Noel Butlin

Noel G. Butlin AC FAA (19 December 1921 – 2 April 1991) was an Australian economic historian, considered "one of the most outstanding Australian social scientists of his generation, and one of the major international figures in economic history."[1] He was long associated with the Australian National University, the library of which has an archives centre that bears his name.[2]

Butlin was born in Singleton, New South Wales on December 19, 1921.[3] His father was a railway porter.[3] His brother was Sydney James Butlin. Noel Butlin attended Maitland Boys’ High School and the University of Sydney.[3] He worked for Frank Lidgett McDougall, helping to prepare the Australian delegation for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation conference in 1945.[3]

From 1946 to 1949, Butlin was lecturer in economic history at the University of Sydney.[3] In 1962, he became professor of economic history at the Australian National University.[3] He was professor of Australian Studies at Harvard University from 1979 to 1980.[3]

He became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences from 1956 and a corresponding fellow of the British Academy from 1976. The Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand hold an annual lecture in his name.[2]

Butlin was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia in 1992.[4]

His posthumous 1993 book Economics and the Dreamtime: A Hypothetical History provides an economic history of Australia that covers pre-European Australia's economy, as well as indigenous society's contributions to early colonial Australia's history.[5][6]

He married Lilias Joan Lindsay, a social worker, in 1946.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Obituary - Noel George Butlin - Obituaries Australia". oa.anu.edu.au.
  2. ^ a b Shapley, Maggie. "Noel George Butlin (1921–1991)". Butlin, Noel George (1921–1991). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Shapley, Maggie, "Noel George Butlin (1921–1991)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 11 February 2024
  4. ^ "Emeritus Professor Noel George Butlin". It's An Honour. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  5. ^ Hunter, Boyd (2024). "Economics and the dreamtime revisited: Creating a truly Australian economic history?". Asia-Pacific Economic History Review. 64: 52–71. doi:10.1111/aehr.12279. ISSN 2832-157X.
  6. ^ Reynolds, Henry (1 December 1994). "Economics and the Dreamtime". Oceania. 65 (2): 187–189. doi:10.1002/j.1834-4461.1994.tb02499.x.


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