Leadership, social identity and the dynamics of influence in intergroup relations: A new understanding of social continuity and social change. Understanding how social change occurs (or continuity prevails) and the role of leadership in this process is paramount to any social system (e.g. nation, state, organization, team). This project provides a new social psychological understanding of leadership and social change dynamics, including when more radical leaders and social relations emerge, as w ....Leadership, social identity and the dynamics of influence in intergroup relations: A new understanding of social continuity and social change. Understanding how social change occurs (or continuity prevails) and the role of leadership in this process is paramount to any social system (e.g. nation, state, organization, team). This project provides a new social psychological understanding of leadership and social change dynamics, including when more radical leaders and social relations emerge, as well as how different groups become more united around a common cause. Given ethnic, religious, social and political diversity of Australian society, these questions are fundamental to strengthening Australia's social fabric. This research also has cross-disciplinary applications, builds international collaborations, and supports emerging Australian research talent.Read moreRead less
How do bees orchestrate smooth landings? The results should pave the way for the development of novel, biologically inspired strategies for the control of landing in unmanned aerial vehicles. Endowing aircraft with the capability of autonomous flight and landing has been a major challenge in engineering technology. There is now considerable interest, nationally and world wide, in the development of small, intelligent, autonomous airborne vehicles for application in a number of areas of defense, ....How do bees orchestrate smooth landings? The results should pave the way for the development of novel, biologically inspired strategies for the control of landing in unmanned aerial vehicles. Endowing aircraft with the capability of autonomous flight and landing has been a major challenge in engineering technology. There is now considerable interest, nationally and world wide, in the development of small, intelligent, autonomous airborne vehicles for application in a number of areas of defense, surveillance and space exploration. The proposed research will help Australia maintain a leading edge in uncovering important biological principles of flight control that can be translated into useful technological applications.Read moreRead less
The role of short tandem repeat DNA variation in the evolution of human psychological diversity. The proposed work addresses fundamental questions about human nature. It ties together the evolutionary processes that have shaped us as a species with the way our genes influence: our personalities, the way we think and how we behave. It introduces a novel approach to addressing questions about the role of genetics in human variation that will contribute substantially to the way we understand, perce ....The role of short tandem repeat DNA variation in the evolution of human psychological diversity. The proposed work addresses fundamental questions about human nature. It ties together the evolutionary processes that have shaped us as a species with the way our genes influence: our personalities, the way we think and how we behave. It introduces a novel approach to addressing questions about the role of genetics in human variation that will contribute substantially to the way we understand, perceive and manage important aspects of human diversity.Read moreRead less
Expectations and commitments in the Australia-USA alliance. This project aims to investigate the gap between the high expectations of mutual support and the lack of detailed security commitments in the Australia-US Alliance. The project intends to use a focused approach that captures thematic aspects of the alliance through project frames and historical slices across time. Expected outcomes can advance understanding of how alliances operate as security institutions. The outcomes can help to prom ....Expectations and commitments in the Australia-USA alliance. This project aims to investigate the gap between the high expectations of mutual support and the lack of detailed security commitments in the Australia-US Alliance. The project intends to use a focused approach that captures thematic aspects of the alliance through project frames and historical slices across time. Expected outcomes can advance understanding of how alliances operate as security institutions. The outcomes can help to promote a more informed national conversation about the costs and benefits of Australia's security relationship with the United States of America (USA) and contribute to debates over the future of the Australia-USA Alliance during a period of strategic uncertainty.Read moreRead less
Radical right populist parties. This project aims to explain why some radical right-wing populists in Western democracies enter governmental alliances with mainstream parties while others remain isolated. The emergence, spread and electoral success of radical right populists is a problem facing liberal democracy in the twenty-first century. While these parties’ policies, ideologies and rhetoric are similar, their relationships with mainstream parties are different. By examining explanatory facto ....Radical right populist parties. This project aims to explain why some radical right-wing populists in Western democracies enter governmental alliances with mainstream parties while others remain isolated. The emergence, spread and electoral success of radical right populists is a problem facing liberal democracy in the twenty-first century. While these parties’ policies, ideologies and rhetoric are similar, their relationships with mainstream parties are different. By examining explanatory factors that Political Science studies have so far been neglected, this project seeks to explain this variation and explore its implications for coalition theory.Read moreRead less
