Anne Philomena O'Brien

Professor Anne Philomena O'Brien is a faculty member in the School of Humanities and Languages at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Her research specializes in Australian history, with a transnational focus on social and cultural dimensions.

Key areas of expertise include:

• Women’s and gender history
• Religious history
• Welfare and homelessness studies

She has authored three monographs: Poverty’s Prison: The Poor in NSW, 1880-1918, God’s Willing Workers: Women and Religion in Australia, and Philanthropy and Settler Colonialism. Over her career, she has supervised or co-supervised 15 PhD students.

Professor O'Brien holds a BA from the University of Adelaide and a PhD from the University of Sydney. She teaches courses such as Australia 1788-1900: Invasion to White Australia, A History of the Present: the World Since 1900, and Research Skills in the Humanities.