crossings vol 7.2, 2002



From the Editor

David Carter
Australian Studies Centre
The University of Queensland

Welcome to the second number of Crossings Volume 7 (2002). In this issue we feature a number of papers presented at a recent conference on the Past, Present and Future of Australian Studies. The conference was convened by professor Lyndall Ryan at the Ourimbah (Central Coast) campus of the University of Newcastle in mid-October. The conference honoured the work of the late Kay Daniels, one of the authors of the major report into Australian Studies, Windows onto Worlds (1987). The papers printed here represent a small selection. A special issue of the Journal of Australian Studies is planned for other papers from the conference.

The other major activity for the International Australian Studies Association this year was the Sharing the Space conference held at Flinders University in July and convened by Gus Worby and his team. This was a very successful event. At the InASA Annual General meeting held during the conference, Gus Worby presented his final President's Report (at least in this term as President!). Gus served as InASA President from July 2001-July 2002, and Sharing the Space represented a fitting tribute to his work in the position.

We are also fortunate to be able to present a detailed report of the Elford Lecture given at the conference by Justice Marcus Einfeld AO QC on 'The great brain robbery: the hijacking of the Australian conscience'. 		The new InASA president is Kate Darian-Smith, Director of The Australian Centre at the University of Melbourne. A new Executive was also elected.

Other features in this edition of Crossings are a report by Frank Poyas, the designer and maintainer of the Australian Studies Network web site, a report from the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies in London, news of a new journal, Drawing Board, in the area of public policies, instituions and ideas', and a listing from an extraordinarily rich offering of conferences over the next twelve months. I draw your attention in particular to the conference on The Whitlam Government as Modernist Politics being organised by the National Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University.

Crossings 7.3 will appear in December and will feature postgraduate work from students at the Australian National University. And, of course, it is open to contributions from all our readers. We will send out a call for contributions in a little while, but start sending them immediately!

The annual printed edition of Crossings is now available and will be received by all InASA members soon. To become a member please go to the InASA web site.

< < <   enter   > > >  

Approaching storm clouds near Cooma,
New South Wales. Photo by David Carter