The Buln-Buln and Brolga

Originally published in 1944, this biography of Joseph Furphy was written by Miles Franklin. She tells of his multi-faceted life, from 1843 to 1912, including his days as a bullock-driver, and in Victoria building Furphy carts with his brother; of his friends and philosophy and his hopes for humanity and Australia.

The escape sonnets and other poetry

In its four parts, The escape sonnets is concerned with modes of perception and the play of language. 

Strontium in 19th century Australian children’s teeth

The enamel of teeth from 57 children, who died in the mid to late 1800s, were analysed to investigate strontium (Sr) concentrations in historic teeth. Teeth were analysed using proton induced X-ray emission at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). Where available, multiple teeth were analysed for each individual including permanent (molars and premolars) and deciduous teeth (molars). Preliminary results show that Sr does not appear to be affected by the postmortem environment. Sr levels in permanent molars strongly correlate with levels in the premolars but not with the deciduous molars. Concerns are raised over the large variation seen in Sr levels and the effect it would have on the interpretation of Sr levels in studies with small sample sizes.

Brennan torpedo, monorail and helicopter : a study of innovative activity in the process of forming three related military weapons

In the context of nineteenth-century British defence planning Actor-network theory is used to examine technological and social activity in the development and operation of a secret, successful military weapon, the Brennan torpedo. Also in two subsequent inventions the continuity and development of a core innovative concept, gyroscopy, is traced.

The development of manufacturing in greater Geelong in the nineteenth century

Contrary to received opinion, Greater Geelong was among the most diversified manufacturing centres in Victoria, relative to Melbourne, Greater Ballarat and Greater Bendigo between 1854 to 1900. This was based on a manufacturing specialisation and export orientation established between 1841 and 1861.

Performing self and other in architecture : Staging Zaha Hadid

London-based Iraqi-born architect, Zaha Hadid, is often portrayed as extravagant and exotic; an image reinforced by her sense of fashion and her passion for the clothes of Japanese designer, Issey Miyake. By examining some of the ways that Zaha Hadid has staged herself as an architect, this article links notions of performance with processes of becoming an architect. It argues that Hadid is marked by traces of otherness–gender, culture, race–which give rise to questions about the story of the master architect dominating a westernized history of architecture and art.

Specific mood symptoms confer risk for subsequent suicidal ideation in bipolar disorder with and without suicide attempt history: multi-wave data from STEP-BD

BACKGROUND: Little is known about specific mood symptoms that may confer risk for suicidal ideation (SI) among patients with bipolar disorder (BD). We evaluated prospectively whether particular symptoms of depression and mania precede the onset or worsening of SI, among adults with or without a history of a suicide attempt. METHODS: We examined prospective data from a large (N = 2,741) cohort of patients participating in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD (STEP-BD). We evaluated history of suicide attempts at baseline, and symptoms of depression and mania at baseline and follow-up visits. Hierarchical linear modeling tested whether specific mood symptoms predicted subsequent levels of SI, and whether the strength of the associations differed based on suicide attempt history, after accounting for the influence of other mood symptoms and current SI. RESULTS: Beyond overall current depression and mania symptom severity, baseline SI, and illness characteristics, several mood symptoms, including guilt, reduced self-esteem, psychomotor retardation and agitation, increases in appetite, and distractibility predicted more severe levels of subsequent SI. Problems with concentration, distraction, sleep loss and decreased need for sleep predicted subsequent SI more strongly among individuals with a suicide attempt history. CONCLUSIONS: Several specific mood symptoms may confer risk for the onset or worsening of SI among treatment-seeking patients with BD. Individuals with a previous suicide attempt may be at greater risk in part due to greater reactivity to certain mood symptoms in the form of SI. However, overall, effect sizes were small, suggesting the need to identify additional proximal predictors of SI.

Book review: Review of 'W. E. H. Stanner, The dreaming and other essays' with an introduction by Robert Manne. Melbourne: Black Inc. Agenda, 2009. ISBN: 9781863955171, (Pb) 336 pp. $AUD32.95

There is no more imposing figure in the history of Australian anthropology than W.E.H. ('Bill') Stanner (1905-1981). While some of his contemporaries produced more ethnography, none matched his skill and eloquence in describing the life-worlds of Aboriginal people. While others of his age were just as closely involved in arguing for the defensibility of Aboriginal society, none did so with such convincing passion. With these two legacies in mind, anthropologists in the here and now would be hard put to describe Stanner's oeuvre in either/or terms. He is best remembered for his scintillating, sympathetic analyses of Aboriginal myth, ritual and local organisation, together with his trenchant critiques of Durkheim and Freud.