Informit

02/06/2026

Today we celebrate Mabo Day, on which we commemorated the life of Eddie Koiki Mabo and the anniversary of the historic 1992 Mabo decision.

Eddie Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander man who challenged the claim that his family’s traditional land was owned by the Crown. The High Court’s overturn of this claim set a precedent in Australian law for the recognition of Indigenous custodianship over traditional land and paved the way for subsequent Native Title claims. The following year the Australian Parliament passed the Native Title Act 1993.

In this edition of Indigenous Scholars You Should Know, we sit down with Dr. John Doolah. Dr. Doolah, a descendant of Eddie Mabo, is a proud Meriam-Samsep man of Eastern Torres Strait heritage. John was a course coordinator and lecturer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies at the University of Newcastle for more than 7 years. He is currently a Ngarrngga Postdoctoral Fellow and lecturer at the University of Melbourne in the Faculty of Education.

Watch the full edition on our Youtube channel here:

Dr. John Doolah is a proud Torres Strait Islander Meriam-Samsep man...

02/06/2026

Save the date for Kummargii Yulendji Symposium 2026!

Informit and CAVAL are partnering with Social Sciences Week again this year, to convene Kummargii Yulendji Symposium focusing on how we describe, apply, and amplify First Peoples' Knowledges and publications

📅 Save the Date: Tuesday 15 September 2026
📍 Location: RMIT’s Storey Hall, Naarm/Melbourne

Find out more here: https://kummargiiyulendjisymposium.org/

02/06/2026

National Reconciliation Week is approaching, and SCIS has curated a list of articles 'to support thoughtful, respectful practice in your library, with practical advice you can apply.' Head to this link
https://www.scisdata.com/prepare-for-national-reconciliation-week/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=scis_2026_t2_eventsandcommunity

https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/

27/05/2026

To kick off National Reconciliation Week, let's dive into the Reconciliation topic page on Informit Explore to learn a little more about Reconciliation and National Reconciliation Day!

Every year, from May 27 to June 3, 'National Reconciliation Week is a chance for all Australians to embrace the spirit of unity and reflect on the importance of fostering respectful relationships, recognising the unique cultures and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and collectively working towards a better future.'

Read more on our Explore topic page in our stories and highlights.

Dive deeper into the topic of Reconciliation or any other through our resources including articles and videos on Informit.

08/05/2026

We’re on the move next week in NSW!
📍 ALIA Conference
📍 SLANSW Conference - presenting at 11.45am

Come meet the Informit Explore team, see what’s new, and chat with us about supporting your library or classroom with trusted Australian content.

07/05/2026

This Mother’s Day, we’re highlighting three powerful pieces of research that explore the emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of motherhood; from stigma and creativity to memory and museum practice.

Reflections of Former Teenage Mothers: Multigenerational and Enduring Layers of Stigma by Jemma Hamley for Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work (Vol. 37, Issue 3)
A reflective exploration of how women who became mothers as teenagers continue to face layered stigma across their lives; shaped by family, institutions, and social narratives — and how these experiences echo across generations.

“Some Sort of Delightful Horror”: The Maternal Sublime in Creative Academic Mothering by Frances Sullivan‑Rhodes for Limina: A Journal of Historical and Cultural Studies (Vol. 30, Issue 2)
A creative and theoretical look at the “maternal sublime,” capturing the intense mix of joy, fear, disruption, and inspiration that emerges when academic work and mothering collide.

The Mother Archive: Immersion, Affect and the Maternal in Museum Practice by Rebecca Louise Clarke for Lilith: A Feminist History Journal (Issue 26)
An examination of how museums can evoke the emotional textures of mothering through immersive exhibitions, highlighting the often‑invisible labour, intimacy, and memory embedded in maternal experience.

This week, we honour the many forms of motherhood; lived, remembered, challenged, and reimagined.

Hamley, J. (2025). Reflections of former teenage mothers: Multigenerational and enduring layers of stigma. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 37(3), 75–87. https://hubs.la/Q04b5NfZ0
Sullivan-Rhodes, F. (2025). “Some sort of delightful horror”: The maternal sublime in creative academic mothering. Limina: A Journal of Historical and Cultural Studies, 30(2), 56–61. https://hubs.la/Q04b5N8r0
Clarke, R. L. (2020). The mother archive: Immersion, affect and the maternal in museum practice. Lilith: A Feminist History Journal, (26), 57–79. https://hubs.la/Q04b5QYT0

Introduction: A growing body of literature has highlighted social stigma encountered by teenage mothers. Less is known, however, about ways in which such experiences manifest across time. In this a...

05/05/2026

🌌 National Astronaut Day
Today we celebrate the people who push the boundaries of what’s possible; and the research that helps get them there. Australia plays a bigger role in human spaceflight than many realise, and these two standout articles on Informit shine a light on the innovation happening right here at home.

