The use of terror by extreme members of nationalist groups has surprising effects. When, a few years ago, Armenian groups began assassinating Turkish officials, such terrorism was denounced in press and television headlines as inhuman, as something of which civilized Western peoples were incapable. But, the media felt, people would want also to know why these Armenians were doing such things, and who were Armenians, and where did they come from and what had they…
Once again the fin de stecle, that curious period of liminality between centuries, not quite belonging to either the century that's passing or that which is looming, is proving exciting in terms of new visions, not only of Australia being, at last, at least, a republic, but of inklings of a new historical formation with which to greet the new century, however much any dream is shaded by history as threat, cruelty, and failure. We…
