Donald Horne
Encyclopedia
Professor
Donald Horne (26 December 1921 – 8 September 2005) was an Australian journalist
, writer
, social critic, and academic who became one of Australia's best known public intellectuals.
Horne published three novels and more than twenty volumes of history, memoir and political and cultural analysis. He also edited The Bulletin
, The Observer and Quadrant
. His best known work was The Lucky Country
(1964), an evaluation of Australian society that questioned many traditional attitudes: "Australia is a lucky country, run by second-rate people who share its luck."
, Sydney
and raised in Muswellbrook
and Sydney. He enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts
at the University of Sydney
in 1939 and went on to a successful career in journalism
. Horne worked for a number of Frank Packer's
publications, first as a journalist
for The Telegraph, then editor of the magazine Weekend, and later the periodical The Observer. As editor of the flagship magazine The Bulletin
, he removed the magazine's long standing motto "Australia for the White Man", an action in which he took great pride. He was co-editor of Quadrant
Magazine.
He became a professor of political science at the University of New South Wales
, and was Chancellor of the University of Canberra
from 1992-1995.
He also worked on writing, arts and citizenship boards and was an executive member of the Australian Constitutional Commission.
Throughout his long career, he was unorthodox and independent-minded, without a consistent political allegiance. He was, however, known through much of his public career for his republicanism
and opposition to the White Australia Policy
.
Despite his academic career, he never completed his undergraduate degree, though he received four honorary doctorates.
He was still giving media interviews up to the last year of his life.
He was named as one of Australia's Living National Treasures
by the National Trust. He had two children with his wife Myfanwy Horne.
announced the establishment of the Donald Horne Institute for Cultural Heritage. It will be housed on campus in a purpose-built building that will be fully operational in 2011. The institute will have research and teaching programs, and an exhibition space. It will "be integrated with Canberra's cultural treasure houses, including the National Museum
, National Gallery
, National Library
, National Archives
and War Memorial
." It is envisaged that it will also interact with a range of other organisations including Federal Parliament, government departments, Aboriginal organisations, other universities and UNESCO
.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Donald Horne (26 December 1921 – 8 September 2005) was an Australian journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, social critic, and academic who became one of Australia's best known public intellectuals.
Horne published three novels and more than twenty volumes of history, memoir and political and cultural analysis. He also edited The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
, The Observer and Quadrant
Quadrant (magazine)
Quadrant is an Australian literary and cultural journal. The magazine takes a conservative position on political and social issues, describing itself as sceptical of 'unthinking Leftism, or political correctness, and its "smelly little orthodoxies"'. Quadrant reviews literature, as well as...
. His best known work was The Lucky Country
Lucky Country
"The Lucky Country" is a nickname sometimes used to describe Australia, taken from the 1964 book of the same name by social critic Donald Horne....
(1964), an evaluation of Australian society that questioned many traditional attitudes: "Australia is a lucky country, run by second-rate people who share its luck."
Life
Donald Horne's early life was recounted in the first volume of his memoirs The Education of Young Donald (1967). He was born in KogarahKogarah, New South Wales
Kogarah is a suburb of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kogarah is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is considered to be the centre of the St George area...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and raised in Muswellbrook
Muswellbrook, New South Wales
Muswellbrook, a corruption of 'Muscle Brook', is a town and Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia. The original spelling and etymology of the town's name is a matter of some debate...
and Sydney. He enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in 1939 and went on to a successful career in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. Horne worked for a number of Frank Packer's
Frank Packer
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer, KBE , was an Australian media proprietor who controlled Australian Consolidated Press and the Nine Network.-Biography:...
publications, first as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
for The Telegraph, then editor of the magazine Weekend, and later the periodical The Observer. As editor of the flagship magazine The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
, he removed the magazine's long standing motto "Australia for the White Man", an action in which he took great pride. He was co-editor of Quadrant
Quadrant (magazine)
Quadrant is an Australian literary and cultural journal. The magazine takes a conservative position on political and social issues, describing itself as sceptical of 'unthinking Leftism, or political correctness, and its "smelly little orthodoxies"'. Quadrant reviews literature, as well as...
