Author(s): Julianne Schultz

Modern Thought

Tasmania, the smallest of Australia's states, has long been on the edge of national conversations about prosperity, equality and identity. In Tasmania: The Tipping Point? Griffith REVIEW serves up strategic slices of Tasmania's past, present and future, prepared by many of the state's best writers. Thinkers and doers from Tasmania and beyond, including members of its diaspora, examine whether the island state has reached a 'tipping point'. Geographic isolation, a distinctive natural environment and small social scale are increasingly seen as blessings, presenting remarkable opportunities. The arrival of David Walsh's block-busting Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart has inspired confidence in championing Tasmania as a cultural, economic, environmental and social test bed - despite some entrenched local resistance. Tasmania: The Tipping Point? challenges how Tasmania is seen by outsiders - and illuminates how Tasmanians see themselves, down home and in the world.