Barclay and Turner open their investigation by discussing the various cultural and intellectual factors that led to the 1972 inception of the Humanities Research Centre (HRC). These included a report prepared by historian Raymond Maxwell Crawford during the early 1960s that argued for ‘a constructive re-thinking of the role of the humanities in a modern Australian university’. In the following chapters, the authors outline the various measures taken to make the HRC ‘a unique institution in the world of the humanities’. These include the development of a visiting fellowship programme and the hosting of conferences that have attracted prominent speakers from across the globe. The authors pay considerable tribute to the men and women who have made vital contributions to the success of the HRC. These include visiting fellows and HRC directors, as well as those key components of any university faculty, department or centre – the administrative staff. Barclay and Turner also provide a record of the work (including books and articles) that has been produced by HRC fellows, staff members and students.

Overall, Humanities Research Centre is not an ‘easy’ or ‘light’ read, but the authors’ painstaking research and accessible prose make this book ideal reading for all those interested in both university histories and the Australian higher education system.