About

Studies in Western Australian History (SWAH) is the pre-eminent refereed journal for research on Western Australian history. Volumes of SWAH are usually thematic, with leading and emerging scholars contributing to its high-quality articles.

Recent volumes have covered themes such as war and conflict, the Indian Ocean, convictism, Aboriginal citizenship, sport and society, women's history, celebrations in Western Australian history and many more. Other volumes have focused on the legacy of the late Tom Stannage (a founder of the Centre for Western Australian History) and the Indian Ocean port city of Fremantle. 

While the articles focus on Western Australia, they also inform broader Australian history and provide a different perspective on well-known themes. Several volumes have focused on the ethics and practice of historians, and the ways in which they make history.

History

Studies in Western Australian History began as University Studies in History and Economics, first published in 1934. Six volumes were published up to 1956.  In 1957 the name was changed to University Studies in Western Australian History with four volumes up to 1960.  The title changed again in 1961 to University Studies in History with nine volumes published up to 1970.

In the lead-up to the 150th anniversary of Western Australia, the journal was renamed as Studies in Western Australian History in 1977. Publication and management of SWAH came under the aegis of the Centre for Western Australian History in 1989.  Thirty-six volumes have been published under the SWAH banner.

Current issue

• Volume 36, Work in Western Australia, edited by Bobbie Oliver

Back issues

• Volume 35, Collecting Natural History in Western Australia, edited by Alistair Paterson, Andrea Witcomb and Tiffany Shellam (2020)
• Volume 34, The Carceral Colony, edited by Jenny Gregory and Louis Marshall (2020)
• Volume 33, Albany: An antipodean Arcadia, edited by Malcolm Traill and Harry Freemantle (2020) [Limited stock]
  
• Volume 32, War and Emotions, edited by Jenny Gregory and Bobbie Oliver (2018)
• Volume 31, Fremantle: Empire, Faith and Conflict since 1829 (2016)
• Volume 30, Governing Western Australian Aboriginal People: Section 70 of WA's 1889 Constitution (2016)
• Volume 29, Tom Stannage History from the Other Side (2015)
• Volume 28, Western Australia in the Indian Ocean World (2013)
• Volume 27, Environmental Exchanges (2011)
• Volume 26, Ethics and the Practice of History (2010)
• Volume 25, Social Policy in Western Australia (2007) [Out of stock]
• Volume 24, Building a Colony: The Convict Legacy (2006) [Out of stock]
• Volume 23, History and Native Title (2003) [Out of stock]
• Volume 22, Wordal (2001) [Out of stock]
• Volume 21, Being Australian Women: Belonging, Citizenship and Identity (2000) [Out of stock]
• Volume 20, The Irish in Western Australia (2000) [Out of stock]
• Volume 19, Women and Citizenship: Suffrage Centenary (1999) [Out of stock]
• Volume 18, Perspectives on Sport and Society (1997)
• Volume 17, Historical Traces (1997) [Out of stock]
• Volume 16, Asian Orientations (1995) [Out of stock]
• Volume 15, Media, Politics and Identity (1994) [Out of stock]
• Volume 14, Historical Refractions (1993) [Out of stock]
• Volume 13, Private Enterprise, Government and Society (1992)
• Volume 12, Aspects of Ethnicity (1991) [Out of stock]
• Volume 11, Western Australia Between the Wars 1919-1939 (1990)
• Volume 10, Celebrations in Western Australian History (1989)
• Volume 9, Religion and Society in Western Australia (1987) [Out of stock]
• Volume 8, European-Aboriginal Relations in Western Australian History (1984) [Out of stock]
• Volume 7, Women in Western Australian History (1983) [Out of stock]
• Volume 6, Fred Alexander: A Tribute (1988)
• Volume 5, Bosses, Workers and Unemployed (1982)
• Volume 4, Convictism in Western Australia (1981) [Out of stock]
• Volume 3, Early Western Australia (1978)
• Volume 2, Studies in Western Australian History (1978) [Out of stock]
• Volume 1, Studies in Western Australian History (1977)

How to contribute to or purchase copies

Contributions

The editor(s) for each volume is chosen by the editorial board. The editor, in turn, commissions suitable contributors to the volume, and generally manages the editorial and production processes.

All contributors to SWAH retain the copyright to their work but are required to sign an agreement which allows the publishers of SWAH to sub-license the work to Informit. When you have submitted your article, a form will be sent to you to sign.

Purchases

The full text of all volumes of Studies in Western Australian History is available online through libraries via Informit.

You can purchase individual copies of previous volumes from the CWAH shop (unless that volume is now out of print).

For queries regarding bulk orders or free collection, email b[email protected]