Artistic Practice in Australian Videogame Development. The game industry is the largest cultural industry in the world. Its economic growth relies in part on the artistic innovations of non-commercial developers and communities operating beyond the industry’s purview. Policymakers and researchers alike struggle to account for the cultural contexts and creative origins of game development. This project conceptualises and empirically investigates ‘artist-gamemaking’ to generate new knowledge on th ....Artistic Practice in Australian Videogame Development. The game industry is the largest cultural industry in the world. Its economic growth relies in part on the artistic innovations of non-commercial developers and communities operating beyond the industry’s purview. Policymakers and researchers alike struggle to account for the cultural contexts and creative origins of game development. This project conceptualises and empirically investigates ‘artist-gamemaking’ to generate new knowledge on the ambitions, techniques and histories of Australia’s game industry. It develops resources that will enable cultural institutions to better support them. This research is important as it articulates the cultural and economic value of a vital site of creative practice in contemporary Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101558
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Taking humour seriously for online safety. Harmful humour impacts on women’s wellbeing online, but is poorly managed by social media platforms, and has not been integrated into online safety regulation and policy. This project aims to bring together sociocultural theory, social media analysis, and interviews to better understand the dynamics of harmful humour online in Australia. It will work with users, community leaders and industry stakeholders to evaluate current platform and policy response ....Taking humour seriously for online safety. Harmful humour impacts on women’s wellbeing online, but is poorly managed by social media platforms, and has not been integrated into online safety regulation and policy. This project aims to bring together sociocultural theory, social media analysis, and interviews to better understand the dynamics of harmful humour online in Australia. It will work with users, community leaders and industry stakeholders to evaluate current platform and policy responses and how they could be improved. The anticipated outcomes include theoretical advances, workable principles for better content moderation processes that reduce harm without restricting healthy expression, and evidence-based contributions to debates on online safety regulation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240101275
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$382,440.00
Summary
Paying and playing: Assessing and regulating digital games-as-a-service . The digital games industry has turned to a service-based business model reliant on the generation of continuous user revenue. This project assesses the implications of service-based monetisation for how games are designed, consumed, and regulated, focusing on three controversial, yet insufficiently understood monetisation strategies: advertising, in-game transactions, and blockchain-based play. While promising benefit for ....Paying and playing: Assessing and regulating digital games-as-a-service . The digital games industry has turned to a service-based business model reliant on the generation of continuous user revenue. This project assesses the implications of service-based monetisation for how games are designed, consumed, and regulated, focusing on three controversial, yet insufficiently understood monetisation strategies: advertising, in-game transactions, and blockchain-based play. While promising benefit for consumers and industry, these monetisation strategies carry the potential for risks like surveillance, harmful advertising, and predatory design. Discoveries from this project will help policymakers, industry, and consumers regulate, design, and use games featuring service-based monetisation in effective and ethical ways.Read moreRead less
Voice and Belonging: Pathways to inclusion for new migrant communities. This project investigates the role of Australia's ethnic media in the humanitarian and refugee settlement experience, conceptualising media engagement as a key lens through which to foster a sense of belonging. The project expects to provide the first-ever national study of ethnic media, mapping the 'migrant mediasphere' with a focus on new humanitarian and refugee communities. Expected outcomes include conceptual advances a ....Voice and Belonging: Pathways to inclusion for new migrant communities. This project investigates the role of Australia's ethnic media in the humanitarian and refugee settlement experience, conceptualising media engagement as a key lens through which to foster a sense of belonging. The project expects to provide the first-ever national study of ethnic media, mapping the 'migrant mediasphere' with a focus on new humanitarian and refugee communities. Expected outcomes include conceptual advances about media engagement and public connection for new and emerging migrant communities, and media's place in the assemblage of humanitarian settlement services. Significant benefits emerge for humanitarian and refugee arrivals, for media trying to service these communities and for policymakers in urban and regional areas.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100416
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,727.00
Summary
Beyond broadcasting: Community radio as a model community organisation. With 20,000 volunteers, almost six million weekly listeners, and 50 years of history, Australia has one of the most well-established community radio sectors in the world. Yet discussions about community radio are limited to debates about media. Community radio stations are diverse and community-engaged organisations, with much more to offer than just what's on air. This research aims to explore community radio as a model for ....Beyond broadcasting: Community radio as a model community organisation. With 20,000 volunteers, almost six million weekly listeners, and 50 years of history, Australia has one of the most well-established community radio sectors in the world. Yet discussions about community radio are limited to debates about media. Community radio stations are diverse and community-engaged organisations, with much more to offer than just what's on air. This research aims to explore community radio as a model for successful, sustainable, and diverse community organisations. The findings of this project will help other community organisations improve their community connections and engagement, and articulate their value, which will contribute to re-engaging Australians in civic life.Read moreRead less