Seumas Spark

Seumas Spark is a Researcher at the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre within the Faculty of Arts at Monash University, with additional duties as a Casual Research Assistant in History. His work centers on Australian historical narratives, particularly refugee experiences during World War II and Indigenous cultural heritage preservation.

Spark's research spans Australian History, World War II History, Indigenous Studies, and Art History, with concentrated focus on the Dunera incident involving interned Jewish refugees and their artistic contributions. He also investigates Indigenous fire management practices in southeastern Australia, especially within GunaiKurnai Country, integrating oral histories and cultural landscape studies.

His publication trends reveal strong emphasis on visual and oral history methodologies, connecting refugee narratives with artistic expression and Indigenous ecological knowledge. Key projects like "Dunera Lives" and "Internment and beyond" demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches bridging historical documentation with contemporary cultural memory.

As Primary Chief Investigator for three major research projects between 2018-2019, Spark secured funding for studies examining internment experiences and Indigenous fire practices. His collaborative network includes partnerships with historians like Jennifer Winter and Bruce Gammage, alongside Indigenous organizations such as the GunaiKurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, reflecting commitment to community-engaged scholarship.