Social Sciences
Political Sciences:
Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a
federal division of powers. It uses a parliamentary system of government with
Queen Elizabeth II. Currently, she is the leader of the Australian State and
uses the formal title of the Queen of Australia. As the Queen lives in the
United Kingdom, she is represented by the Governor-General at the federal level
and by the Governors at the state level.
“Constitutional”, because the commands and
procedures of the Australian Government are defined by a written constitution
and a “monarchy” by the Queen.
Australia is a “federation” due to the
Constitution created a federal system of government. The powers are distributed
between the Government of Australia and the states of government.
There are three branches in the Australian
Government:
- The
legislature: the bicameral Parliament, defined in section 1 of the constitution
as comprising the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), the Senate, and
the House of Representatives.
- The
executive: the Federal Executive Council, in practice the Governor-General as
advised by the Prime Minister and Ministers of State.
- The
judiciary: the High Court of Australia and other federal courts, whose judges
are appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Council.
The Confederation Parliament is constituted by
the Queen, the Senate (the upper house), which is formed by 76 senators and The
House of Representatives (the lower house) that has 150 members. Elections for both chambers are normally held
every three years, but just the half of the positions of the Senate, from the
states and all the senators for the territories, are renewed. It means the
senators for the states hold these positions during six years and the
territorial senators by a period of three years.
The party with majority support in the House of
Representatives forms the government and its leader becomes Prime Minister. There are two major political groups that
usually form government, federally and in the states: the Australian Labor
Party and the Coalition which is a formal grouping of the Liberal Party and its
minor partner, the National Party. Independent members and several minor
parties have achieved representation in Australian parliaments, mostly in upper
houses.
Tony Abbott was first appointed to the Cabinet in 1998 under the Howard Government, as Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. In 2003, he became Minister for Health and Ageing, retaining this position until the 2007 election. He resigned from his frontbench position in November 2009. Abbott led his party through the 2010 election, which resulted in a hung parliament. However, Abbott was re-elected unopposed to the party leadership following the 2010 election. He led the Liberal/National at the 2013 election. Abbott was sworn in as the 28th Prime Minister of Australia on 18 September 2013.
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| Tony Abbott, the Prime Minister of Australia |
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states, known as the Commonwealth realms, and their territories and dependencies, and head of the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations. She is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and, in some of her realms, carries the title of Defender of the Faith as part of her full title.
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The Queen Elizabeth II
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The Parliament House, Canberra
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Archaeology:
Australia
is really a new continent compared with the European or African continents, so
there is not much information about this topic in the web. However, there is
the Australian Archaeological Association Inc. (AAA), which is the largest
archaeological organization in Australia, representing a diverse membership of
professionals, students and others with an interest in archaeology. AAA aims to
promote the advancement of archaeology; to provide an organisation for the
discussion and dissemination of archaeological information and ideas; to
convene meetings at regular intervals; to publicise the need for the study and
conservation of archaeological sites and collections; and, to publicise the
work of the Association.
Kakadu National Park is
located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of
Australia. Aboriginal people have
occupied the Kakadu area continuously for at least 40,000 years. Kakadu
National Park is renowned for the richness of its Aboriginal cultural sites.
There are more than 5,000 recorded art sites illustrating Aboriginal culture
over thousands of years.
The art sites of Ubirr, Burrunguy (Nourlangie Rock) and Nanguluwur are internationally recognised as outstanding examples of Aboriginal rock art. These sites are found in rocky outcrops that have afforded shelter to Aboriginal inhabitants for thousands of years.
Kakadu National Park
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| Aboriginal paintings from Nourlangie Rock |
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Aboriginal rock
painting at Ubirr.
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Bruno David: anthropological
archaeologist, this profession is as much about the present as it
is about the past. In interpreting artefacts, artworks, people’s stories and
histories, Bruno understands that what is at stake is not just the past, but
what it means to people and cultures alive today. For Bruno, archaeological
research is both scientific and personal, and needs to be sensitive to
scientific excellence, cultural values and ethical integrity.
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| Bruno David |
Professor Neale Draper is one of Australia's leading professionals in Cultural Heritage Management, as well as an academic, researcher, and expert witness. He is the Principal Heritage Consultant of the Australian Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd, specialising in cultural heritage management.
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| Neale Draper |
News about the archaeological discoveries in Australia:
- Australian archaeologists found a segment of stone ax 35,000 years old on sacred Aboriginal site in northern Australia, saying it is the oldest object of its kind ever found in the world. (Link)
- Australian archaeologists have discovered that the natives used tools for more than 35,000 years in a mine in Western Australia. This represents a important advance for to know their ancient past. (Link)
- Australian archaeologists have made a discovery, which shows to the first natives as the individuals more advanced in human evolution, in the southwest of Arnhem Land. (Link)
Anthropology:
The Australian Anthropological
Society represents the anthropologists of Australia. The
goals of the Society are to promote the advancement of anthropology as a
professional discipline grounded in the systematic pursuit of knowledge, to
promote its responsible use in the service of humankind, and to promote
professional training and practice in anthropology.
Wilhelm Koppers (February 8th 1886, Menzelen - January 23rd 1961, Viena) anthropologist and catholic priest.
Robert Sokal (January 13th 1926 Vienna- Stony
Brook, New York , April 9, 2012 ) was
a biostatistician and anthropologist Austrian . as distinguished Professor Emeritus
at the State University of Stony
Brook, New York , Sokal was a member of the National Academy of
Sciences of the United States , the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences and Member of Honorary American Society of Naturalists.
Sociology:
Sociology focuses on the organisation of
social life. It looks at how people’s lives are influenced by their
opportunities and experiences; and the impact that people have on society
through taking action and creating change. Sociology provides insights into the
ways factors such as class, wealth, race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality,
disability and religion shape people’s lives, but this is only one part of it.
Sociology is diverse and covers all aspects of social life.
As
sociologists we acknowledge traditional owners and First Nations as the
custodians of their lands, in Australia and internationally. We also
acknowledge the rights of all people to live free from discrimination and
disadvantage whatever their class, race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality,
disability or religion.
Friedrich Freiherr von
Wieser (July 10th 1851, Vienna - July 22th 1926, Salzburgo)
Carl Menger and Eugen
von Böhm-Bawerk,were the founder of Austrian School.
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| E. von B. |
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| Carl Menger |
Psychology:
Psychology is
an academic and applied discipline that involves the scientific study of mental functions and behaviors. Psychology has the immediate goal of
understanding individuals and groups by both establishing general principles
and researching specific cases and by many accounts it ultimately aims to
benefit society.
Sigmund Freud (May 6th 1856,
in Příbor. Moravia, Austrian Empire - September
23rd 1939, in London, England ) was a physician neurologist Austrian Source Jew , father
of psychoanalysis and one of the major intellectual figures of
the twentieth century.
Anna Freud
(December 3rd, 1895 Vienna – October 9th, 1982 London): Austrian psychoanalyst.
Daughter of the famous Sigmund Freud, she made their own contributions to
psychoanalysis, particularly on child psychology.
George Elton May (December 26th,
1880, Adelaide, Austria - September 7th, 1949), was a social theorist,
sociologist and psychologist en specialized industrial organization theory,
thethuman relations and human relations movements.
