Centre for the Study of Violence

I have a new book coming out on 1st March: Five Evil Women Myra Hindley, Rosemary West, Karla Homolka, Aileen Wuornos, Karla Faye Tucker. reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/five-ev....
I ask this challenging question: how should a non-carceral feminist respond to women who have acted in such atrocious ways?

Conference on Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, University of Sydney, 8 December 2025
CFP closes on 31 October 2025

For more information and to make a submission:
sydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

The fledgling UN tried to rein in mass-scale misinformation. The world turned its back and is now paying the price | Roland Burke The ruinous result of the US approach to freedom of information and media has made anti-democratic contagion impossible to ignore

Fascinating historical context to current fears about mass misinformation:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Call for Papers📣: Gender, Violence and the Early Moderns. Join us in Florence. We look forward to hosting you in May 2026😎☀️ @eui-history.bsky.social #skystorians #academicsky #earlymodern

We are pleased to promote the call for papers for an upcoming issue of War and Remembrance (muzeum1939.pl/en/war-and-m...) on the theme of moral alienation and emotions during wars and conflicts.
Submissions are welcome up to the due date of 31 January 2026.

Tasmania will compensate people for historical LGBTQIA+ convictions. Could others follow suit? In a nation-leading reform, those convicted of homosexuality and cross-dressing crimes in the island state can receive up to $75,000 in redress.

CSOV member Justin Ellis and Nicole L. Asquith on a compensation scheme for those prosecuted under discriminatory laws in Tasmania.

Tasmania will compensate people for historical LGBTQIA+ convictions. Could others follow suit?
theconversation.com/tasmania-wil...

A Cultural History of Violence Tracing the cultural history of violence through the ages, these six volumes explore how it has been understood, created, carried out and controlled from the an…

Coming in October! Bloomsbury's six volume set on A Cultural History of Violence. Yours truly is the editor of the medieval volume. Has your library ordered a copy yet?

www.bloomsbury.com/us/cultural-...

CSOV and History at Newcastle present a public lecture by Dr Kent F Schull Please join us for this public lecture by special guest Dr. Kent F Schull from Binghamton University, New York.

We are delighted to be hosting Dr Kent Schull of Binghamton University for the first two weeks of August. Please join us, in person or online, for a lecture this Thursday, 7 August, 5 - 6 AEST.
www.newcastle.edu.au/events/colle...

The problem is far bigger than Jeffrey Epstein | Rebecca Solnit Treating the scandal as an aberration misunderstands the global epidemic of violence against women

"One of the reasons the epidemic of violence against women is so unacknowledged is because cases like these are talked about individually, and often treated as though they are shocking aberrations rather than part of a pervasive pattern that operates at all levels of society."

The killing code: strange symbols in a WA settler’s diaries lay bare frontier atrocities Exclusive: Stories of murders passed down by Yamatji elders are confirmed by a cipher hidden in the 1850s journals of prominent pastoralist Major Logue. Now descendants on both sides want to break the...

Important work focused on the precise and localised details of settler colonial violence on the Australian frontier. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...?

Are Western governments complicit in the commission of war crimes in Gaza? - ABC Religion & Ethics How should we evaluate the role played by Western powers in the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people — from their reluctance to condemn purported war crimes by the IDF to the ways governments h...

www.abc.net.au/religion/phi...

Empires of Violence Violence was a constant on all colonial frontiers, from the British expansion into the Australian and African continents, to the expansion of the United States…

We have a cover. It has been a long time in coming. I think Lyndall Ryan would have been pleased. Out in the UK and US in Oct, in Aus in Dec. Lovely endorsements from Henry Reynolds, Stephen Gapps, Elizabeth Elbourne, and Alan Lester. www.bloomsbury.com/au/empires-o...

Settling America at gunpoint

'Mythic accounts of courageous pioneers absolved atrocities.'

T. H. Breen: Settling America at gunpoint

Looking forward to participating in this upcoming conference

"Why Gaza is Genocide" with Israeli Holocaust Historian Prof. Amos Goldberg Terms like "genocide" and "apartheid" are thrown around a lot by anti-Israel activists.

"There's no Auschwitz in Gaza, but it is still genocide." "Why Gaza is Genocide" with Israeli Holocaust Historian Prof. Amos Goldberg open.substack.com/pub/uncomfor...

