Wikipedia and history

As one of the world's top ten websites, Wikipedia has overtaken traditional publications as the world's most accessed knowledge resource. What does this mean for the telling and discovery of Australia’s multi-layered histories? Is Wikipedia telling our history well, or not?

Built on a model of openly editable content, Wikipedia is created collaboratively. Almost anyone can contribute, providing they have Internet access, time to learn the skills, and willingness to write articles and make changes, voluntarily. Are our historians and history-focussed organisations using Wikipedia effectively to:

  • tell or edit the stories and the wider histories of our many communities?
  • disseminate knowledge in ways that enable discovery and encourage re-use and re-purposing?
  • reach new audiences?

If not, should they be?

This seminar will open up a new conversation between expert historians, contributors of historical information to Wikipedia, educators, and those who use Wikipedia as a secondary source for details about heritage places, historic events and significant people.

The seminar will be chaired by Pru Mitchell, President of Wikimedia Australia.

A panel of invited presenters will share their observations on Wikipedia’s role in representing aspects of Australian history through diverse themes, and in the context of regional, national and international relationships.

Dr Mary Tomsic of The University of Melbourne is co-author of Balancing the history books one Wikipedia entry at a time and will discuss the role for historians to work to improve social and cultural diversity on Wikipedia.

Justine Clark is co-founder of Parlour; women, equity, architecture. She will speak about how the Parlour team took on Wikipedia in their advocacy work on women, equity and architecture in Australia.

Associate Professor Murray Phillips from The University of Queensland will report on his team’s digital research project, Creating Histories of the Australian Paralympic Movement, which uses Wikipedia as a platform. Murray is co-author of the 2015 book: Sport History in the Digital Era.

The audience at this seminar will have the opportunity to present their own insights and to ask questions of the panellists.

Please book your seat at this free event by clicking the RSVP button at the foot of this page.

With thanks to our event sponsor, Wikimedia Australia, and the series sponsors, Monash University Publishing and the Monash University History Program:

Monash University Publishing   Monash University History Program 

and the organising partners:

Old Treasury Building     Monash University History Program      HCV

The seminar is part of an ongoing series, Making Public Histories, that is offered jointly by the Monash University History Program, the History Council of Victoria and the Old Treasury Building. Each seminar aims to explore issues and approaches in making public histories. The seminars are open, free of charge, to anyone interested in the creation and impact of history in contemporary society. Click HERE to learn about other events in the series.

WHEN
June 12, 2018 at 6:00pm - 7:30pm
WHERE
Old Treasury Building
20 Spring St
East Melbourne, Victoria 3002
Australia
Google map and directions
CONTACT
Margaret Birtley · · 0418 814 957
51 RSVPS
Brian Salter-Duke Grace O'Donnell Vivienne Jelley Matthew Klugman Michael Fromholtz melanie thorn Rebecca Leighton Stephen Clarke Michaela Graham Jillian Wheeler Alex Lum Rosalie Triolo Kitty Owens Andrea Campbell Caitlin Mitropoulos Danielle Broadhurst Keith Gaff Katrina Hodgson Meighen Katz Rebecca Le Get, PhD Leigh Blackall Andrew Hiskens Jane Watson Anne Vale Abigail Belfrage Annabel Butler Caroline Phillips Rod Mackenzie Lucy Davies Katherine Sheedy Hannah Viney Martin Green Monica Cronin Ray Jelley Emma Russell

Who's RSVPing

Brian Salter-Duke
Grace O'Donnell
Vivienne Jelley
Matthew Klugman
Michael Fromholtz
melanie thorn
Rebecca Leighton
Stephen Clarke
Michaela Graham
Jillian Wheeler
Alex Lum
Rosalie Triolo
Kitty Owens
Andrea Campbell
Caitlin Mitropoulos
Danielle Broadhurst
Keith Gaff
Katrina Hodgson
Meighen Katz
Rebecca Le Get, PhD
Leigh Blackall
Andrew Hiskens
Jane Watson
Anne Vale
Abigail Belfrage

Will you come?


Showing 45 reactions

Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account.
  • Kylie Best
    canceled rsvp 2018-06-12 13:29:28 +1000
  • Brian Salter-Duke
    rsvped 2018-06-12 08:09:49 +1000
  • Holly Parker
    canceled rsvp 2018-06-11 11:17:44 +1000
  • Jade Koekoe
    canceled rsvp 2018-06-11 11:16:25 +1000
  • Grace O'Donnell
    rsvped 2018-06-10 17:49:32 +1000
  • Vivienne Jelley
    rsvped 2018-06-10 11:54:16 +1000
  • Matthew Klugman
    rsvped 2018-06-10 11:31:52 +1000
  • Michael Fromholtz
    rsvped 2018-06-09 08:26:52 +1000
  • melanie thorn
    rsvped 2018-06-06 14:08:49 +1000
  • Rebecca Leighton
    rsvped 2018-06-06 13:41:23 +1000
  • Stephen Clarke
    rsvped 2018-06-05 21:57:56 +1000
  • Michaela Graham
    rsvped 2018-06-05 21:45:49 +1000
  • Jillian Wheeler
    rsvped 2018-06-02 16:20:02 +1000
  • Alex Lum
    rsvped 2018-05-18 18:21:45 +1000
  • Jade Koekoe
    rsvped 2018-05-18 18:05:17 +1000
  • Holly Parker
    rsvped 2018-05-15 15:46:14 +1000
  • Rosalie Triolo
    rsvped 2018-05-15 13:08:15 +1000
  • Kitty Owens
    rsvped 2018-05-14 12:23:57 +1000
  • Andrea Campbell
    rsvped 2018-05-09 17:56:03 +1000
  • Caitlin Mitropoulos
    rsvped 2018-05-09 13:54:53 +1000
  • Danielle Broadhurst
    rsvped 2018-05-08 19:29:11 +1000
  • Keith Gaff
    rsvped 2018-05-07 08:57:03 +1000
  • Katrina Hodgson
    rsvped 2018-05-03 16:28:09 +1000
  • Meighen Katz
    rsvped 2018-04-24 14:49:57 +1000
  • Rebecca Le Get, PhD
    rsvped 2018-04-18 08:43:32 +1000
  • Leigh Blackall
    rsvped 2018-04-16 09:53:09 +1000
  • Andrew Hiskens
    rsvped 2018-04-12 16:52:32 +1000
  • Jane Watson
    rsvped 2018-04-11 12:52:56 +1000
  • Anne Vale
    rsvped 2018-04-06 17:47:07 +1000
  • Abigail Belfrage
    rsvped 2018-04-06 13:03:31 +1000
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