During the second History Conversation of the semester on Nov. 12, the History Department welcomed alumnus Robert Dewey, Class of 1988, to give a talk. Dewey is a Professor of History at DePauw University, and is currently at Colgate as a Research Affiliate for the 2019-20 year.
During his talk, Dewey provided an interesting look at the research he has been doing over the past decade, focusing on the History of Rugby in the Pacific Islands. His interest in this subject came from his own participation in the sport, which began during his days here at Colgate. He later played in England, alongside many pacific islanders, which contributed to his fascination with the role of Rugby in the Pacific, and lead him to focus his research on Rugby in the region.
The presentation looked at the journey the sport has taken, from its origination in England to its thriving popularity in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Dewey spoke of two aspects of his research: the History of rugby in colonial Fiji (1874-1970), and the Professionalism of rugby in the Pacific. He also detailed his time living and researching in Fiji, and highlighted the challenges of conducting research in indigenous spaces, the role of oral history in his research, as well as his plans and future publications.