Book: Revolutions in Modern German History by Andrew Bonnell.

The latest book in our series has just dropped. If you have an idea for a book in our Modern German History series, let me know!

"The move toward a final solution is not a jump. It takes one step, then another, then another.” Toni Morrison. Fascinating insights from three historians on the slide into fascism in the US.

Today marks the 77th anniversary of Nakba Day, commemorating the displacement of 700,000+ Palestinians in the events surrounding the establishment of Israel in 1948.

This anniversary is taking place amid ongoing widespread Israeli atrocities and mass displacement of Palestinians.

Compass Compass explores the Australian soul - our beliefs, our ethical dilemmas and the changing face of our spirituality, with host, popular journalist and broadcaster, Indira Naidoo.

CSOV Deputy Director Dr Kath McPhillips shared her insights into clergy sexual abuse in the latest episode of Compass (on ABC Australia iView). It examines the treatment of Bishop of Newcastle Greg Thompson who refused to turn a blind eye to institutional child abuse.
iview.abc.net.au/show/compass

Very productive and enjoyable conference at the University of Crete:

Under the title of Global Patterns of Violence in Post-Imperial Societies,1914-1949, the conference serves as a culmination of Umit's work on his DECRA project. For a list of related publications see www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/umit....

A photo of the group of scholars who participated in the Global Patterns of Violence standing outside of a university building in Crete.

Congratulations to Umit Kurt on a successful conference held in Crete over the past few days. EP Philip Dwyer presented a keynote and Honorary AP Hans Lukas Kieser gave a paper. All are members of the Centre for the Study of Violence. www.newcastle.edu.au/research/cen...

The Palestine Exception to Academic Freedom and the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)'s non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism or the IHRA WDA, adopted by IHRA in 2016, and since adopted or endorsed by some 43 c...

See the latest Current Debate 'The Palestine Exception to Academic Freedom and the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism' by Sindre Bangstad: doi.org/10.1080/0308...

"WRONGED reveals why claims of victimization are so effective at reinforcing instead of alleviating inequalities of class, gender, and race...powerful and thought-provoking"
WRONGED by @liliechouliaraki.bsky.social reviewed in Journalism. bit.ly/3YwGwHn @lsemedia.bsky.social @columbiaup.bsky.social

Pope Francis tried to change the Catholic Church for women, with mixed success Pope Francis is being remembered as a pastoral leader – and in some ways, his treatment of women in the Catholic Church was unprecedented. But he could have done more.

Our deputy director, Kath McPhillips and new CSOV member Tracy McEwen draw upon their research into women in the Catholic church to reflect on this aspect of Pope Francis' legacy.
theconversation.com/pope-francis...

Friday essay: ‘War has made me a pacifist’. Why are we so reluctant to acknowledge Australia’s anti-war veterans? From the first world war to the invasion of Iraq, left-wing soldiers have questioned our involvement in wars. Yet we rarely hear these dissenting veteran’s voices.

theconversation.com/friday-essay...

Seminar: Violence, Memory, Networks 2nd Session - Memory Studies Association Seminar: Violence, Memory, Networks Organized by University of Coimbra Online | April 23, 2025 The second session of the seminar "Violence, Memory, Networks" will be held on 23 April 2025, at ...

On Wednesday, 23 April:

www.memorystudiesassociation.org/seminar-viol...

Representation, Resistance & the Digiqueer - Book Launch and Discussion The launching of Dr Justin Ellis' book: Representation, Resistance and the Digiqueer: Fighting for Recognition in Technocratic Times.

CSOV is pleased to announce the launch of member Dr Justin Ellis's book on the Digiqueer at NSW Parliament House, May 7 from 6 - 8 (in person only). Speakers include the Hon. Alex Greenwich and Chair of TransEquality Teddy Cook.

www.eventbrite.com.au/e/representa...

National Family Violence Election Forum: Hear Commitments Firsthand Join the movement. Hear political leaders’ plans to end violence and ask your questions on creating safer families and stronger communities.

This online forum will provide an opportunity to hear from current Australian MPs Amanda Rishworth, Kerrynne Liddle, Larissa Waters, and Zoe Daniel about domestic, family and sexual violence policies and election commitments.
16 April, 3:30 - 4:30pm AEST
www.eventbrite.com.au/e/national-f...