Victoria Haskins

Professor Victoria Haskins is a distinguished historian at the University of Newcastle, where she holds a professorship in the School of Humanities, Creative Industries, and Social Sciences. She is a member and former founding director of the Purai Global Indigenous History Centre, dedicated to collaborative research with Indigenous communities. Her academic career spans prestigious appointments including an ARC Future Fellowship (2009-13), the NSW Centenary of Anzac Commemoration History Fellowship (2014-18), and a Distinguished Scholar fellowship at CUNY (2023).

Haskins' research focuses on the complex interplay of gender, race, and labor relations in colonial domestic settings. She is particularly renowned for her work on Indigenous domestic service policies across Australia and the United States, and her current ARC Discovery project on 'Ayahs and Amahs: Transcolonial Servants in Asia and Britain 1780-1945.' Her scholarship reveals how domestic labor was central to colonial economies and social structures, with legacies that continue to shape contemporary society. She argues that 'labours of love and care in the home were essential not only to colonial economies but also to the social and cultural structures of colonization.'

Haskins' recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on transcolonial perspectives, examining domestic service across imperial networks. Her work spans Australian Indigenous history, North American Native American history, and Asian transnational connections, revealing patterns of regulation and cultural fixation that emerged in colonial histories. She has produced significant interdisciplinary collaborations, including the digital exhibition 'Transcolonial Journeys' with colleagues from multiple institutions.

• Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (2022)
• Member of the Council of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (2023)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales (2024)
• ARC Future Fellowship recipient (2009-13)
• NSW Centenary of Anzac Commemoration History Fellowship (2014-18)
• Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities Fellowship (2017)

As a supervisor, Haskins has guided numerous PhD candidates through research on Indigenous history, cross-cultural relationships, and colonial studies. Her grant history shows substantial funding success, including multiple ARC Discovery Projects and an ARC LIEF grant for the Time-layered Cultural Map of Australia. She has held significant leadership roles, including President of the University's Academic Senate (2020-2022) and membership on the ARC College of Experts (2020-22).

Haskins co-directs the Purai Global Indigenous History Centre, which emphasizes collaborative research frameworks that prioritize respect, reciprocity, and partnership with Indigenous communities. Her approach to historical research is deeply informed by her belief that 'part of my role as a historian is to be a memory custodian,' highlighting the importance of understanding marginalized histories for building a positive future.