'It was all the more important that Australians should look individually towards the establishment of friendly relations with the nations in which they were most interested. We cannot leave all our relations with other countries to be determined at Geneva [by the League of Nations]' Sir John Latham, Minister for External Affairs. 1935

In Between Empire and Nation thirteen international historians analyse Australia's external affairs in the decades from Federation to the Second World War, when the nation was still deeply embedded in the British imperial world.

Their combined approach suggests a broad definition of external relations, including not only the traditional staples of foreign policy and defence, but also the important and often neglected areas of finance, trade and immigration. Relations with Japan and the United States are also given full weight.

This book challenges the traditional view of a passive and naive antipodean diplomacy and presents a picture of Australians furthering Australian interests with vigour and resourcefulness from within the imperial system.

Contributors: Bernard Attard, Carl Bridge, David Day, Jeffrey Grey, Andrew May, Neville Meaney, Malcolm Murfett, Ian Nish, Ritchie Ovendale, Tim Rooth, Roger Thompson, Paul Twomey and Wendy Way