It seems odd that Greg Hamilton is not a fan of Postmodernism – a sophisticated intellectual movement that, at root, seeks to expose the unspoken mechanisms of power that impede the free expression of ideas and has done more to foster, rather than stifle, debate. Odd also that the postmodern blurring of the line between history and fiction would be unattractive to an author such as Hamilton, who seeks to enter into debate with legitimate scholars via the genre of the sensational novel, and willingly accepts hearsay (“verbal assurance’) as unproblematic evidence.
It would seem that postmodernism is not “discredited’ outside the academy, but rather, is not understood. Before seeking to enter into sophisticated historical debate, perhaps Mr Hamilton should avail himself of the publicly-funded, freely available resource at which any and all Australians of ability and commitment can study what they love, in a supportive collegial environment: the university.
Dr Richard Scully
