Summary

Once upon a time historical controversies were debated among a small circle of academic historians. Today they are the subject of intense 'history wars' fought out in parliament, court rooms, museums, newspapers, cafes and blog sites.

Bain Attwood takes us to the heart of the conflict about the Aboriginal past in Australia. He tracks the growing popularity of history and weighs the consequences for the nature of historical knowledge and the authority of the historian.

He asks why and how Aboriginal history has become central to Australian politics, culture and identity. He examines the work of historical 'revisionists' and tests their promise of historical truth.

Finally, Attwood ponders how the traumatic history of frontier conflict might better be remembered – and mourned – and why telling the truth about history matters for the nation and for all of us.