Changes in Australian and New Zealand University History Staffing Profiles, 2016 to 2022

Abstract

This article considers developments in History staffing in Australian and New Zealand universities between 2016 and 2022. The COVID pandemic and the ongoing effects of the corporatised university have worn away at History student and staffing numbers, much exacerbated in Australia by the fee changes introduced by the Morrison government in 2020. There are positive developments, such as the near-disappearance of gender disadvantage for women and increasing levels of first nations representation, but these have occurred against a backdrop of overall decline. The gradual fall in staffing numbers over past decades has sharpened considerably recently, and is accompanied by declining student enrolments. History in Australian universities is in a particularly difficult situation.