Narratives for violence and their persistence over time

Collective violence against marginalised groups is a tragic phenomenon in many societies. Often such acts are accompanied by specific narratives that justify the necessity for systematic persecution. How do these narratives become prevalent and why do they persist? In this talk, Dr. Walker addresses these questions first through a broad discussion of what narratives are and how they can be used to justify violence. She then examines these concepts through the lens of history, focusing on the persistence of anti-Black narratives in the United States, and highlighting the implications for other societies, such as Australia, currently reconciling their pasts.

Dr Sarah Walker is a recipient of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia’s prestigious Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research.

The Paul Bourke Lectures are named in honour of the late Paul Francis Bourke (1938–1999), President of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia from 1993–1997. These lectures are presented each year by the recipients of the previous year’s Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research.

This lecture is jointly hosted by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and UNSW for Social Sciences Week.