The Australian Way of Life adopts a broad and flexible approach to sociology that illustrates ‘the sociological endeavour’ – the ongoing effort to understand and describe our changing world. The book begins with two introductory chapters. Chapter 1 lays the foundation for the four key sociological themes addressed throughout the book:• Questioning things we take for granted• Examining social life from difference perspectives• Appreciating the advent of modernity/div• Examining social division, social inequality and social difference This is followed by an introduction to sociological theory which readers can return to as they consider different perspectives. The structure and layout of the five parts that follow offers readers flexibility to pursue their own interests, while enriching their appreciation of the sociological endeavour.Part 1 The stuff of life: landscape, food, water, health, time and spacePart 2 Fit for life: family, education, working, law and crimePart 3 Modern life: identity, location, globalisation, communitiesPart 4 Life chances: sex and gender, class and poverty, the life course, AboriginalityPart 5 Life style: mass media, leisure, consumption, religion /divThe interconnectedness of various issues is highlighted throughout the book. Also included are reflective markers which provide questions for consideration, margin notes and end of chapter discussion questions.

Fifty years after its first publication, Robin Boyd's bestselling The Australian Ugliness remains the definitive statement on how we live and think in the environments we create for ourselves. In it Boyd rallied against Australia's promotion of ornament, decorative approach to design and slavish imitation of all things American. 'The basis of the Australian ugliness,' he wrote, 'is an unwillingness to be committed on the level of ideas. In all the arts of living, in the shaping of all her artefacts, as in politics, Australia shuffles about vigorously in the middle - as she estimates the middle - of the road, picking up disconnected ideas wherever she finds them.' Boyd was a fierce critic, and an advocate of good design. He understood the significance of the connection between people and their dwellings, and argued passionately for a national architecture forged from a genuine Australian identity. His concerns are as important now, in an era of suburban sprawl and inner-city redevelopment, as they were half a century ago. Caustic and brilliant, The Australian Ugliness is a masterpiece that enables us to see our surroundings with fresh eyes. This handsome anniversary edition is complemented by Robin Boyd's original sketches for the book and a new afterword by major contemporary architects.

No detailed description available for "What Now".

Essays for Australia is a publication of The Centre for the Australian Way of Life at the Institute of Public Affairs. The purpose of Essays for Australia is to explain and defend the values that have created the Australian way of life - democracy, egalitarianism, and freedom in all its dimensions.

A substantial backyard has long been considered an iconic feature of the Australian suburb. Nevertheless, during the 1990s, a dramatic change occurred: substantial backyards largely disappeared from new suburban houses in Australia. Whatever the size of lot, the dwelling now covers most of its developable area. Although the planning system does not actually promote this change, it does little to prevent it. It appears to be a physical expression of the way that Australian lifestyles are changing for the worse, in particular longer working hours. This in turn raises issues about health and wellbeing, especially for children. Vegetation surrounding the dwelling plays an important role in microclimate, storm drainage and biodiversity, irrespective of whether the residents use their backyard. Its loss has serious ecological implications, a deficit rendered permanent by the changes to the housing stock. The Life and Death of the Australian Backyard is based on a detailed quantitative study of this increasing, but previously unstudied, problem. It discusses the nature, uses and meaning of the traditional backyard, presents an understanding of the changes that have been happening and suggests possible remedies. All professionals working in the landscape and development industries, local government, consultancies and in universities should read this unique study of an issue of increasing significance to urban sustainability.

The writer explores his beloved Australia in a memoir that is “a delight to read [and] a call to arms . . . It beseeches us to revere the land that sustains us” (Guardian). From boyhood, Tim Winton’s relationship with the world around him?rock pools, sea caves, scrub, and swamp?has been as vital as any other connection. Camping in hidden inlets, walking in high rocky desert, diving in reefs, bobbing in the sea between surfing sets, Winton has felt the place seep into him, and learned to see landscape as a living process. In Island Home, Winton brings this landscape?and its influence on the island nation’s identity and art?vividly to life through personal accounts and environmental history. Wise, rhapsodic, exalted?in language as unexpected and wild as the landscape it describes?Island Home is a brilliant, moving portrait of Australia from one of its finest writers, the prize-winning author of Breath, Eyrie, and The Shepherd’s Hut, among other acclaimed titles.

With British precedents and working-class origins, the terrace house has a story of remarkable resilience.Today it is highly sought-after for its nostalgic charm and inner-city locale. A new generation of homeowners is making their mark by working with architects and designers to reimagine the terrace house for a twenty-first-century lifestyle. From subtle refinements to bold geometric forms, alterations and additions are often hidden from the street creating a sense of intrigue about what lies behind, above or beyond the romantic facade. This collection of homes celebrates the incredible history and enduring appeal of these well-loved buildings.