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Professor Philip Mead, Chair of Australian Literature and ALTC project leader, has won the prestigious 2010 New South Wales Premier's Prize for Literary Scholarship . Presented at the Premier's Literary Awards at the NSW Art Gallery on Monday 17 May, the award recognises an outstanding book, CD ROM or DVD that presents an original and convincing perspective on one or more published works of acknowledged excellence and historical renouwn from any language, literary or cultural tradition.

Professor Mead said the award recognises the important contribution of critical discourse to the study of Australian Literature, which is rarely highlighted in the mainstream media.

"Literary criticism is often perceived as getting in the way of our immediate responses to literature, but I've always remained committed to the insights it allows. i believe in considering creative writing in historical and linguistic depth," he said.

Philip Mead's book, N etworked Language: Culture and History n Australian Poetry , reflects on Australian poetry and its cultural life from both a historical and contemporary perspective. The judging panel commented that Mead's research and range of reference in the book is vast, rigorous and alays insightful. "This very substantial book engages new perspectives to look back but also forward to a poetry that is perhaps not yet fully intelligible or recognisable to us," the judges concluded.

"It is a great recognition for scholarship in Australian literature," said Professor Mead. "It is an area that doesn't often get a high profile, so I'm delighted to have won."

Professor Mead said that his ALTC project, Teaching Australian Literature Survey , was his first priority as the inaugural Chair of Australian Literature at UWA. "For me, scholarship, research and teaching have always been inseparable."

Media references

Winthrop Professor Philip Mead (+62 8) 6488 2063 / (+61 4) 17 125 299

Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs) (+61 8) 6488 5563 / (+61 4) 32 637 716