Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science: A comparative analysis. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to bring together anthropologists, educationlists, museum curators and Indigenous communities to research ways of incorporating Indigenous knowledge into school and museum education programs. The project uses the expertise of the partners to analyse the process of inclusion from the perspective of cross-cultural discourse. The research will enable complex conceptual and ethical issues t ....Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science: A comparative analysis. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to bring together anthropologists, educationlists, museum curators and Indigenous communities to research ways of incorporating Indigenous knowledge into school and museum education programs. The project uses the expertise of the partners to analyse the process of inclusion from the perspective of cross-cultural discourse. The research will enable complex conceptual and ethical issues to be addressed that will enable an extended and productive exchange between Indigenous communities and the general educational sector. The outcomes will include refereed publications and works in new media.Read moreRead less
The Nakanai Caves Cultural Heritage Project. This project aims to document and integrate the natural and cultural values of the Nakanai Caves in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for a cultural landscape World Heritage nomination. The project’s novel methodology incorporates community knowledge with archaeological and anthropological evidence to link natural and cultural values and define the landscape from local perspectives. Local input into the research will be prioritised. B ....The Nakanai Caves Cultural Heritage Project. This project aims to document and integrate the natural and cultural values of the Nakanai Caves in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for a cultural landscape World Heritage nomination. The project’s novel methodology incorporates community knowledge with archaeological and anthropological evidence to link natural and cultural values and define the landscape from local perspectives. Local input into the research will be prioritised. By emphasising local participation and management of World Heritage listing processes the project aims to address an identified gap in World Heritage methodologies. This project allows for a subtle, nuanced definition of cultural landscapes under the World Heritage Convention.Read moreRead less
Indigenous Culture, Heritage and Economy in Rural NSW. Effective incorporation of Indigenous peoples into Australian social and economic life is a recognised national priority. A meaningful route is through Indigenous cultural heritage, an integral component of Australian identity. Through interdisciplinary pure research, enhanced by applied methodologies, this project will deliver knowledge and training to realise the value of local Indigenous cultural heritage for a rural area. It will culmina ....Indigenous Culture, Heritage and Economy in Rural NSW. Effective incorporation of Indigenous peoples into Australian social and economic life is a recognised national priority. A meaningful route is through Indigenous cultural heritage, an integral component of Australian identity. Through interdisciplinary pure research, enhanced by applied methodologies, this project will deliver knowledge and training to realise the value of local Indigenous cultural heritage for a rural area. It will culminate in Indigenous people developing roles that contribute directly to Shire and corporate interests. In making a significant contribution to the economic and social well-being of a particular rural area, the project has potential for adoption elsewhere.Read moreRead less
Howitt & Fison’s anthropology. Howitt & Fison’s anthropology. This project will systematically analyse nineteenth century anthropologists Lorimer Fison and A.W. Howitt’s accounts of Indigenous kinship, social organisation, and local languages, and historical encounters between settlers and Indigenous people. This project will assemble Fison and Howitt’s meticulous records into best-practice digital formats, with widely accessible interactive data presentation, and bring these extraordinary recor ....Howitt & Fison’s anthropology. Howitt & Fison’s anthropology. This project will systematically analyse nineteenth century anthropologists Lorimer Fison and A.W. Howitt’s accounts of Indigenous kinship, social organisation, and local languages, and historical encounters between settlers and Indigenous people. This project will assemble Fison and Howitt’s meticulous records into best-practice digital formats, with widely accessible interactive data presentation, and bring these extraordinary records to the broadest possible community. This research, which integrates anthropology, history and linguistics, is expected to open up new dimensions in Australian history, anthropological theory, and Australian linguistics.Read moreRead less
Culture, context and Risk: socio-cultural influences on the sexual health of Indigenous young people. The health of Indigenous young people is a national priority, and it is clear in the area of sexual health that they suffer disproportionately when compared to the non-Indigenous population. Existing interventions are not acheiving the desired changes in sexual health. This project explores sexuality from the perspective of Indigenous youth in order to develop interventions that are appropriate ....Culture, context and Risk: socio-cultural influences on the sexual health of Indigenous young people. The health of Indigenous young people is a national priority, and it is clear in the area of sexual health that they suffer disproportionately when compared to the non-Indigenous population. Existing interventions are not acheiving the desired changes in sexual health. This project explores sexuality from the perspective of Indigenous youth in order to develop interventions that are appropriate and sustainable. Read moreRead less
