"The past can inspire, console and condemn, sometimes all at once, but how do Australians use, and sometimes misuse, the past? What are the private and public purposes it serves, and what dangers attend its abuse?" "Graeme Davison has observed these debates at close quarters, as a historian and a commentator on national celebrations, heritage, museums and other forms of public history. The Use and Abuse of Australian History presents a wide-ranging and perceptive exploration of the many ways in which the past enters everyday life in Australia, and a powerful plea for the imaginative study of history."--Book jacket.
Includes index and bibliographical references: p. 276-301.