The impact of political reconciliation in the Asia-Pacific. Focusing on the cases of East Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands, this project will examine the contribution that political reconciliation processes, practices and events make to the pursuit of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific. Using a highly contextual, interpretive approach grounded in intensive in-country fieldwork, it will provide an empirically grounded assessment of regional reconciliation processes that not only co ....The impact of political reconciliation in the Asia-Pacific. Focusing on the cases of East Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands, this project will examine the contribution that political reconciliation processes, practices and events make to the pursuit of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific. Using a highly contextual, interpretive approach grounded in intensive in-country fieldwork, it will provide an empirically grounded assessment of regional reconciliation processes that not only contributes to the development of scholarly literature on transitional justice, peacebuilding and security, but also to contemporary policy debates concerning Australia’s engagement with states within its immediate regional neighbourhood.Read moreRead less
Amnesties and peace accords in the Asia-Pacific. This project aims to produce a comprehensive empirical study of peace-settlement amnesties and their impact on democracy, human rights and long-term peace in the aftermath of violent con?ict. It combines a large-scale global study of all amnesties included in peace accords from 1980 to 2005 with four case studies drawn from the Asia-Paci?c region: Indonesia/Aceh; Papua New Guinea/Bougainville; East Timor; and the Solomon Islands. It will provide a ....Amnesties and peace accords in the Asia-Pacific. This project aims to produce a comprehensive empirical study of peace-settlement amnesties and their impact on democracy, human rights and long-term peace in the aftermath of violent con?ict. It combines a large-scale global study of all amnesties included in peace accords from 1980 to 2005 with four case studies drawn from the Asia-Paci?c region: Indonesia/Aceh; Papua New Guinea/Bougainville; East Timor; and the Solomon Islands. It will provide an original contribution to scholarship concerned with amnesties and peace- settlements as well as crucial and as yet unavailable insights into the effectiveness and broader rami?cations of offering amnesties in exchange for peace that will inform future peacemaking practice.Read moreRead less
Extended Nuclear Deterrence and the Restraint of Non-Nuclear Allies: Material Cooperation and Strategic Dialogue. Extended nuclear deterrence is central to the security commitments offered by the US to its European and Asian allies, but little is known about why non-nuclear allies ask for the nuclear assurances they do and how they influence the assurances they ultimately receive. Using the lenses of intra-alliance bargaining, the role and composition of assurances, and domestic and internationa ....Extended Nuclear Deterrence and the Restraint of Non-Nuclear Allies: Material Cooperation and Strategic Dialogue. Extended nuclear deterrence is central to the security commitments offered by the US to its European and Asian allies, but little is known about why non-nuclear allies ask for the nuclear assurances they do and how they influence the assurances they ultimately receive. Using the lenses of intra-alliance bargaining, the role and composition of assurances, and domestic and international interactions, the project investigates why non-nuclear allies often seek modest extended nuclear deterrence guarantees when they could push for more ambitious commitments. The outcomes of the project will advance theoretical understanding of alliances, assurance and nuclear strategy, with direct relevance to foreign policy and nuclear disarmament.Read moreRead less
The 2012/13 Australian Election Study: volatility and electoral change. The 2012/13 Australian Election Study will provide both an in-depth understanding of general patterns of voting behaviour and a detailed, objective account of how and why voters made up their minds in this federal election. The study adds to the unbroken series of national surveys conducted after each Australian federal election since 1987.
The 2004 Australian Election Study Survey: The Decline of Political Parties? Long renowned for the stability of its political party system, Australia is finally experiencing a sustained challenge to the dominance of the major parties, which is reflected in an increasing preference by voters for minor parties and independent candidates. This project will examine the implications of these developments by conducting a public-use, national sample survey of voters at the next federal election, likely ....The 2004 Australian Election Study Survey: The Decline of Political Parties? Long renowned for the stability of its political party system, Australia is finally experiencing a sustained challenge to the dominance of the major parties, which is reflected in an increasing preference by voters for minor parties and independent candidates. This project will examine the implications of these developments by conducting a public-use, national sample survey of voters at the next federal election, likely to be held in 2004. The outcomes generated by the project will enhance academic and community understanding of the nature of the changing partisan climate within the Australian electorate.Read moreRead less