Understanding Balinese paintings: collections, narrative, aesthetics and society. This project will use digital tools, fieldwork and formal analysis to link a major collection of Balinese paintings held in Australia to collections elsewhere in the world, and to the current practices of Balinese artists. The project increases the capacity of Australia to analyse the cultures of Indonesia and to contribute to regional heritage preservation. The outcomes will provide a basis for future public exhib ....Understanding Balinese paintings: collections, narrative, aesthetics and society. This project will use digital tools, fieldwork and formal analysis to link a major collection of Balinese paintings held in Australia to collections elsewhere in the world, and to the current practices of Balinese artists. The project increases the capacity of Australia to analyse the cultures of Indonesia and to contribute to regional heritage preservation. The outcomes will provide a basis for future public exhibitions of paintings and web-based resources linking Australian public institutions and Balinese communities.Read moreRead less
Producers and Collectors: Uncovering the Role of Indigenous Agency in the Formation of Museum Collections. The research will make a significant contribution to Australian and world scholarship, show the innovation and leadership of Australian scholars in the study of museum collections, and promote goodwill and better diplomacy with Australia's nearest neighbours in PNG. Through examining the history of social relations between Papua New Guineans and 'outsiders' in a region that has long been t ....Producers and Collectors: Uncovering the Role of Indigenous Agency in the Formation of Museum Collections. The research will make a significant contribution to Australian and world scholarship, show the innovation and leadership of Australian scholars in the study of museum collections, and promote goodwill and better diplomacy with Australia's nearest neighbours in PNG. Through examining the history of social relations between Papua New Guineans and 'outsiders' in a region that has long been the focus of Australian interests, the project will contribute to the National Priority' Understanding our region and the world'. By unlocking information about the origin and history of ethnographic collections from Australia's oldest museum, their cultural significance will be shared more widely.
Read moreRead less
Mapping the Political Ecology of the Edible Birds’ Nests Trade in Indonesia. This study examines the origins and impacts of the rapidly emerging edible birds’ nests (EBN) trade for rural livelihoods and ecologies in Southeast Asia. A high-value Chinese delicacy, the EBN trade has surged across rural Indonesia and beyond. In partnership with the WWF and Tropenbos, our pioneering study investigates how rural producers negotiate the uneven social, economic and environmental influences of the EBN co ....Mapping the Political Ecology of the Edible Birds’ Nests Trade in Indonesia. This study examines the origins and impacts of the rapidly emerging edible birds’ nests (EBN) trade for rural livelihoods and ecologies in Southeast Asia. A high-value Chinese delicacy, the EBN trade has surged across rural Indonesia and beyond. In partnership with the WWF and Tropenbos, our pioneering study investigates how rural producers negotiate the uneven social, economic and environmental influences of the EBN commodity chain in the threatened Heart of Borneo, Indonesia, and the major urban trading centres of Jakarta, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The project offers novel insights into the trade’s sustainability across rural and urban regions of Asia and informs policy for poverty reduction and environmental management in the region.Read moreRead less
Archaeology and natural history. This project aims to provide critical new information on the archaeology and natural history of one of the world’s largest unregulated desert river systems. Mithaka country incorporates the highly significant Channel Country on the eastern edge of Australia's arid centre. Preliminary research has identified more than 70 large site complexes that provide critical insights on how the Mithaka people adapted to this unique environment and took part in Australia's mos ....Archaeology and natural history. This project aims to provide critical new information on the archaeology and natural history of one of the world’s largest unregulated desert river systems. Mithaka country incorporates the highly significant Channel Country on the eastern edge of Australia's arid centre. Preliminary research has identified more than 70 large site complexes that provide critical insights on how the Mithaka people adapted to this unique environment and took part in Australia's most extensive long distance trade systems. The project will study the archaeological landscape, artefacts and an extensive in-situ skeletal record in the context of a detailed palaeoenvironmental study. It will provide a new cultural-environmental history of this landscape and provide the Mithaka with multiple strands of connection to their ancestral land and culture and support their aspirations to create employment through rangers programs, education and cultural tourism.Read moreRead less
The invisible parents project - exploring the barriers to effective parental and community involvement in three Northern Territory Schools. Education outcomes in the Northern Territory, particularly for Indigenous students, lag far behind those of other Australians, to the point that the situation can be considered a national emergency. This research program will explore ways to improve parental involvement. This will inform the Smith Family's efforts to undertake early intervention for children ....The invisible parents project - exploring the barriers to effective parental and community involvement in three Northern Territory Schools. Education outcomes in the Northern Territory, particularly for Indigenous students, lag far behind those of other Australians, to the point that the situation can be considered a national emergency. This research program will explore ways to improve parental involvement. This will inform the Smith Family's efforts to undertake early intervention for children who are at risk of education failure. It will provide benefits to the rural and regional communities who feed schools in Darwin and Katherine and provide national benefits through making a significant contribution of anthropologically-informed knowledge on the determinants of successful school outcomes.Read moreRead less