Commented Paper Research Articles

Editorial

During 2006, the Geographical Journal carried 22 full papers, 31 book reviews, and 2 commentary papers in relation to the Indian Ocean Tsunami special section published at the end of 2005. Two out of the four issues were Special Issues, the first on Postcolonialism and Development in March and the second on International and Comparative Dimensions on Sustainable Farmland Management in September. Although the publication of special issues impedes the flow of our regular papers, these collections do, however, provide a focused set of papers around a theme that does tend to attract considerable interest. Although well-received, we do not intend to publish any more than two special issues during any year, as it is important that the GJ continues to reflect the diversity and richness of research currently going on in the area of environment and development. It was especially gratifying to see such a large number of book reviews being carried this year, as I know that a large part of the GJ's readership enjoys this section and finds it extremely useful. It was also pleasing to see that the Indian Ocean Tsunami special section, published in December 2005, not only received some subsequent media interest, but also attracted some reaction among the readership, resulting in the publication of two Commentary papers during 2006. As Table 1 shows, the number of new submissions remained at a level broadly comparable to that of the previous year. Because of the larger number of pending papers carried forward, the number of active papers dealt with during the year rose to 79. Of these, 23 (or 29%) were firmly accepted for publication during the year, with the rejection rate rising from 51% to 58%. Encouragingly, the number of papers submitted which included at least one female author increased from 30% of all new submissions last year to 36% this year (Table 2). The provenance of authors has remained broadly similar to that of last year (Table 3), although the relative positions of the Rest of Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa have switched. The fact that the number of authors from Sub-Saharan Africa has increased is particularly pleasing, as we are very keen to increase the number of researchers from the Global South choosing to send their work to the GJ. We now need to encourage researchers from other parts of the Global South to follow suit. During the year, the GJ has said goodbye to two of the behind-the-scenes stalwarts. Judy Cornish left Blackwells to return to postgraduate work, and her efforts to promote the marketing of the GJ will be sorely missed. However, we all wish Judy well in her future endeavours. We also said goodbye to Gwen Lowman who did such sterling work in the Journals Office at the RGS-IBG in London. Gwen's knowledge of authors and reliable referees is second to none, and I very much appreciate the support and guidance which she provided for me. Gwen has taken retirement and now has the time to do the travelling she always wanted to. We wish her a very long and healthy retirement. Sal Moore, however, is still doing the production work at Blackwells for the GJ, and, as ever, I thank Sal for all her efforts in supporting us, sometimes against some very tight deadlines. I would also like to thank all those referees who, during the year, have provided full and frank reports on the papers sent out to them. I know that refereeing papers is a thankless task these days, and especially in the RAE-driven environment of the UK, but without your unstinting efforts, there would be no GJ (nor any other journal for that matter).

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology has made considerable progress in the past year in all of its focus areas that affect visibility and financial well-being as we strive to achieve our mission. “Building Our Brand” is at the core of every activity, including our product (publications), our member involvement (stakeholder contacts and reports), and our distribution and sales (expanding our reach and affecting the key audiences listed in our mission statement). “Ahead of the Need” information is what the Poultry Science Association can provide us. We are increasing the number of commentary papers that we will produce annually, and we have improved our reach to state and federal congressional contacts and media personnel. We appreciate the support and suggestions of the Poultry Science Association and look forward to continued success in communicating science to society.

Towards a Complex, Plural and Dynamic Approach to Diversity: Rejoinder to Myers and Patil, Podani, and Sarkar

This reply paper includes two brief remarks in rejoinder to the commentary papers of Myers and Patil, Podani, and Sarkar. The first observation concerns the fundamental nature of ecological diversity measures, while the second one specifically addresses some interesting mathematical connections between α- and β-diversity.

