Eva Cox
Encyclopedia
Eva Cox AO is an Austria
n-born Australia
n writer, feminist, sociologist, social commentator, stirrer and activist. She has been an active advocate for creating more civil societies. She is a long-term member of Women's Electoral Lobby
. She is now involved in projects looking at social and ethical accounting for responsible business enterprises.
in 1938, less than three weeks before the Anschluss
(12 March 1938). She and her family were declared stateless. The following year, her mother Ruth, a final-year medical student, took her to England
where she spent the war, technically as an enemy alien
. Her father, Richard Hauser, joined the British Army in Palestine
, and her grandparents and other relatives took refuge in Sydney
, Australia
. After the war her father worked for the United Nations Refugee Association in Rome
, where Eva continued her schooling for two years, joining her mother’s extended family in Sydney in 1948. It was only in Australia that she started becoming aware of her Jewish identity and the Jewish community. She is now an atheist
and a Humanist
.
Two years after arriving in Sydney, her father began a relationship with the pianist Hephzibah Menuhin
, who was at that time married to an Australian grazier, Lindsay Nicholas, and living in western Victoria
. Hauser and Menuhin divorced their respective spouses in order to marry, Menuhin becoming Eva's stepmother.
Eva attended the University of Sydney
in 1956–57, where she became associated with the Sydney Push
. Abandoning university, she travelled in Europe, married an English photographer in 1962, and gave birth to their daughter Rebecca in 1964. She returned to study as a single mother in the early 1970s, graduating with Honours in Sociology from the University of New South Wales
in 1974 and becoming a tutor and research consultant in that department. She was part of the Feminist magazine Refractory Girl in 1980s and became a media spokeswoman. She also joined the Australian Labor Party
as an anti-war and feminist advocate, and established the first Commonwealth-funded childcare centre.
In the 1970s Eva became a spokeswoman for the Women's Electoral Lobby
. She was Director of the New South Wales Council for Social Service from 1977–81. Later she helped to found the Women's Economic Think Tank. She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship
in 1980.
In 1981 and 1982 she was an adviser to the Federal Shadow Minister for Social Services, Senator Don Grimes
. Between 1989 and 1994 she ran a private consultancy, Distaff Associates, with Helen Leonard, and has lectured since 1994 at the University of Technology, Sydney
, as Program Director, Social Inquiry. She is currently a Fellow of the Centre for Policy Development
.
Her ABC Boyer Lectures
in 1995, entitled A Truly Civil Society argued that social capital is more important than financial capital. The following year her book, Leading Women, addressed the problems women face in exercising power.
Publications include:
in 1995 for her services to women's welfare.
She was named Humanist of the Year in 1997 by the Council of Australian Humanist Societies.
In 2011 she received an Australia Post
Legends Award and her face appeared on a postage stamp as part of a series of four stamps honouring women who have advanced the cause of gender equality. The other three women were Germaine Greer
, Elizabeth Evatt
and Anne Summers.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n writer, feminist, sociologist, social commentator, stirrer and activist. She has been an active advocate for creating more civil societies. She is a long-term member of Women's Electoral Lobby
Women's Electoral Lobby
WEL is credited with major achievements for women in Australia in relation to anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation, equal pay decisions, the funding of women’s and children’s services.....
. She is now involved in projects looking at social and ethical accounting for responsible business enterprises.
Biography
Eva Maria Hauser was born into a Jewish family in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1938, less than three weeks before the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
(12 March 1938). She and her family were declared stateless. The following year, her mother Ruth, a final-year medical student, took her to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where she spent the war, technically as an enemy alien
Enemy alien
In law, an enemy alien is a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. Usually, but not always, the countries are in a state of declared war.-United Kingdom:...
. Her father, Richard Hauser, joined the British Army in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, and her grandparents and other relatives took refuge in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. After the war her father worked for the United Nations Refugee Association in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where Eva continued her schooling for two years, joining her mother’s extended family in Sydney in 1948. It was only in Australia that she started becoming aware of her Jewish identity and the Jewish community. She is now an atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
and a Humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
.
Two years after arriving in Sydney, her father began a relationship with the pianist Hephzibah Menuhin
Hephzibah Menuhin
Hephzibah Menuhin was an American-Australian pianist and human rights campaigner. She was sister to the violinist Lord Menuhin and to the pianist, painter, and poet Yaltah Menuhin...
