Regenerating the Body: Modern Art, Neo-Darwinism and the Fitness Imperative. Drawing upon histories of art, popular culture, medicine, science and sport, this project proposes that a reconceptualization and reimaging of the human body occurred in Western art and culture, from the end of the nineteenth century, through fitness becoming a Neo-Darwinist imperative. By demonstrating how regeneration facilitated the normalization and 'subjectification? of the body for procreative sexuality, technol ....Regenerating the Body: Modern Art, Neo-Darwinism and the Fitness Imperative. Drawing upon histories of art, popular culture, medicine, science and sport, this project proposes that a reconceptualization and reimaging of the human body occurred in Western art and culture, from the end of the nineteenth century, through fitness becoming a Neo-Darwinist imperative. By demonstrating how regeneration facilitated the normalization and 'subjectification? of the body for procreative sexuality, technologized industry and modern warfare, it substantially revises Michel Foucault's ?biopolitical? theories. In identifying how beauty became inscribed upon the regenerated body and abjection upon the degenerate ?other?, it reveals that the quest for biogenetics emerged long before it became a reality in Nazi Germany.Read moreRead less
Towards an integrated evaluation framework for intrinsic and instrumental benefits of community-based arts. Australia is recognised as a world leader in community-based arts, in which artists and communities collaborate to identify and effect key local issues. Increasingly, these community-based arts projects involve funding from non-arts agencies; for example from the health, justice or urban development sectors. However, existing methods of describing and evaluating their success are generally ....Towards an integrated evaluation framework for intrinsic and instrumental benefits of community-based arts. Australia is recognised as a world leader in community-based arts, in which artists and communities collaborate to identify and effect key local issues. Increasingly, these community-based arts projects involve funding from non-arts agencies; for example from the health, justice or urban development sectors. However, existing methods of describing and evaluating their success are generally ineffective. This research will develop more holistic modes of evaluation, offering benefits to the participants, artists and funders of community-based arts and provide support towards further cross-sector collaborations across all public policy areas, further strengthening Australia's reputation as a leader in fostering active and culturally rich communities.Read moreRead less
Nineteenth-Century climate change: atmosphere, culture and romanticism. To understand and adapt to climate change, we need to understand its cultural history. Nineteenth-century Britain witnessed a crucial episode in this history, when air became central to art and science, and culture was reconceived as climatic. This new link between culture and climate allowed social changes to be seen as having climatic effects.