🚀 Astronaut training in Australia on board parabolic flights in AIAC 2025: 21st Australian International Aerospace Congress
Discover how Australian teams are using parabolic flight to simulate weightlessness, giving astronauts the chance to rehearse complex tasks in conditions that mirror Earth and lunar orbit. It’s a rare look into the science, engineering, and precision required to prepare humans for life beyond gravity.

🛰️ Australian model of a space station module for astronaut training in AIAC 2023: 20th Australian International Aerospace Congress
Step inside the development of a detailed space‑station module model built for training and simulation. This article explores how Australian researchers are contributing to the design, testing, and operational readiness of future space missions.

Whether you’re an educator, student, researcher, or simply space‑curious, these articles offer a fascinating window into Australia’s growing role in human space exploration.

🔗 Read both articles on Informit

Molinaro, I., Shwaita, K., Skagos, A., Zammit, Z., Rogiznski, D., Arshad, H., & Iles, G. N. (2025). Australian model of a space station module for astronaut training. In AIAC 2025: 21st Australian International Aerospace Congress. Engineers Australia; Royal Aeronautical Society. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.T2025072800003701047892672

Iles, G. N., Blair, K. J., Kerle, A., & Biggs, M. (2023). Astronaut training in Australia on board parabolic flights in preparation for human spaceflight in earth and lunar orbit. In AIAC 2023: 20th Australian International Aerospace Congress. Engineers Australia. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.068707044246425

29/04/2026

The loss of David Malouf marks the passing of one of Australia’s most profound literary voices. A novelist, poet, essayist and storyteller of rare sensitivity, Malouf spent a lifetime illuminating the quiet corners of human experience; memory, belonging, landscape, and the fragile threads that bind us together.

The tribute “David Malouf was a writer of wisdom, grace and generosity” captures the depth of his contribution, tracing his journey from Brisbane to the world stage and reflecting on the clarity, compassion and imaginative power that defined his work.

Read the full article on Informit, and take a moment to revisit Malouf’s novels, essays and poetry; or discover them anew. His words remain, offering wisdom and wonder long after his passing.

https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.T2026042300000200072312207

Rooney, B. (2026). David Malouf was a writer of wisdom, grace and generosity. The Conversation. Informit.T2026042300000200072312207. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.T2026042300000200072312207

28/04/2026

We’re excited to share our new subject area on Informit Explore. Religion and Beliefs covers the world’s major religions, spiritual practices, cultural traditions, and moral ideas, exploring how different groups understand life’s big questions and guide behaviour through shared beliefs.

This collection opens up rich conversations around:
• Aboriginal religious expression: exploring Country, ceremony, ancestral knowledge, and the ongoing vitality of First Nations spiritual traditions.
• Catholicism: examining its historical influence, contemporary debates, and evolving role in education, community life, and social policy.
• Buddhism: tracing its growth, cultural adaptation, and the lived experiences of Buddhist communities across the region.
• and many

Whether you’re a researcher, educator, student, or simply curious about the ways belief shapes society, this new subject area offers a deeper lens into the spiritual, cultural, and historical forces that continue to influence our world.

Explore the collection and discover new perspectives on faith, identity, and meaning.

23/04/2026

At Informit, we’re proud to champion the writers, researchers and storytellers whose work shapes Australia’s cultural and intellectual landscape.

For World Book and Copyright Day, our Content Spotlight turns to two compelling articles that explore authorship, identity and the power of the written word.

📘 Atticus Finch – Alive or Dead? A Socio‑legal Question
Associate Professor Susanne Davies for Law in Context Volume 36, Issue 1
A thought‑provoking look at how one fictional character continues to influence real‑world ideas of justice and moral authority; reminding us that literature doesn’t just reflect society, it helps form it.
https://search.informit.org/doi/epdf/10.3316/agispt.20201201040448

📙 The Not Quite Real Miles Franklin: Diaries as Performance
Sandra Knowles for Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature Volume 4
An insightful examination of Miles Franklin’s diaries as crafted performances, revealing how even private writing can shape an author’s public legacy.
https://search.informit.org/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.T2025050200014600636334339

These pieces highlight why protecting creative work matters; and why the stories we tell, and the voices behind them, deserve to be celebrated.

This World Book and Copyright Day, Informit honours the authors, thinkers and record‑keepers whose words continue to inspire curiosity, debate and deeper understanding.

Davies, S. (2019). Atticus Finch - alive or dead?: A Socio-legal question. Law in Context, 36(1), 36–46. https://lnkd.in/gVbRJb2e
Knowles, S. (2005). The not quite real Miles Franklin: Diaries as performance. Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature, 4, 185–200. https://lnkd.in/giAgDqqW