Letters to a young Catholic, by George Weigel

With the Twentieth World Youth Day in Cologne on 16-21 August, this year, scheduled to be the first overseas visit of Pope Benedict XVI, it is timely to consider the latest book from George Weigel, (perhaps best known for his Witness to Hope: The Biography of John Paul II) in which he composes 14 letters specifically aimed at young Catholics, who, like many of their older counterparts, may well be wondering what it means to be a Catholic today.

Konflik di Aceh konteks, pemicu, katalis

Miller traces The Roots of the Acehnese conflict to Indonesian repressive policies, specifically: exploitation of Aceh's natural resources; violence against Acehnese Civilians by Indonesian security forces; and Jakarta's failure to honor commitments to Aceh's autonomy. This contradicts the prevailing Acehnese perception of the war as a liberation struggle against colonial domination. This contradicts the prevailing Acehnese perception of the war as a Liberation struggle against colonial domination. Regional discontent in Aceh grew into separatist insurgency in the 1970s. Regional Discontent in Aceh grew into separatist insurgency in the 1970s. This provoked an increasingly martial response from the government, which involved widespread violations of Acehnese human rights. This Provoked an increasingly martial response from the government, which involved widespread violations of Acehnese human rights. East Timor's successful bid for independence in the 1990s simultaneously strengthened both Acehnese' aspirations of self-determination, and nationalists' belief in preserving Indonesia's territorial integrity. East Timor's successful bid for independence in the 1990s simultaneously strengthened both Acehnese 'aspirations of self-determination, and nationalists' belief in preserving Indonesia's territorial integrity.

Shaking hands on the fringe : negotiating the Aboriginal world at King George's Sound

In 1826 the British set up a garrison on the edges of an Aboriginal world at King George’s Sound, the site of present day Albany, Western Australia, with the aim of deterring the French from occupying the area.

The British newcomers and the area’s Indigenous inhabitants, the King Ya-nup, came to share a small space, forcing both cultures to adapt in order to communicate and interact with one another. Within this sphere associations and friendships were formed that were as surprising as they were unique.

This ethnographic history narrates several intimate cross-cultural stories of the developing relationships between British and Aboriginal individuals at King George’s Sound. The episodes recounted go beyond the common ‘friendly’ or ‘violent’ encounters, unearthing instead how and why particular King Ya-nup engaged with the British world, utilising the new presence to seeming advantage.

Shaking Hands on the Fringe presents innovative history writing and beautifully crafted prose in the tradition of Greg Dening and other writers of ethnographic history.

Despite the limited scope of the subject, the first two points liberate this book into a national (and international) interest: it is not a local book.

Nature's line : George Goyder over South Australia

A biographical work presenting 19th century South Australian surveyor general and founder of Darwin, George Goyder, as a significant figure in colonial environmental history. Focuses on tracing the growth of experience and insight which enabled him to map, as Goyder's line, his insight into the importance of rainfall variability.