EDITORIAL
David Carter

This issue of Crossings combines the final issue of 2005 (10.3) and the first issue of 2006 (11.1). Yes, I'm afraid to say that pressures of work plus travel commitments have led me to that last refuge of scoundrel editors, the double issue!

To celebrate its appearance we've included a special cover image - my own objet trouvé, in a laneway in Edinburgh, but surely a tribute to the late, great Australian poet, John Forbes.

We have combined the features which, over the last four or five years, have appeared in our first and last issues of the year: a group of post-graduate essays from one of our leading Australian studies institutions (usually featured in the final number each year) and a feature on Australian studies in one particular part of the world (usually featured in the first issue each year). As to the former, the featured institution this time around is my own, the University of Queensland. The range of essays is broad, covering crime fiction, theatre studies, art history, the history of mothering, Indigenous performance and masculinity on the Queensland frontier. As to the latter, we feature two broad-ranging essays about the state of Australian studies in India, from Santosh Sareen (Jawarharlal Nehru University, New Delhi) and Nilanjana Deb (Jadavpur University, Kolkata), which together present with some optimistic prognostication but also some searching questions for the promotion of Australian studies abroad.

We also feature a major essay by Hou Minyue from East China Normal University, Shanghai, on the nature of Sino-Australian relations from the 1980s. Hou Minyue together with his colleague Chen Hong attended an historic conference in Taiwan in mid-2005, organised by Professor To Hai-Liou, National Cheng Chi University, the first 'cross-straits' conference in Taiwan, bringing together Australian studies experts from Taiwan and China.

A number of important new books have appeared since our last edition and we have included flyers and order forms. Can I mention three with close connections to InASA: the collection of essays on Australia and Japan, Islands in the Stream, edited by Stephen Alomes; Sharing Spaces, edited by Gus Worby and Lester-Irabinna Rigney; and, if I may, my own new book, Dispossession, Dreams and Diversity - designed to be the Australian studies textbook you've always dreamed of!

This year already presents a crowded calendar internationally for Australian studies conferences. In addition to the Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL) conference in Perth and the Australian Historical Association (AHA) conference in Canberra, both in July, we have the American Association of Australian Literary Studies (AAALS) and the Australian & New Zealand Studies Association of North America (ANZANA) conferences, held concurrently, in Montreal, in early April; the Chinese Australian Studies Association conference - in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia! - in early July; and the British Australian Studies Association (BASA) conference in September. There are also two events in October and December respectively at the University of Queensland: a Masterclass on studies of readers and reading practices; and a conference on Australasian Magazines and Modernity.

As this might be my last Crossings as editor, I wish every one well - and the new editors will continue to look forward to receiving your submissions. The web address will remain unchanged. This will also be the final Crossings produced by web editor Jason Ensor, who has been responsible for the design and technical workings of the Crossings site since its new format, from the beginning of Volume 7 (2002). As the redesign of this current issue shows ­ and even more a review of past issues back to 2002 ­ Jason has produced a stunning looking and user-friendly format which has been constantly improved over the years. He's also shown great skill in playing with my photos for cover images! On behalf of InASA and as editor of Crossings I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for the skill and professionalism of his work.

Australian Studies Centre
The University of Queensland
March 2006