you mean duplicity or duplication? :-) --Golden Wattle talk 20:54, 14 February 2007 (UTC)
  • Merge This will create a fairer and balanced for and against argument. I know this is not supposed to be personal but this article is tremendously insulting and upsetting to me as an Indigenous person. I do believe the argument has a right to exist however by itself it comes across as a stab at Indigenous people, it comes across as making a mockery of what Australian Indigenous people experienced, especially after fighting so hard (and still fighting today)to get recognised. I hope this is not the intention of this article. Thankyou (Miaraw 04:21, 10 August 2007 (UTC))

I've merged the text into this article. There is now some duplication and this article will need fettling. --Philip Baird Shearer 23:18, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Stolen Generations debate

The first paragraph states:

... the nature and extent of the removals have been disputed within Australia, with some commentators questioning the findings contained in the report and asserting that the Stolen Generation has been exaggerated. Some commentators have questioned the conduct of the Commission which produced the report...

"Some commentators" are weasel words. I think that this paragraph needs citations and the name the most prominent of the commentators. --Philip Baird Shearer 10:31, 27 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Title of article

I suppose the title would be fine as-is, if this was the Australopedia. But since WP has worldwide coverage and readership, the title really needs to specify that it's about Australia. I'm perfectly happy to leave it up to the regular editors to settle on a name (perhaps "History wars of Australia" or "Australian history wars") -- but please don't just leave it as it is, mates. Cgingold 12:11, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

I would leave it as it is. "History Wars" is a term and phenomenon specific to Australia. If ever there's another nation where there's a debate frequently referred to as the "History Wars", then we can create a disambiguation page. Until then, it seems unnecessary. Aridd (talk) 18:38, 2 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Avoid OR/SYN

I've deleted some material inserted as rebuttal in the middle of a description of the position of one side in the debate. Please read policy on this. Finding research and using it to develop an argument of your own is illegitimate synthesis, when it isn't Original Research. If a participant in the debate has advanced these points, then include it in the summary of their position, not as a rebuttal to someone else's. If (as in the case of smallpox) the researchers drew the conclusion that their research refuted, say, Reynolds, quote them saying so. If, on the other hand, they didn't say this, and you are "putting two and two together", read WP:SYN and see why this is explicitly prohibited.JQ (talk) 11:21, 19 March 2008 (UTC)