Ana Rosa Marginson

I am a Filipino-Australian historian, sessional tutor and PhD candidate at the Centre for Contemporary Histories, Deakin University. I hold an MA in Colonial & Global History from Leiden University in the Netherlands, where I completed my thesis on colonial responses to epidemics in India and the Philippines. I also hold a BA (honours) in English & History from Goldsmiths, University of London. 

I commenced my doctorate in 2022 with a focus public health in the Philippines and its relationship with nationalism and decolonisation during the 1930s-1950s. My thesis is titled Healing a Half-Born Country: Public Health, Nation-Building and Decolonisation in the Philippines, 1935-1957, and it is supervised by Prof Susie Protschky at the VU Amsterdam and Prof David Lowe at Deakin University.

Beyond my thesis, my research more broadly examines the history of medicine and science, colonialism and decolonisation in Asia, and Filipino-Australian history. In October-December 2023 I was a visiting research associate at the Institute of Philippine Culture, Ateneo de Manila University. I have undertaken editing, consulting, and event work for several community non-profit organisations, particularly those who focus on migrant and refugee communities, and domestic violence prevention. In my spare time, I co-host The Mayday Podcast: Tales of Mystery & Misadventure, a history podcast focused on exploration and crises in global history.