The digital restoration of the Dublin Kephalaia codex and its importance for the history of religions. This is a project at the forefront of the emerging use of digital technology to render legible manuscripts long regarded as unreadable. The unique fourth century codex, now housed at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle, has been known of since 1929. The latest developments in image enhancement, especially the pseudocolour technique, offer the first chance for an international team led ....The digital restoration of the Dublin Kephalaia codex and its importance for the history of religions. This is a project at the forefront of the emerging use of digital technology to render legible manuscripts long regarded as unreadable. The unique fourth century codex, now housed at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle, has been known of since 1929. The latest developments in image enhancement, especially the pseudocolour technique, offer the first chance for an international team led from the University of Sydney to read and publish the text. Its contents record discussions about religion, human nature and the natural world held by sages from East and West at the court of the Persian king; and illuminate the dynamic cultural interchange between India and the Mediterranean world that characterised late antiquity.Read moreRead less
Religion and Political Transformation: A Transnational Study of South American Independence, 1750-1840. This pathbreaking international research project strongly contributes to the internationalisation of Australian humanities and social science research. It ensures Australia's substantial participation in seminal intellectual debates during the approaching bicentenaries of the birth of modernity in Spain and Latin America. It guarantees that Australia will not become just a consumer of overseas ....Religion and Political Transformation: A Transnational Study of South American Independence, 1750-1840. This pathbreaking international research project strongly contributes to the internationalisation of Australian humanities and social science research. It ensures Australia's substantial participation in seminal intellectual debates during the approaching bicentenaries of the birth of modernity in Spain and Latin America. It guarantees that Australia will not become just a consumer of overseas research in this field. It renews Australia's intellectual and cultural capital in Iberian and Latin American Studies at a crucial moment of generational change. It contributes to an understanding of the generic links between religious radicalism and political violence in an age of fast-moving, global transformation.Read moreRead less
Pre-Christian Religions of the North: A History of Research and Reception. The Australian community, like others that share a predominantly Western culture, is indebted to the conceptual world of pre-Christian Nordic religions for many fundamental ideas, artistic and literary expressions and significant misconceptions: consider the fantasies of Tolkien, the significance of naming a boat Loki in the 2008 Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race, and the underlying ideology of Nazism. This project will reveal ....Pre-Christian Religions of the North: A History of Research and Reception. The Australian community, like others that share a predominantly Western culture, is indebted to the conceptual world of pre-Christian Nordic religions for many fundamental ideas, artistic and literary expressions and significant misconceptions: consider the fantasies of Tolkien, the significance of naming a boat Loki in the 2008 Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race, and the underlying ideology of Nazism. This project will reveal our community's general debt to Nordic religions through a study of how people have understood and used them from the Middle Ages until now, thereby revealing one of our culture's major influences.Read moreRead less
Being Muslim in Eastern Indonesia: practice, politics and cultural diversity. The project contributes to Safeguarding Australia through improved understanding of Muslim communities in eastern Indonesia and training young scholars in this field. Our studies of island society and regional Islamic organisations offer ethnographically informed comparative perspectives on Islamic cultural diversity across eastern Indonesia, including current changes in religious practice and governance. Insights deve ....Being Muslim in Eastern Indonesia: practice, politics and cultural diversity. The project contributes to Safeguarding Australia through improved understanding of Muslim communities in eastern Indonesia and training young scholars in this field. Our studies of island society and regional Islamic organisations offer ethnographically informed comparative perspectives on Islamic cultural diversity across eastern Indonesia, including current changes in religious practice and governance. Insights developed will enable Australia to anticipate future directions of socio-political transformation in Indonesia,and evaluate prospects for democratization, economic stability and human security. In a region that remains a priority for Australian development our research will improve understanding of a key driver of social life.Read moreRead less
The King of Terrors: Death and its Meaning in the Israelite/Early Jewish Culture. The study will deepen our understanding of Judeo-Christian traditions and advance our knowledge of ancient cultures. It will also be important for debates about interethnic relations and tolerance in Australia by elucidating the underlying culturally conditioned attitudes towards death and the influence they have on the conduct of different ethnic communities. The undertaking of this important research will continu ....The King of Terrors: Death and its Meaning in the Israelite/Early Jewish Culture. The study will deepen our understanding of Judeo-Christian traditions and advance our knowledge of ancient cultures. It will also be important for debates about interethnic relations and tolerance in Australia by elucidating the underlying culturally conditioned attitudes towards death and the influence they have on the conduct of different ethnic communities. The undertaking of this important research will continue to establish Australia's growing reputation as the internationally important location for innovative cultural and religious studies. Read moreRead less
Science and Religion in Early Modern Europe. This project seeks to elucidate the nature of early modern science, early modern religion, and their relationship. A major focus will be the shift from medieval conceptions of science (scientia) and religion (religio) as inner virtues, to the modern understanding of science and religion as bodies of knowledge and sets of practices. This transformation was fundamental to the emergence of modern science and made possible a new kind of relationship be ....Science and Religion in Early Modern Europe. This project seeks to elucidate the nature of early modern science, early modern religion, and their relationship. A major focus will be the shift from medieval conceptions of science (scientia) and religion (religio) as inner virtues, to the modern understanding of science and religion as bodies of knowledge and sets of practices. This transformation was fundamental to the emergence of modern science and made possible a new kind of relationship between science and religion?one unique to the West. The project will enhance our understanding of the rise of science and identify distinctive features of modern Western culture.Read moreRead less
Protestant Apocalypticism, the Book of Revelation, and History in English Thought, 1550-1800. This project will make a further significant contribution to Australia's strong international reputation in Early Modern Thought. It is crucial to Australians' understanding of our contemporary world in which Apocalyptic dualism, particularly the demonisation of the other by both Western conservative elites and Christian and Muslim fundamentalists,is a central feature of modern discourse. With conservat ....Protestant Apocalypticism, the Book of Revelation, and History in English Thought, 1550-1800. This project will make a further significant contribution to Australia's strong international reputation in Early Modern Thought. It is crucial to Australians' understanding of our contemporary world in which Apocalyptic dualism, particularly the demonisation of the other by both Western conservative elites and Christian and Muslim fundamentalists,is a central feature of modern discourse. With conservative religious movements which treat the Bible literally significantly on the increase in Australia, it is crucial to the national interest to be aware of the socially divisive elements in both Biblical fundamentalism and contemporary Protestant sectarian Apocalypticism. Read moreRead less