Australia and the Insular Imagination: Beaches, Borders, Boats, and Bodies

by Suvendrini Perera

This book maps the seascape borders of Australia's insular imagination. It explores how the boundaries and contours of the nation were made and remade in the first years of the war on terror, offering a striking reassessment of the territoriality of 'the island continent'.

Genres: Geography

228 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2009

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think a lot about the constructed/imposed nature of the borders of nation-states but I'd never really given much thought to the construction of sea borders and the island nation. If I thought about it at all I guess I just took it for granted that the sea forms a kind of natural border -- obviously a border that's rigidly policed and reinforced, but a natural barrier all the same. it never hurts to be reminded that 'commonsense' is deeply ideological. Perera grounds her analysis in a look at Indigenous concepts of land and sea. she demonstrates that the sea wasn't historically seen as something radically, dualistically distinct from land, nor as unincluded in country, nor as a natural barrier to movement or contact with other peoples. she moves on to look at how colonial Australia has been constructed as a self-contained, discrete, bounded island nation, and how this plays out in Australian race and border politics today. Basically, it's super relevant and topical and makes a lot of fresh connections. Plus it's a pleasure to read, Perera is not a flashy stylist and it's hard to pull out quotable quotes but I really enjoyed her writing craft. Definitely recommended for anybody who's interested in border politics or Australia.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

the combination of political geography, critical race studies, and genealogy that Perera pulls off is brilliant. she is a genius and this is a must read!!!