, who was at that time married to an Australian grazier, Lindsay Nicholas, and living in western Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. Hauser and Menuhin divorced their respective spouses in order to marry, Menuhin becoming Eva's stepmother.
Eva attended the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in 1956–57, where she became associated with the Sydney Push
Sydney Push
The Sydney Push was a predominantly left-wing intellectual sub-culture in Sydney from the late 1940s to the early '70s. Well known associates of the Push include Jim Baker, John Flaus, Harry Hooton, Margaret Fink, Sasha Soldatow, Lex Banning, Eva Cox, Richard Appleton, Paddy McGuinness, David...
. Abandoning university, she travelled in Europe, married an English photographer in 1962, and gave birth to their daughter Rebecca in 1964. She returned to study as a single mother in the early 1970s, graduating with Honours in Sociology from the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in 1974 and becoming a tutor and research consultant in that department. She was part of the Feminist magazine Refractory Girl in 1980s and became a media spokeswoman. She also joined the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
as an anti-war and feminist advocate, and established the first Commonwealth-funded childcare centre.
In the 1970s Eva became a spokeswoman for the Women's Electoral Lobby
Women's Electoral Lobby
WEL is credited with major achievements for women in Australia in relation to anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation, equal pay decisions, the funding of women’s and children’s services.....
. She was Director of the New South Wales Council for Social Service from 1977–81. Later she helped to found the Women's Economic Think Tank. She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill. They are based in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill. They are based...
in 1980.
In 1981 and 1982 she was an adviser to the Federal Shadow Minister for Social Services, Senator Don Grimes
Don Grimes
Donald James "Don" Grimes AO is an Australian former politician. He was a minister in the Labor government of Bob Hawke.-Biography:...
. Between 1989 and 1994 she ran a private consultancy, Distaff Associates, with Helen Leonard, and has lectured since 1994 at the University of Technology, Sydney
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
, as Program Director, Social Inquiry. She is currently a Fellow of the Centre for Policy Development
Centre for Policy Development
The Centre for Policy Development is an Australian independent public interest think tank, founded in 2007. It was originally associated with the then magazine New Matilda-Fellows of the Centre :Fellows of the Centre include::*Fred Argy...
.
Her ABC Boyer Lectures
Boyer Lectures
The Boyer Lectures began in 1959 as the ABC Lectures. They were renamed in 1961 after Richard Boyer , the ABC board chairman who had first suggested the lectures...
in 1995, entitled A Truly Civil Society argued that social capital is more important than financial capital. The following year her book, Leading Women, addressed the problems women face in exercising power.
Publications include:
- Cox E. and Goodman J., Bullying at an Australian university: practices and implications, EUR October 2005
- Cox, Eva, In Defence of Social Capital: A reply to Blue Book 8, Arena Magazine 76 June 2005
- Cox E. (2005), A Better Society: Ingredients for Social Sustainability in ed Adams P and Spender D., The Ideas Book, UQP Brisbane
- Bloch, B and Cox E (2005), Jewish Women and Australian in Braham, G and Mendes P. Jews in Australian Politics, Sussex University Press
- Cox E. (2002), Australia, Making the Lucky country in Putnam R., Democracies in Flux: The evolution of social capital in contemporary society, OUP NY
- Cox E (2000), The Light and Dark of Volunteering (2000) in Warburton J and Oppenheimer M (Ed), Volunteers and Volunteering, Federation Press, Sydney.
- Cox E (2000), Diversity and Community: Conflict and Trust? in Vasta E (Ed), Citizenship, Community and Democracy, Macmillan UK.
- Cox E and Caldwell C (2000), Making Policy Social in Winter, I ed., Social Capital and Public Policy.
Honours
She was appointed an Officer (AO) of the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in 1995 for her services to women's welfare.
She was named Humanist of the Year in 1997 by the Council of Australian Humanist Societies.
In 2011 she received an Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
Legends Award and her face appeared on a postage stamp as part of a series of four stamps honouring women who have advanced the cause of gender equality. The other three women were Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century....
, Elizabeth Evatt
Elizabeth Evatt
Elizabeth Andreas Evatt, AC , an emminent Australian reformist lawyer and jurist who sat on numerous national and international tribunals and commissions, was the first Chief Judge of the Family Court of Australia, the first female judge of an Australian federal court, and the first Australian to...
and Anne Summers.