Rate My Professor James Curran

Professor James Curran is Professor of Modern History in the Discipline of History within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. He earned his BA and PhD in History from the University of Sydney in 2001. Curran's research specializations encompass political and foreign relations history, with a focus on Australian foreign policy, the history of the US-Australia alliance, and Australia's evolving relationship with China. His academic career features prestigious fellowships, including the Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship awarded by the Australian Research Council and a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship. Previously, he served as a Research Associate at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and worked as an analyst at the Office of National Assessments. Curran is also actively engaged in public discourse as a foreign affairs columnist for The Australian Financial Review, having previously served as its International Editor, and as a non-resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute.

Curran's scholarly contributions have significantly shaped the field of Australian diplomatic history. His major publications include "The Power of Speech: Australian Prime Ministers Defining the National Image" (2004), "Curtin's Empire" (2010), "The Unknown Nation: Australia After Empire" co-authored with Stuart Ward (2010), "Unholy Fury: Whitlam and Nixon at War" (2015), and "Australia's China Odyssey: From Euphoria to Fear" (2022). He has published articles in leading journals such as Diplomatic History, The Journal of Cold War Studies, and The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History. In recognition of his impact, Curran was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in 2023. His influence extends to public engagement through initiatives like the podcast series "An Australian World," launched in 2024, and various lectures on political and diplomatic history. Curran's integrated approach to academia, policy analysis, and media commentary underscores his pivotal role in informing debates on Australia's international relations.