Birthing and re-birthing Down Under: From ARM-A to AMIRCI

In Australia an organization that focused on the academic study of mothering did not exist. In 2000 several mothers, including Julie Kelso and Marie, who were both Ph.D. researchers at the University of Queensland, formed a committee to plan a day devoted to presentations focusing on the study of mothering. This informal structure became a formal association in 2005, taking the name "The Association for Research on Mothering-Australia" (ARM-A). ARM-A is a non-profit incorporated feminist organization that exists to promote research into mothering/motherhood/mothers. In August, 2010, at our Annual General Meeting, we voted to change the name of our Association to the Australian Motherhood Initiative for Research and Community Involvement (AMIRCI) to maintain our connection with the Canadian ARM now changed to MIRCI. In this chapter, we outline the history of the Australian Association, the reasons we established it, the background to our choice of name, our philosophy and our goals. We have had our successes and our failures, and will outline these aspects of our experiences.