Here is a selection of cartoons from the latest Issues books published by Independence Educational Publishers, Cambridge UK. Six books are published each (UK) school term, for students 14 years and above.
The present Issues topics are: environment, class, population, gender, tourism and crime.
Population issues
Class issues
Gender issues
Environment issues
Environment issues
John McKenna is a disability commentator whose weekly blog highlights a disability issue that has grabbed his attention.
This week he reports on attending the wheelchair tennis at the Australian Open 2012. A purpose-built platform was provided for wheelchair users to view the matches. Unfortunately it did not have any shelter. There was shade for those who could negotiate the stairs up into the stands. It is summer in Australia and it can get pretty hot sitting out in the sun.
To read John’s post – and see all of his posts, click here.
The January/February issue of New Internationalist is in the newsagents.
Here is my Scratchy Lines cartoon, which appears on the Letters page:
The latest issue of Australian Options is out. To subscribe click here.
Below is a cartoon drawn to illustrate one of the articles in this issue: ‘Policy in the wake of the banking crisis: taking pluralism seriously’ by Sheila Dow.
As the article states ‘There is a limit to how far economists can understand a complex reality, far less predict the future. But fostering a range of perspectives and analytical methods would make economics much more robust in the face of unexpected developments …’
Health SA’s Tobacco and Mental Illness Project has produced many resources for people with a mental illness – who are more likely to smoke, and smoke more heavily than the general population. For example a study has reported that 60% of people with schizophrenia smoke.
More information and links to some of the resources can be found at: http://www.quitsa.org.au/aspx/mental_health.aspx
and details of the Project at:
http://www.quitsa.org.au/aspx/quit_sa_programs.aspx#6
The resources have used cartoons and graphics to help explain the project’s aims of awareness, practice change and reduction. Cartoons can (I hope!) connect with a reader, empathise, and help them through the text.
Here are some examples.
Stages of Change
Unfortunately there isn’t a solution to the Konigsberg Bridge Puzzle. Such is life, there isn’t always a neat resolution, or one right answer.
Andrew Rixon of Babelfish Group http://www.babelfishgroup.com got me to draw the puzzle for a section of his book Complex Systems: thriving in complexity.
So, if you could cope with having the puzzle in your head for a few hours (or a couple of days in my case) and eventually realising that there was no solution, well, maybe we all are better prepared for other stuff that doesn’t resolve itself neatly. Or maybe not….
Why people keep fish in aquariums QED
Independence Educational Publishers, based in Cambridge, publish resource books on social issues for students. Cartoons are a feature of each issue – usually 15-16 in each book. Three of the four regular cartoonists are Australian: Bev Aisbett, Don Hatcher and me. What does that say?
The Independence website is: http://www.independence.co.uk/
Here are three of my cartoons for the recent Vegetarianism issue.
Free Run Press, South Australian publishing house, produces a range of publications.
http://www.freerunpress.com.au/
One of their magazines, SA Kids (formerly South Kids), launched in 2010, provides parents with practical, up to date, local information about raising children. An ongoing series by John Kruger reports on the highs and lows of being a parent, through the growth of baby Stone. Like the magazine, Stone had his first birthday recently…
Stone's first birthday party
Some of my first cartooning jobs were for publications about ‘disability’ rights, in the lead up to the International Year of Disabled Persons (it would be worded better these days). It was an important learning experience for me. One publication from that time was Into the Streets:
Disability Resources Centre Vic, 1981
The MS Society has a number of ongoing campaigns on a range of issues. Here are cartoons illustrating some aspects. How far have things come since the International Year …?
Simon Kneebone - cartoonist and illustrator 