Global Security, Strategic Paradox and Limited War: The Politics and Ethics of Force. This project will provide detailed empirical research results plus conceptual innovations in the areas of peace and conflict studies. These will contribute to better understanding of contemporary threats and the effects of using force, and will enable the development of more effective policy options. The project will contribute strongly to the ARC's research priority 4, 'safeguarding Australia', by providing im ....Global Security, Strategic Paradox and Limited War: The Politics and Ethics of Force. This project will provide detailed empirical research results plus conceptual innovations in the areas of peace and conflict studies. These will contribute to better understanding of contemporary threats and the effects of using force, and will enable the development of more effective policy options. The project will contribute strongly to the ARC's research priority 4, 'safeguarding Australia', by providing important studies, analytical tools and policy recommendations that will strengthen Australia's national security, contribute to reducing conflict, and help us shape the regional and global security environment in our interests.Read moreRead less
Democracy and the Bourgeoisie: Post-Communism and the Transition to Capitalism. There is commonly perceived to be a relationship between social structure and regime type. This proposal seeks to understand the impact the type of bourgeoisie has upon the prospects for democracy. Its principal focus is contemporary Russia. In order to obtain theoretical purchase and historical perspective, the Russian experience will be compared with the effects on political development of a range of other bourgeo ....Democracy and the Bourgeoisie: Post-Communism and the Transition to Capitalism. There is commonly perceived to be a relationship between social structure and regime type. This proposal seeks to understand the impact the type of bourgeoisie has upon the prospects for democracy. Its principal focus is contemporary Russia. In order to obtain theoretical purchase and historical perspective, the Russian experience will be compared with the effects on political development of a range of other bourgeoisies, coming from the classic early industrialiser countries, the late industrialisers, a number of third world countries, and some of the post-communist states.Read moreRead less
Rites of Power: Symbolism, Ritual and Politics in the Soviet Union and Russia. In the last fifteen years, Russia has undergone major political change associated with the collapse of the USSR. One of the most important tasks of the new regime is to establish a sense of its legitimacy, which should in turn help to shape its future. As a major player in global politics and a significant power in the Asia-Pacific region, Russia's internal development has important consequences for Australia and the ....Rites of Power: Symbolism, Ritual and Politics in the Soviet Union and Russia. In the last fifteen years, Russia has undergone major political change associated with the collapse of the USSR. One of the most important tasks of the new regime is to establish a sense of its legitimacy, which should in turn help to shape its future. As a major player in global politics and a significant power in the Asia-Pacific region, Russia's internal development has important consequences for Australia and the world. Only by understanding Russia and what is happening inside it can Australia adequately deal with and interact with it. This project will substantially further such understanding.Read moreRead less
Police corruption: an underestimated legitimacy and security risk. This project analyses police corruption in four states and makes recommendations for reducing it. While most states now recognise corruption as a problem, many are reluctant to address the issue of police corruption; yet when police officers collude with organised crime (for example, in drugs or arms trafficking), corruption can be a serious security risk.
