Welcome

The National Centre of Biography was established in June 2008 in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University to act as a centre of activity for all those writing and reading biography in Australia and beyond. 

Our aim is to develop a community of scholars, writers, students, and readers of biography.  As well as producing the Australian Dictionary of Biography, we will be organising conferences and seminars, publishing new work, enrolling PhD students and hosting biography fellows. 

We invite you to be part of our biographical endeavour.

News and Events

Symposium on gender, politics and biography
21st October 2009

Join some of Australia's most eminent political commentators, activists and biographers to discuss gender in the political environment. Speakers include: Susan Ryan, Laurie Oakes, Jacqueline Kent, Marilyn Lake, Andrew Leigh, Marian Sawer, Sarah Maddison, Michael Richards and Joy McCann.

Venue: Old Parliament House, 9 November 2009, 10am-5pm
Cost: $35 (Includes buffet lunch supplied by Ginger Catering)
Inquiries: (02) 6125 2676 or...

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National Biography Award Lecture
21st October 2009

Raimond Gaita, Professor of Moral Philosophy at King's College, London, will discuss 'Truth' as Applied to Biography and Autobiography' at the National Biography Award Lecture to be held at the State Library of New South Wales on 2 November at 5.30 pm. Raimond will discuss the issues surrounding biographical story and truth, and explore the question of why this relationship constantly stimulates interest in biography and autobiography.

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Literary Prizes awarded to ADB authors
9th September 2009

Congratulations to the ADB's Editorial Board chair, Professor Tom Griffiths, and former chair, Professor Jill Roe, on winning prestigious literary awards.  Tom jointly won the Prime Minister's history prize for his book Slicing the Silence: Voyaging to Antarctic and the 2009 Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate for his article on the Victorian bushfires, 'We Have Still Not Lived Long Enough'...

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