Gender-Mixing Roles,Gender-Crossing Roles,and the Sexuality of Transgendered Roles

Fischer, Michael M. J. and Mehdi Abedi. Debating Muslims: Cultural Dialogues in Postmodernity and Tradition. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1990. xxxvi + 564 pp. including notes, bibliography, and index. $49.75 cloth, $23.50 paper.

Bradburd, Daniel. Ambiguous Relations: Kin, Class, and Conflict among Komachi Pastoralists. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1990. xxix + 240 pp. including notes, references, and index. $29.95 cloth.     

Edna O'Brien and narrative diaspora space

Given the persistent presence of migration in the work of Edna O'Brien, it is surprising how marginal a theme it is in critiques of her work. This article explores how questions of diaspora have reached a renewed level of depth and intensity in her novel The Light of Evening (2006) and the related short story ‘My Two Mothers’ (2011). Looking, in particular, at how letters play a central role in the relationships of three generations of Irish women across three countries, it analyses how issues of mother(land), diaspora and belonging are mediated through migrant fiction. It draws on the work of Avtar Brah and Paul Ricoeur to argue that, along with related forms of textuality within O'Brien's oeuvre, letters represent a ‘narrative diaspora space’ which illuminates the relationship between mothers, daughters and writing in Irish migrant experience.     

Spatial Characteristics and Comparisons of Interaction and Median Clustering Models

Cluster analysis has been pursued from a number of directions for identifying interesting relationships and patterns in spatial information. A major emphasis is currently on the development and refinement of optimization‐based clustering models for the purpose of exploring spatially referenced data. Within this context, two basic methods exist for identifying clusters that are most similar. An interesting feature of these two approaches is that one method approximates the relationships inherent in the other method. This is significant given that the approximation approach is invariably utilized for cluster detection in spatial and aspatial analysis. A number of spatial applications are investigated which highlight the differences in clusters produced by each model. This is an important contribution because the differences are in fact quite significant, yet these contrasts are not widely known or acknowledged.     

Australia’s engagement with the European Union: partnership choices and critical friends

ABSTRACT

This article examines the development of Australia’s relationship with the European Union (EU) by focusing on drivers and obstacles. Underlying the relationship are the burden of memory and common interests and values. It argues that, although the past still resonates, the changes to the range and depth of interests and values have resulted in a more fruitful engagement. It suggests that a history of a negatively framed context of engagement, characterised by Australian critiques of the EU and, in turn, by EU neglect of the relationship, has contributed to distance between the two interlocutors. It is only in recent years that this distance has been bridged and perceptions have changed. Australia has chosen partnerships with the EU that enhance its economic and political choices. Links with a long-term partner, the UK, are being recast as Brexit presents a new challenge at a time of Australia’s stronger engagement with the EU through a key agreement and trade talks. Finally, the article argues that Australia and the EU are critical friends.     

The Influence of Data Aggregation on the Stability of p-Median Location Model Solutions

Location planning often makes use of data in an aggregate form without a clear understanding of the consequences. Although research has been directed toward addressing aggregate data usage in location planning, there have been conflicting findings on the stability of location model solutions obtained using aggregated data. This paper analyzes the question of location model solution stability from a somewhat different perspective than previous researchers in that locational configurations identified for aggregate data are evaluated using the original disaggregate data. Analytical results demonstrate that a high level of solution stability does exist when aggregated data are utilized. Further, this analysis is based upon the use of what can be expected to be worst case aggregation approaches. This suggests that the use of aggregate data is adequate for conducting locational studies.