VOL 6.2, 2001:   editorial   |   inasa   |   executive   |   essays   |   conferences   |   news   |   publications   From the Editor   David Carter Australian Studies Centre The University of Queensland   In the last issue of Crossings we were able to present a group of essays exploring aspects of the Australia-China relationship. In this issue we also range far and wide. I'm delighted to be able to present two essays about contemporary Indigenous art in Australia, both thoroughly grounded in locale but in locales that unexpectedly take us out into the global. Christine Nicholls provides a challenging analysis — and celebration — of the work of Kathleen Petyarre and Maggie Fisher a wonderfully evocative account of artistic activity at Balgo, WA. The wonders of e-technology enable us to reproduce some stunning images to accompany both articles. Being local and global, Crossings is also delighted to present Dennis Carroll's intriguing account of teaching Australian drama in 'the 50th state', Hawai'i, where the layers of Indigenous, coloniser, immigrant and student sojourner create a context at once strangely familiar and strikingly other in relation to the Australian context. Finally, Jaroslav Kusnir's essay on the critical reception of Australian literature in Slovakia reveals the local particularities influencing this history of cultural importation. I would also draw readers' attention to the obituary for Kay Daniels, a founding figure of Australian Studies, written by Lyndall Ryan. Crossings also takes this opportunity to acknowledge the crucial work of Anna Rutherford in Europe and Australia. A number of fine obituaries for Anna have appeared in Australian journals in recent times. The International Australian Studies Association held its 2001 Annual General Meeting in June. At that meeting I stepped down as President of the Association after 5 years. The new President is Associate Professor Gus Worby of the Flinders University of South Australia, and we print his 'welcome' within plus the names on the Association's new Executive. InASA's annual conference was held at the University of Queensland in late June. Under the theme of Nation and Narration, the conference was very successful, with almost 100 quality papers. Indigenous issues and issues of land, imagined space and place, plus the new National Museum of Australia and the Sydney Olympics, provided significant themes. Papers from the conference will be selected for publication in the series of books being edited under the theme of Australia: The Common Culture to be published by the University of Queensland Press. The next issue of Crossings will feature a special selection of post-graduate work. Stay tuned. Please don't hesitate to send us your news, views, reports, notices of recent publications, conference details etc, e-mailed to david.carter@mailbox.uq.edu.au. The deadline for contributions in the next issue of Crossings is Friday 12 October 2001. Note that for future issues Crossings will be following the format outlined in the style guide for contributors which can be downloaded from here in rich text format. Contents   |   Next Page