The corruption-organised crime nexus in four European states, with particular reference to people smuggling. Considering its importance to Australia, too little research is being done here on Europe. The EU alone accounts for c.40% of Australia's trade. Yet most research on Europe undertaken here is either historical (pre-1945) and/or of individual countries. Relatively little is in the social sciences. One benefit of this project is that it ensures that comparative social science research o ....The corruption-organised crime nexus in four European states, with particular reference to people smuggling. Considering its importance to Australia, too little research is being done here on Europe. The EU alone accounts for c.40% of Australia's trade. Yet most research on Europe undertaken here is either historical (pre-1945) and/or of individual countries. Relatively little is in the social sciences. One benefit of this project is that it ensures that comparative social science research on Europe is conducted in Australia. Second, Australia experiences many problems facing European states, albeit usually on a smaller scale. The potential benefits of learning vicariously from others' experiences are obvious. Third, this will enhance this country's expertise in this strategically important area. Read moreRead less
The Politics of Alliance Affinity. There is bipartisan consensus in Australia that the alliance with the US is the 'cornerstone' of Australia's security. However, many of the United States' alliances are increasingly being placed under strain by demographic and attitudinal changes, changing US force postures, and a shift in US policy on coalition military activities. Managing the alliance relationship with Washington will be a serious challenge for Australia's security policy makers. Australia a ....The Politics of Alliance Affinity. There is bipartisan consensus in Australia that the alliance with the US is the 'cornerstone' of Australia's security. However, many of the United States' alliances are increasingly being placed under strain by demographic and attitudinal changes, changing US force postures, and a shift in US policy on coalition military activities. Managing the alliance relationship with Washington will be a serious challenge for Australia's security policy makers. Australia also has significant security relationships with New Zealand and the UK. Understanding the domestic politics of their security policies will provide a much firmer basis for managing these aspects of Australia's international security.Read moreRead less
Political institutions, war, and peace: Global and regional dynamics. Ideas about democratic peace have been seized upon by some political leaders, and resonate with the public imagination. Australia has important relationships with countries of a wide range of regime types beyond stable democracy, such as Afghanistan, China, Fiji, Indonesia, and Iraq. This project gives systematic understanding of the real-world foreign policy implications of the range of political regimes. It allows scholars, ....Political institutions, war, and peace: Global and regional dynamics. Ideas about democratic peace have been seized upon by some political leaders, and resonate with the public imagination. Australia has important relationships with countries of a wide range of regime types beyond stable democracy, such as Afghanistan, China, Fiji, Indonesia, and Iraq. This project gives systematic understanding of the real-world foreign policy implications of the range of political regimes. It allows scholars, citizens, and policy makers to move beyond generalisations like democratic peace, the universality of which is belied in recent research. It contributes to safeguarding Australia, develops multidisciplinary social science capacity in cutting edge quantitative methods, and mentors a PhD student.Read moreRead less
Expanding the Sovereign State System: 1648-2015. This project seeks to expand our understanding of the nature of conflict, political development and political order. How has the international system influenced political development and the nature of conflict? Knowledge on this topic has been hampered by a Eurocentric conception of the sovereign state, and the resulting quantitative research excludes numerous non-Western states and is biased toward the European experience. By using a culturally-n ....Expanding the Sovereign State System: 1648-2015. This project seeks to expand our understanding of the nature of conflict, political development and political order. How has the international system influenced political development and the nature of conflict? Knowledge on this topic has been hampered by a Eurocentric conception of the sovereign state, and the resulting quantitative research excludes numerous non-Western states and is biased toward the European experience. By using a culturally-neutral concept of the state, and by pushing the study back in time and across space to include states in the pre-1816 period and non-European regions of the world, the project aims to examine patterns in territorial conflict across differently structured international systems, how state genealogy affects political development, and how international order has varied regionally.Read moreRead less
Islamic Perceptions of Justice in International Relations. This research moves beyond the conventional view of Islam and the West dichotomy and explores the middle ground. It explores the potential for redressing Muslim grievances through the existing international system by examining the sources of these grievances. It contextualises Islamic activism within time and space and, by implication, facilitates the formulation of relevant policy responses. As a result, this project contributes to a de ....Islamic Perceptions of Justice in International Relations. This research moves beyond the conventional view of Islam and the West dichotomy and explores the middle ground. It explores the potential for redressing Muslim grievances through the existing international system by examining the sources of these grievances. It contextualises Islamic activism within time and space and, by implication, facilitates the formulation of relevant policy responses. As a result, this project contributes to a de-ideologised view of the Muslim experience and the building of bridges to cross the imagined schism between Islam and the West. Read moreRead less
Democratizing the Middle East: implications of Washington's policies. Regime change has been justified by the coalition of willing as beneficial to the promotion of democracy and stable governance in the Middle East. It is, therefore, important to examine how effective this project has been. Australia's foreign policy towards the region resembles that of the United States, including military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. This involvement warrants an assessment of the way state building h ....Democratizing the Middle East: implications of Washington's policies. Regime change has been justified by the coalition of willing as beneficial to the promotion of democracy and stable governance in the Middle East. It is, therefore, important to examine how effective this project has been. Australia's foreign policy towards the region resembles that of the United States, including military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. This involvement warrants an assessment of the way state building has set these two societies on a democratic trajectory, and whether they are serving as beacons of democracy in their neighbourhood. It is in Australia's national interests to have a realistic assessment of its foreign policy impact in the Middle East and Central Asia. Read moreRead less