The questions of children

Lately I've been involved with an interesting online magazine, Live Encounters edited by Mark Ulyseas based in Bali. Mark invited me to write the Guest Editorial for the December 2012 issue (Vol 2) with the brief that I write from the perspective of 'woman, mother, writer' on a topic related to peace in some way. It was a challenging brief - I'd never written from this perspective before - and it made me think differently about my work and its impacts. Mark also interviewed me a few months ago about my biography of Herb Feith.

Keating calls for closer ties with Indonesia

Paul Keating was back in fine form in Melbourne last night, calling for Australia to wake up to the reality of a growing and dynamic Indonesia: "No country is more important to us".


You can watch some of his speech here:

http://media.theage.com.au/news/national-times/keating-slams-the-governments-priorities-3796566.html

and read more in The SMH and The Age today and online:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/forget-the-west-our-future-is-to-the-north-20121114-29cg4.html

Knowing Indonesia

I recently published the edited book, Knowing Indonesia: Intersections of self, discipline and nation (Monash University Publishing: Clayton. Vic. 2012. It is an edited collection of chapters by Indonesianists from many different disciplinary backgrounds. I asked them to reflect on their field, their personal approach to their work and on the future of Indonesian studies. The result is a timely response to the challenges facing Australia, but also the developed world more generally, as we engage with this dynamic and rapidly growing region.

This is my third book, and follows closely from my biography of Herb Feith (From Vienna to Yogyakarta: The life of Herb Feith: UNSW Press, Sydney) published in 2011. 

For reviews about this book see Australian Book Review, Sydney Morning Herald, and Inside Indonesia. I was interviewed on Radio National program, Late Night Live, together with Herb Feith Foundation Board Member and Executive Manager of International Services at Australian Volunteers International, Peter Britton; and  on Radio Australia's Connect Asia program. 

From Vienna to Yogyakarta was launched in Dili, Timor Leste on 30 June 2011 by Pat Walsh and in Canberra at Parliament House on 6 July by Andrew Leigh MP. In Melbourne on 2 August 2011, H.E. Kirsty Sword Gusmao launched the book before a crowd of around 250 people. The book was also launched in Jakarta on 5 October 2011 at an event hosted by the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E. Greg Moriarty.