DrJonathan Ritchie

I teach and conduct research at Deakin University as a member of the Centre for Contemporary Histories. My research has focused on the ways in which Australia's relationship with its northern neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is remembered, both by Papua New Guineans and by Australians. 
I was born and grew up in Papua New Guinea before independence, and returned with my family to Australia, where I have continued to follow closely the affairs of the country of my birth.

 
I have a PhD in history from the University of Melbourne that examined the work of developing PNG's Constitution in the years between 1972 and 1975, drawing on the rich resources from this period held by the National Archives of Papua New Guinea. I've published articles and presented papers on this and related subjects, and have written the biography of one of PNG's independence leaders (Ebia Olewale: A Life of Service, UPNG Press, 2012). I have developed my expertise in the practice of oral history, including from 2008 to 2011 when I was the principal interviewer for the National Library of Australia's oral history project, 'Australians in Papua New Guinea, 1942-1975'. More recently, I have coordinated and participated in two major oral history exercises, funded by the Australian Government: PNG Voices from the War, about Papua New Guineans' memories of World War Two, and PNG Speaks - interviews with leading Papua New Guineans about their recollections of their nation's achievement of independence in 1975. 

From 2011 to 2014 I coordinated an annual series of symposia on Australia and PNG and most recently I was the convenor of the 2023 Pacific History Association conference, 'Tracking the Kooyang: Truth Telling in the History of Oceania', held at Deakin University's Warrnambool campus.

 
Over time, my expertise and knowledge about Papua New Guinea's history has become widely recognised and I've been fortunate to be invited to comment on PNG affairs in The Conversation and on radio. Departing from the usual academic trajectory, from 2013 to 2024 I have enjoyed presenting lectures to passengers on board P&O Australia's cruise ships to PNG and through this I feel I have been able to teach thousands of Australians about PNG and the history it shared with Australia.