Magazine.
He became a professor of political science at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, and was Chancellor of the University of Canberra
University of Canberra
Over the years the Stone Day program has gradually become larger and larger, taking up a whole week and now Stonefest is one of Australia's most popular music festivals. The first foundation celebrations were held in 1971. In 1973 Stone Day celebrations were held over two days, which was expanded...
from 1992-1995.
He also worked on writing, arts and citizenship boards and was an executive member of the Australian Constitutional Commission.
Throughout his long career, he was unorthodox and independent-minded, without a consistent political allegiance. He was, however, known through much of his public career for his republicanism
Republicanism in Australia
Republicanism in Australia is a movement to change Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy to a republican form of government. Such sentiments have been expressed in Australia from before federation onward to the present...
and opposition to the White Australia Policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
.
Despite his academic career, he never completed his undergraduate degree, though he received four honorary doctorates.
He was still giving media interviews up to the last year of his life.
He was named as one of Australia's Living National Treasures
Australian Living Treasures
Australian Living Treasures are people who have been nominated by the National Trust of Australia. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997....
by the National Trust. He had two children with his wife Myfanwy Horne.
Recognition
In 2008, the University of CanberraUniversity of Canberra
Over the years the Stone Day program has gradually become larger and larger, taking up a whole week and now Stonefest is one of Australia's most popular music festivals. The first foundation celebrations were held in 1971. In 1973 Stone Day celebrations were held over two days, which was expanded...
announced the establishment of the Donald Horne Institute for Cultural Heritage. It will be housed on campus in a purpose-built building that will be fully operational in 2011. The institute will have research and teaching programs, and an exhibition space. It will "be integrated with Canberra's cultural treasure houses, including the National Museum
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
, National Gallery
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
, National Library
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
, National Archives
National Archives of Australia
The National Archives of Australia is a body established by the Government of Australia for the purpose of preserving Commonwealth Government records. It is an Executive Agency of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and reports to the Cabinet Secretary, Senator Joe Ludwig.The national...
and War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
." It is envisaged that it will also interact with a range of other organisations including Federal Parliament, government departments, Aboriginal organisations, other universities and UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Selected bibliography
- 10 Steps to a more Tolerant Australia, Penguin Books, Camberwell, Vic., c2003
- The Arts and the Australian Economy, Australia Council, Melbourne, 1985
- The Australian People: Biography of a Nation, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1973
- Billy Hughes Bookman Press, Melbourne, 2000
- Confessions of a New Boy, Viking, Ringwood, Vic., 1985
- Death of the Lucky Country, Penguin Books Australia, Ringwood, Vic., 1976
- Dying: A Memoir (with wife, Myfanwy Horne), Viking, Camberwell, Vic, 2007
- The Education of Young Donald, Penguin Books, Ringwood, Vic., 1988
- God is an Englishman, Penguin Books, Ringwood, Vic., 1969
- The Great Museum: The Re-presentation of History, Pluto Press, Leichhardt, NSW, 1984
- How to be an Intellectual, Footscray Institute of Technology, Footscray, Vic., 1985
- Ideas for a Nation, Pan Books, Sydney, 1989
- An Interrupted Life, HarperCollins, Pymble, N.S.W., 1998
- Looking for Leadership: Australia in the Howard Years, Penguin Books, Ringwood, Vic., 2001
- The Lucky Country: Australia in the Sixties Penguin Books, Melbourne, 1964
- Money Made Us, Penguin Books Australia, Ringwood, Vic., 1976
- The Permit, Sun Books, Melbourne, 1965
- Portrait of an Optimist, Penguin Books, Ringwood, Vic., 1988
- Right Way - Don't Go Back, Sun Books, South Melbourne, Vic., 1978
- Winner Take All, Penguin Books, Ringwood, Vic., 1981
- Time of Hope: Australia 1966-72, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1980