In Lessons from History, leading historians tackle the biggest challenges that face Australia and the world and show how the past provides context and knowledge that can guide us in the present.

Does history repeat itself in meaningful ways, or is each problem unique? Does a knowledge of Australian history enhance our understanding of the present and prepare us for the future?

Lessons from History is written with the conviction that we must see the world, and confront its many challenges, with an understanding of what has gone before. Leading historians including Yves Rees, Michelle Arrow, Mahsheed Ansari, Joan Beaumont, Claire Wright and Frank Bongiorno tackle the biggest challenges that face Australia and the world – climate change, social cohesion, migration, our relationship with China, tensions in the federation, economic crisis, trade relations — and show how the past provides context and knowledge that can guide us in the present and future.