The Flash of Recognition ─ Photography and the Emergence of Indigenous Rights

Inspired by the shocking photograph of two Aboriginal men in neck chains on the cover of Charles Rowley’s 1970 classic, The Destruction of Aboriginal Society, this original and highly illustrated book uses photography to tell the bigger story of the struggle for Aboriginal rights in Australia. While many of the images are confronting, it shares the positive story of the way in which photography has been used as a tool for change and to argue for recognition of a shared humanity. Starting at the turn of the 20th century and continuing to the Northern Territory Intervention in the present, this compilation includes more than 60 shocking and inspiring images taken from newspapers and journals, as well as the work of contemporary artists. With an original and lively argument, this ambitious book will make a vast impact on its field.

Jane Lydon is the Australian Research Council Future Fellow at the Monash Indigenous Center. She is a historical archaeologist with more than 20 years of experience, who has worked for various government agencies, including the Australian Heritage Commission and the Victoria Archaeological Survey, as well as for the Museum of Sydney, as a curator-archaeologist. She is also the former coordinator of the heritage program at La Trobe University and the archaeologist formerly responsible for the Rocks in Sydney.