Michael Wesley

In this thought-provoking and timely examination, academic and writer Michael Wesley asks what Australians really think and how they feel about our universities, and where to next? In 1964, Donald Horne wrote in his classic The Lucky Country that, in a sense, 'Australia does not have a mind. Intellectual life exists but . . . has no established relation to practical life.' For Horne, Australia's universities were marginalised; they were places where 'clever men nurse the wounds of public indifference'. Since then, there has been a vast increase in university attendance, but Australians today have mixed feelings about these institutions - a strange blend of antagonism, aspiration and apathy. In this eloquent and original book, Michael Wesley investigates the forces shaping Australia's universities and their relationship to Australian society. Are universities too commercial? Do they provide value? Are they inclusive? Are they underfunded? What do we want from these institutions, especially post-Covid? Unless a new national vision for higher education is found, Australia's universities could be set for decline. This is a groundbreaking examination of universities in Australian life - and, more than that, of the 'mind of the nation'.'Mind of the Nation surveys the mixed feelings Australians have for their universities, often part of their lives but rarely their affections. Michael Wesley's thought-provoking book shows how rising and conflicting expectations of universities create controversies that will not go away.' -Andrew Norton, professor of higher education policy, ANU

In 2003 Australia conceived, financed and led a Pacific-wide intervention into Solomon Islands to prevent the collapse of that state. The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) was to remain there for fourteen years, costing over $2 billion and involving thousands of soldiers, police and public servants from Australia and across the Pacific. It was remarkably successful in an age of disastrous interventions. And yet, by the time it was withdrawn, RAMSI had largely vanished from the Australian public's mind. Helpem Fren is the first comprehensive history of Australia and the RAMSI intervention. Drawing on still-classified official documents and over thirty interviews, it records the preconditions, motivations and dynamics of RAMSI between 2003 and 2017. Providing an intimate look at the challenges of interventions and development assistance generally, Helpem Fren is also a portrait of the personalities involved and the complex interactions between two systems that couldn't be more different in culture, wealth, size and capacity. As Australia confronts the most challenging environment in the Pacific for seventy years, Helpem Fren offers readers a deeper understanding of the recent history of Australia's involvement with Solomon Islands and the Pacific.

Not another how-to-ride a motorcycle book. Most motorcycle training programs and books focus mostly on the aspect of physical control. Motorcyclists definitely need to understand how to physically control the bike, but then what? This book is about how you can mentally approach your riding to improve the quality of your rides and ensure you return home safely. From folklore to our own perceptions, we will delve into riding as a mental exercise and discover ways to improve your strategy and tactics. Your goal should always be to end the ride in the same condition as you started. Ideas to improve your safety, whether you've ridden 1000 miles or 100,000 miles.

From grassroots conflicts to great power relations, this book explores some of the key concepts, methodologies, and dilemmas of researching Asia-Pacific affairs. The book deals with key questions about the Asia Pacific: Why should we study policy from the ground up? What are the human considerations for societies in conflict? Why is regionalism important and how do global powers play a role? Should Asia-Pacific researchers embrace the design-based revolution in the social sciences? Muddy Boots and Smart Suits is for students, scholars, and policymakers in the region looking for a new way to understand local, regional, and global security challenges.

The idea for this volume grew out of a previous collaboration between Jeffrey McCausland and Douglas Stuart. Arguing that the bilateral relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom was both underappreciated and understudied, they organized a series of conferences in 2005 which brought together a group of well-known American and British academics, journalists, and policymakers to discuss political, military, and economic aspects of the "special relationship." The conference proceedings, published by the Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College under the title U. S.-UK Relations at the Start of the 21st Century, proved to be extremely popular- requiring a second printing and generating followon public discussions on both sides of the Atlantic.1 Conversation during these public events tended to focus on one basic question and a couple of ancillary questions: Was the U. S.-UK relationship unique? If so, in what respects? And why?

Pithy and reflective, this book highlights the key economic and political issues that Australia should currently be considering as a Western country geographically and economically tied to Asia. For the first time in history, Australia will be uncomfortably close to the designs and demarches of competing great powers, and this book argues that rather than continuing to be insular and introspective, Australia needs to take the initiative in global affairs. This highly readable and relevant book by one of Australia’s best and most prominent thinkers calls for a renewed public engagement and debate regarding the future of the continent’s foreign policy.