• Constant Mews, Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology
• Jan Pinder
• Karen Green, School of Philosophy and Bioethics

The prize was received for their work on The Book of Peace by Christine de Pizan.

Travel in Atomic Sunshine

Robin Gerster’s book, Travels in Atomic Sunshine: The Australian Occupation of Japan has been shortlisted, in a group of three, for the 2009 NSW Premier’s Australian History Prize.

Travels in Atomic Sunshine was also shortlisted earlier this year for the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards.

Travels in Atomic Sunshine is published by Scribe Publications, 2008.

The citation for Lisa’s essay reads, “This article provides a subtle, astute analysis of the relationship between corporal punishment and the practices of Lutheran missionaries in Australia, most particularly those of Carl and Freida Strehlow’s Hermannsburg Mission in Central Australia. Conceptually rich and making careful, probing use of archival sources, the author traces the interdependence between Lutheran proselytisation, an ostensibly benevolent patriarchal mode of missionary authority, and the mutually reinforcing tendency of this ‘protectionist agenda’ and practices of ‘indigenous male violence’ among the Aranda and Loritja people. In insisting that ‘the image of the missionary and his whip deserves a closer look’, and mining mission records for the gendered impact and legitimacy accorded to abuse within cultures fostered by the missions, the author has brought a powerful new dimension to themes in Australian Indigenous history, and a offered a perspective with considerable resonances in contemporary debates.”

From Australian Historical Association

At a ceremony in Melbourne, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle presented Thom with the award in recognition of his work in encouraging youth participation across the community.

Thom is the founder of Left Right Think Tank, Australia’s first independent and non-partisan think tank for young people.

Publicly launched earlier this year, it was developed to provide young Australians with the opportunity to contribute to government policy.

Thom said he was honoured and humbled by the title and looked forward to encouraging other young people to volunteer their time in ways they feel they can make a difference.

He also said he hoped to change the way many groups engage with young people.

“There is a culture of tokenism in many organisations’ approaches to youth participation that is more about bottom line than about encouraging and promoting the voices and ideas of young people, which many young people are often unknowingly seduced by,” he said.

Left Right has already expanded across four states, engaged thousands in its network and rolled-out innovative programs such as a Fellowships course for high-school students.

“The organisation is all about providing the platform for young people with great ideas to research them, discuss them and ultimately to link them with policymakers outside of the partisan political process that many are frankly bored with,” Thom said.

For more information on how you can get involved visit the Left Right website.

To find out more about the Bachelor of Arts (Global) degree at Monash visit the Faculty of Arts website.

Associate Professor Christian Kull

Associate Professor Christian Kull from the School of Geography and Environmental Science has been awarded the 2009 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research by Early Career Researchers.

Christian’s research focuses the social processes that transform landscapes, particularly:

• environmental transformations and their causes
• the politics of conservation and development, specifically with respect to natural resource management
• local practice, science, and policy for fire management.

More about the Faculty of Arts Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research by Early Career Researchers

Mr Kenta Koshiba and Lance Truong

Congratulations to our students for their success in the 39th Annual Japanese Speech Contest, Victorian State Final. We particularly congratulate Lance Truong, who has gone on to win First Prize in the Open Division of the National Japanese Speech Contest.

Professor Rae Frances presents Dr Farzard Sharifian with his award

Congratulations to Dr Farzad Sharifian (School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics) who has received this years Early Career Researcher award for the Faculty of Arts.

Col McHaughton, winner of the 2008 Walkley Award

Congratulations to Colm McNaughton (Politics PhD 2006 and specialist tutor in the Faculty of Arts) who was a joint-winner of a prestigious Walkley Award for Journalism this year. His compelling radio documentary ‘Awakening from History’ explores intergenerational trauma in Northern Ireland along with the broader personal and community barriers to peace after prolonged social conflict.

Sarah Meyer

Sarah Meyer (BA(Hons)2004) is the proud recipient of the prestigious Sir John Monash Award.  The awards are nationwide and fund students for three years of study at a major international university.

Ms Meyer works in New York with the American Jewish World Service as an education officer and will use her scholarship to complete a PhD in public policy and to develop programs for refugees and those displaced by conflict, natural disasters and human rights violations.

Through working with refugees and asylum seekers in Victoria Ms Meyer developed  a keen interest in humanitarian issues. She has also worked as a research associate with Sudanese refugees in Uganda and published her findings for the UN’s Human Rights Council.

The General Sir John Monash Awards are unique in that they are  Australia’s only national postgraduate study awards.  The awards are inspired by the life of Sir John Monash.

Toby Handfield and Mark Peel

The Faculty would like to congratulate Mark Peel and Toby Handfield for winning the Vice-Chancellors Award for Teaching Excellence.

The Faculty of Arts was well represented in this Award in 2008, having received two of the three awarded university-wide this year.