Immunological diagnosis of multiple myeloma in a medieval bone

An inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using monoclonal antibodies has been used to confirm the diagnosis of IgA type multiple myeloma in a small fragment (< 10 g) of cranium from a medieval female. Further testing by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting showed that the IgA was mainly polymeric, suggesting that the individual would have suffered from a hyperviscosity syndrome. This is the first time that immunological assays have been used to diagnose multiple myeloma in ancient human tissue and have permitted speculation on associated clinical symptoms.     

The production, symbolization and socialization of gentrification: impressions from two Berkshire villages

Gentrification has long been the subject of considerable interest and debate amongst geographers. A range of differing ontological and epistemological conceptions of gentrification have been advanced, with attempts often being made to legislate between them to establish some definitive categorizations of gentrification. The majority of gentrification studies are also highly urbanized: gentrification is seen explicitly or implicitly as a phenomenon that occurs in urban space. This paper questions both the legislative and urban foci of gentrification studies, by outlining an interpretative study of material, social and symbolic dimensions of gentrification within two villages in rural Berkshire.     

Politics of Reading: Cultural Politics of Homelessness

Reading opens up important avenues for political action. Reading is political in the sense that social groups produce and resist, advance and censor readings of key cultural texts, according to their power to do so and their interests in doing so. This paper examines the politics of reading in relation to cultural politics of homeless-ness. It does so by considering readers and readings of Johnny Go Home (1975), a British television documentary drama about homeless young people, and a cultural text that was open to different readings and political uses. Like many other representations of homeless people, Johnny Go Home revolved around a small number of stereotypes. However, these stereotypes were interpreted and used differently by different readers, according to their power to read and their interests in doing so. Broadly distinct interpretive communities, identified as liberal and conservative, used their respective readings of the programme to advance different solutions to contemporary homelessness. These readings were put to significant legislative use,for they were mobilised in the formal and informal political discourse that culminated in Britain's first direct legislation on behalf of homeless people. More generally, the various readings of Johnny Go Home underline the political significance of the consumption, as well as the production, of representations.     

What is 'Australian'? Knowledge and Among a Gallery of Contemporary Australians

Recent discussions of Australian national identity have focused on official discourses or media representations, or have involved expert readings of popular texts. We know remarkably little about how 'ordinary' Australians (we use this term with considerable reservation) think about their nation. This issue was addressed using focus group methodology with recruitment according to demographic and regional criteria. Groups were asked to identify 'Australian' people, groups, places, activities, events and values. Whilst it was predicted that there would be great variability over the groups, we found remarkable homogeneity. Participants consistently recognised and endorsed traditional, older, past-oriented symbols and images of Australia as predicted in the Australian Studies literature. Progressive, abstract and inclusive concepts of the nation, such as those recently advanced by governmental agencies, were notably absent from discussion. These findings suggest popular concepts of the Australian are robust and have a relative autonomy from the alternative models and discourses proposed by Australia's contending elites.     

The Incorporation of Kendal in 1575

This study establishes why, after centuries as a manorial borough, Kendal was incorporated in 1575 and who brought this change about. It assesses the relationships between the town, its parish and its local region and looks at the impact that the new corporation had on them. These issues are of general importance to incorporations in other towns, especially those which, like Kendal, had previously been dominated by the manorial lord, and where borough self-government was relatively unsophisticated. Of course, there is no space to discuss every aspect of the incorporation here and so the paper concludes by suggesting some further avenues for research in the run up to the 450^th anniversary of Kendal’s incorporation.     

Book reviews

New Works in Geography

The Holocene: an environmental history. 2nd Edition. Neil Roberts. Pp. 316. Oxford: Blackwells, 1998. 2nd Edition. £17.99 (pbk), ISBN 0 631 18638 7.

The nature of the environment. 4th Edition. Andrew Goudie. Pp. xv + 544. Oxford: Blackwells, 2001. Price £21.99 (pbk), ISBN 0 631 20069 X (pbk).

The human impact on the natural environment. 5th Edition. Andrew Goudie. Pp. xvi + 509. Oxford: Blackwells, 2000. Price £17.99 (pbk), ISBN 0 631 19978 0 (pbk).

Statistical methods for geography. Peter A. Rogerson. Pp. xii + 236. London: Sage, 2001. Price £55.00 (hbk), £17.99 (pbk), ISBN 0 7619 6287 5 (hbk), ISBN 0 7619 6288 3 (pbk).

Introduction to planning practice. Philip Allmendinger, Alan Prior & Jeremy Raemaekers. Pp. x + 439. Chichester: John Wiley, 2000. Price £17.99 (pbk), ISBN 0 471 98522.

A geography of heritage. Brian Graham, G.J. Ashworth & J.E. Tunbridge. Pp. v + 284. London: Arnold, 2000. Price £16.99 (pbk), £45.00 (hbk), ISBN 0 340 67778 3 (pbk), ISBN 0 340 67779 1 (hbk).     

Interventions against forced marriage: contesting hegemonic narratives and minority practices in Europe

Muslims in western countries are routinely depicted as non-liberal minorities through representations of homophobia, honour killings and forced marriage within their communities. This presents a practical challenge to face up to non-liberal practices where they do exist, but without demonising an entire faith community. It also raises conceptual questions about mainstream western values. In the context of forced marriage, liberal principles (such as an individual's right to choose their own marriage partner and to decide whether to marry) appear to clash with postcolonial sensibilities including a valorisation of multiculturalism (which might recognise the rights of minorities to practice different marriage customs). These questions are examined through a case study involving Stichting Platform Islamitische Organisaties Rijnmond (SPIOR), a Muslim-identified organisation that works against forced marriage. Based in the Netherlands and active in six other European countries, SPIOR has worked with people potentially affected by forced marriage and also communicated its projects – and the progressive vision of Islam they advance – to wider audiences. Its experiences suggest that tensions between secular majorities and Muslim minorities, and between liberal and postcolonial values and sensibilities, are less fundamental than they sometimes appear, and more navigable.