As a child, Professor Brett Bowden never dreamed he would one-day go to university, let alone become a world-renowned professor of History and Politics.
At 29 years old, when he began studying at Flinders University in 1997, Professor Bowden (BIntSt(Hons) ’01) was the first in his family to attend university.
‘It just wasn’t something that people did in the small rural town I grew up in. It wasn’t something that people in my family did,’ says Professor Bowden.
Getting a formal education from Flinders opened his eyes to the world of possibilities beyond what he had ever known. ‘I entered Flinders not knowing if I was up to the task, but I soon worked out that further education is for everyone if you want it bad enough and are prepared to work hard,’ says Professor Bowden.
As a result of his hard work, Professor Bowden is now Professor of History and Politics at Western Sydney University, where he also serves as Director of Research in the Faculty of Humanities and Communication Arts.
A Global Expert for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in New York, Professor Bowden has five books under his belt. He regularly informs public debates through commentary and opinion in international, national and state based newspapers and on radio programs. He is also on a number number of international advisory boards, research councils and committees, visiting positions in a range of countries and keynote speaker at international conferences.
In 2010 Professor Bowden’s research was awarded the Netherlands-based Norbert Elias Prize and in 2013 he received the Australian Political Studies Association’s biennial Crisp Prize. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of the UK and of the Royal Society of NSW.
‘Flinders gave me my start in the higher education sector, which I am still in twenty years later. It’s nice to know that I am part of something larger, a network of similarly curious and motivated people that extends around the world,’ says Professor Bowden.
Professor Brett Bowden was awarded a 2018 Flinders University Distinguished Alumni Award for his significant academic contribution to the fields of history, politics and international relations.
Flinders graduates have global reach and international impact, read more