A biography by the School of History's Dr Rani Kerin has been shortlisted for the 2012 Magarey Medal.

Doctor Do-Good: Charles Duguid and Aboriginal Advancement, 1930s-1960s (Australian Scholarly Publishing) is a study of Charles Duguid and his work as an advocate on behalf of Aboriginal people.

The Magarey Medal for Biography is awarded to the female person who has published the work judged to be the best biographical writing on an Australian subject. The awarding of the prize is administered and judged by a panel established by the Australian Historical Association and the Association for the Study of Australian Literature.

Kerin, a Research Fellow with the National Centre of Biography and Research Editor for the Australian Dictionary of Biography, says she is "thrilled" to be shortlisted against such fine field of female biographers.

Also shortlisted for the 2012 Magarey Medal are:
Fiona Capp, My Blood's Country: in the Footsteps of Judith Wright (Allen & Unwin)
Eileen Chanin, Book Life: the Life and Times of David Scott Mitchell (Australian Scholarly Publishing)
Sheila Fitzpatrick, My Father's Daughter: Memories of an Australian Childhood (Melbourne University Publishing)
Katie Holmes, Between the Leaves: Stories of Australian women, writing and gardens (University of Western Australian Press)

The winner of the 2012 Magarey Medal will be announced at the Australian Historical Association Conference at the University of Adelaide on Thursday, 12 July.