Models: The Third Dimension of Science (review)

Reviewed by: Models: The Third Dimension of Science Jonathan Bard Models: The Third Dimension of Science. Edited by Soraya de Chadarevian and Nick Hopwood. Stanford: Stanford Univ. Press, 2004. Pp. 464. $65 (cloth), $24.95 (paper). Mention models, and my thoughts immediately turn to the 3-D digital models of mouse embryos that I have recently been making; then my memory glazes over and I recall how, some 20 years ago, I was shown around the early models of protein structures at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge by one of the greats, Max Perutz. If it were not for the fact that the current generation of students have never heard of Perutz, I'd have said that this was a memory to pass on to the grandchildren. Go back another 20 years, and I recall the most important physics lecture that I attended as an undergraduate: it was on the theory of the specific heat of solids, and the lecturer showed how working through the implications of some very basic assumptions led to an equation that gave a fine fit with the data. The elegance and clarity of this piece of work were not only a joy, but it explained to me the role of theoretical models in science—and it was not until 30 years later that I discovered that it was yet another lovely bit of work by Einstein. On the other hand, a visiting, elderly physicist who picked up the book on models that I am getting round to discussing expressed his disappointment that there wasn't at least one chapter dedicated to Playboy. [End Page 299] One word, so many meanings. I suppose that every scientist, no matter what his or her subject, will also be able to dredge up memories of models made as a child, models representing the large, the small, the inside, the outside, the geometry, the passage of time and more. So I looked forward to reading Models: The Third Dimension and to seeing how professional historians of science approached this fascinating topic. The book itself is a collection of papers given at a conference in 1998 that took some six years to hit the bookshops—the subject of academic models is clearly not one that suffers from the pressures of competition and immediacy. Aside from an introduction and two commentary papers, there are 13 substantive papers shoehorned into sections entitled "Modelling and Enlightenment," "Disciplines and Display," and "New Media and Old." This partitioning may have worked well at the original meeting, but it made little sense to me (my focus is clearly more on content than form), particularly as it led to the dispersion of the three papers on anatomical topics and of the three papers on chemical and molecular models. Even if this organization reflects the way in which scientific historians think about models, it is not one intended to communicate a great deal to the rest of the scientific community and nor, I regret to say, did many of the papers. This was mainly because most of them stood alone, focusing on a particular aspect of the world of models in its local temporal context, rather than taking any broader view—although this may be what historians of science are expected to do. The net result is that the book has a fragmented feel, and its impact on a reader who is a scientist rather than a historian of science depends entirely on whether a significant number of the book's topics mesh with the interests of that reader. Most of the book covers topics that I had the background to appreciate, and a few chapters were simply fascinating. I was drawn in to Thomas Schnalke's paper "Casting Skin," on moulages (or wax models of diseases, particularly skin disorders), items that were of key importance in educating dermatologists and checking diagnoses before the common availability of color photographs (something that this book cried out for). The chapter covers the history of moulages, their use, the techniques for making them, the physicians who used them, the mouleurs and mouleuses who modeled them, and the patients who were modeled. All in all, a very good read about...

Trends in Thailand II. Proceedings With Background and Commentary Papers.

Trends in Thailand II. Proceedings With Background and Commentary Papers.

Makna Awwala bait pada Q.S Ali Imran Ayat 96 (Perspektif Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani Dalam Tafsir Al-Jailani)

This article is entitled "The Meaning of Awwala bait in Q.S Ali Imran Verse 96 (Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani's Perspective in Tafsir Al-Jailani)”. God built the first house for humans, in order to understand that the presence of God's house raises awareness that only God has the right to be worshiped and glorified by humans. Sheikh Abdul Qadir named this as Tawhid adz-Dzatiy, or the oneness of Allah alone because everything He has created will return and surrender only to Allah. Allah's first house (Awwala Bait) is bestowed by Allah with broad blessings and becomes a guide for the whole world. This study aims to examine the meaning of the awwala stanza in Q.S Ali Imran verse 96 regarding the house of Allah which is not only introduced in physical or outward form. But it also touches the nature behind the house of Allah SWT. which penetrates to the wisdom of the presence of God's first home on earth for humans.
 In reviewing this research using the library research method (library) with the form of qualitative data. By exploring the views of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani which he outlined in a monumental work, Tafsir Al-Jailani. So that the data reviewed is in the form of text studies, books that are relevant to the subject matter, books of commentary, journals, theses, and scientific papers that are relevant to the discussion of research. Furthermore, the method applied to study Al-Jailani's interpretation uses the maudhu'i method approach by collecting and studying verses related to the theme of meaning (awwala bait). The data collection technique is by data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results that were concluded from research regarding the meaning of the awwala verse in Q.S Ali Imran verse 96 understand that, Allah's first house was not limited to a physical building. However, Shaykh Abdul Qadir explained that the presence of Allah's first house provides broad blessings and becomes a guide to Allah for the whole world. So as to obtain closeness based on love for the owner of the house, namely Allah Rabb Al-'Alamiin.