La Trobe U DVC Research and Industry Engagement Susan Dodds joined the Australian Research Council advisory committee on Friday

Education Minister Jason Clare’s appointment of the La Trobe University self-described “feminist, bioethicist, political philosopher” signals the humanities disciplines are out of the political deep freeze.

“Professor Dodds is recognised for her standing in the academic community and her leadership in the humanities,” the ARC states.

Which means the humanities have a representative on the peak ARC committee – reversing a culture-warring stunt by coalition acting education minister Stuart Robert who explicitly excluded the humanities from the committee he created. STEM is there and the social sciences have two reps but originally there was no home for HASS (CMM April 6).

This added to what the Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities warned was the then government’s, “continued disregard for important areas of Australia’s intellectual culture and life,” (CMM January 24 and April 7).

Smart move by Minister Clare  By disregarding the coalition’s diss he demonstrates respect for HASS. This could be useful if the government does not reduce the Himalayan -high HECs rates humanities students pay under the existing Job Ready Graduate funding model and he needs something positive to point at.