Professor, School of Social and Political Sciences, Director, The (so-called) Australian Centre, The University of Melbourne
Sarah Maddison is Professor in the School of Social and Political Sciences and Director of The Australian Centre. Her areas of research expertise include reconciliation and conflict transformation, Indigenous political culture, and social movements. Her most recent book, edited with Nikki Moodie, is Public Policy and Indigenous Furtures (Springer 2023). Other recent books include Questioning Indigenous Settler Relations (2020), The Colonial Fantasy: Why White Australia Can’t Solve Black Problems (2019), Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation (2015), The Limits of Settler-Colonial Reconciliation (co-edited with Ravi de Costa and Tom Clark, 2015), Black Politics (2009), Beyond White Guilt (2011), Unsettling the Settler State (co-edited with Morgan Brigg, 2011), and The Women’s Movement in Protest, Institutions and the Internet, (co-edited with Marian Sawer 2014). Sarah is currently on the boards of Justice Connect and Unharm.
Experience
2019–present
Professor of Politics, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne
2015–2018
Associate Professor of Politics, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne
2011–2015
ARC Future Fellow, School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales
2009–2011
Research Director, Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Research Unit, University of New South Wales
2007–2009
Senior Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales
2004–2007
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Politics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales
Education
University of Technology Sydney, BA Hons
2004
University of Sydney, PhD, Government and International Relations
Publications
2011
Beyond white guilt: The real challenge for black-white relations in Australia, Allen and Unwin
2011
Unsettling the settler state: Creativity and resistance in Indigenous settler-state governance, Federation Press
2009
Black politics: Inside the complexity of Aboriginal political culture, Allen and Unwin
2007
Silencing Dissent: How the Australian government is controlling public opinion and stifling debate,, Allen and Unwin
Grants and Contracts
2020
Revitalising Indigenous-state relations
Role:
Chief Investigator
Funding Source:
ARC
2014
Non-Indigenous pathways to reconciliation in Australia
Role:
CI
Funding Source:
ARC
2011
Reconciling nations
Role:
CI and Future Fellow
Funding Source:
ARC
2010
Where’s the evidence? Understanding the use of evidence in Indigenous policy
Role:
Chief Investigator
Funding Source:
ARC
2008
New possibilities for Indigenous representation
Role:
Chief Investigator
Funding Source:
ARC
2008
The evolution of social movements
Role:
Chief Investigator
Funding Source:
ARC
Research Areas
Australian Government And Politics (160601)
Social Change (160805)
Studies Of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Society (169902)
Policy And Administration (1605)
Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Policy (160501)
Honours
2022 DASSH Award for Excellence in Leadership (Education)2021 APSA Award for Academic Leadership in Political Science, 2009 The APSA Henry Mayer Trust Book prize for Black politics. Black Politics was also shortlisted for the Australian Human Rights Award for Literature Nonfiction and longlisted for the John Button prize for the best political writing.