Archives and Manuscripts as a window into Australian archival development

How does a journal published by a small professional association make an impacton the international discourse of the archival profession? How does a journalattract readers and authors from different traditions to become an internationallyrespected vehicle for disseminating research and documenting developments inarchival and recordkeeping practice and theory across the Anglophone archivesworld? This article traces the journey of Archives and Manuscripts over more than50 years, from its modest national beginnings to its consolidation as an internationaljournal of note. It provides an overview of the writing published in Archivesand Manuscripts, concentrating on the period since the formation of the AustralianSociety of Archivists in 1975. It takes a chronological approach, supported by ananalysis of the balance between Australian and international authorship andidentifying themes and trends that the journal has documented.