Agents of Disinformation: The Rise of Counterfeit Election Observers. This project investigates the rise of “counterfeit” election observers as agents of disinformation. Using four case studies and four qualitative methods, it identifies how autocratic regimes entice partisan individuals to imitate genuine international observers. The expected project outcome is an explanation for the origins, features and impact of counterfeit election observers that is practically applicable to our foreign aff ....Agents of Disinformation: The Rise of Counterfeit Election Observers. This project investigates the rise of “counterfeit” election observers as agents of disinformation. Using four case studies and four qualitative methods, it identifies how autocratic regimes entice partisan individuals to imitate genuine international observers. The expected project outcome is an explanation for the origins, features and impact of counterfeit election observers that is practically applicable to our foreign affairs and national intelligence communities as well as genuine observation organisations. The knowledge gained from this project will not only help defend Australia from malign disinformation, but advance its interest in the promotion of good governance and stronger democratic institutions everywhere.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101468
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$363,379.00
Summary
State formation and external finance: a case study of Somaliland. Somaliland's government receives no direct budgetary support and yet its peace building and developmental achievements dwarf those of Somalia despite the fact that Somalia's government is almost entirely propped up by external assistance. Why does external financial assistance affect the ability of local actors to create peace and prosperity?
Democratization, Institutional Reform and Ethnic Politics in the Asia-Pacific. The democratisation of the Asia-Pacific has significant implications for Australia. Consolidated democracies are better able to manage internal conflicts, and less likely to pose a threat to their neighbours via arms trafficking, refugee flows, and transnational terrorism. However, the initial transitional period of democratisation can be highly fraught, and many of the new democracies of the Asia-Pacific are fragile, ....Democratization, Institutional Reform and Ethnic Politics in the Asia-Pacific. The democratisation of the Asia-Pacific has significant implications for Australia. Consolidated democracies are better able to manage internal conflicts, and less likely to pose a threat to their neighbours via arms trafficking, refugee flows, and transnational terrorism. However, the initial transitional period of democratisation can be highly fraught, and many of the new democracies of the Asia-Pacific are fragile, beset by internal cleavages and conflicts. If ways can be found to manage ethnic and other cleavages within a democratic framework, the prospects for peaceful and stable governance in the region will be significantly enhanced. This has the potential to transform the security of the region and Australia's relations with it.Read moreRead less
Crafting Authoritarian Politics. Although Russia is nominally a democracy, strong elements of authoritarianism remain dominant. This project examines how Russia has accommodated these authoritarian themes within a representative democracy and, more generally, seeks to shed new light on the process of democratization in postcommunist societies. Russia is the 8th largest country in the world by population and the 11th largest economy based on GDP; it also remains nuclear-armed. Understanding th ....Crafting Authoritarian Politics. Although Russia is nominally a democracy, strong elements of authoritarianism remain dominant. This project examines how Russia has accommodated these authoritarian themes within a representative democracy and, more generally, seeks to shed new light on the process of democratization in postcommunist societies. Russia is the 8th largest country in the world by population and the 11th largest economy based on GDP; it also remains nuclear-armed. Understanding the dynamics of democratization in Russia has implications for political stability across a large section of the world which is currently in transition from authoritarianism to democracy.Read moreRead less
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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100477
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,000.00
Summary
The unintended consequences of foreign military training. This project aims to explore the effects of foreign military training on civil-military relations in recipient states. Developed countries are increasingly training developing countries’ militaries. While training is provided to promote traditional security goals, development, and stability, it may have unintended consequences including increasing the prospect of a coup. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, including case studies o ....The unintended consequences of foreign military training. This project aims to explore the effects of foreign military training on civil-military relations in recipient states. Developed countries are increasingly training developing countries’ militaries. While training is provided to promote traditional security goals, development, and stability, it may have unintended consequences including increasing the prospect of a coup. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, including case studies of the US and Australia, the project aims to explain the effects of these training programs, advance the understanding of civil-military relations and produce policy recommendations to improve outcomes of engagement with foreign militaries.Read moreRead less
Globalisation's Impact on the Government-Business Relationship: A Theoretical and Multi-Country Study. This project will explain why states in many contexts are developing more collaborative relationships with business (both domestic and transnational), contrary to the expectations of globalisation theory. It will develop a novel perspective on globalisation that recognises its potential to ?enable? and not merely to ?constrain? the state's capacities for industrial governance, and explain why s ....Globalisation's Impact on the Government-Business Relationship: A Theoretical and Multi-Country Study. This project will explain why states in many contexts are developing more collaborative relationships with business (both domestic and transnational), contrary to the expectations of globalisation theory. It will develop a novel perspective on globalisation that recognises its potential to ?enable? and not merely to ?constrain? the state's capacities for industrial governance, and explain why states tend to become more, not less, important to social life as economic interdependence rises and vulnerability increases. It will offer a new conceptualisation of state transformation by identifying the conditions under which globalisation creates pressures for increased public-private coordination of economic upgrading.Read moreRead less
International Organizations and Legislative Oversight: Improving Governance in Asia and the Pacific. This project will provide a better understanding of what makes legislative oversight of government effective. It will study the success of specific oversight bodies, such as Public Account Committees and Audit Offices, to determine whether their success depends on how they are institutionalised, or rather, on the ethical standards of the individuals who are expected to perform the oversight tasks ....International Organizations and Legislative Oversight: Improving Governance in Asia and the Pacific. This project will provide a better understanding of what makes legislative oversight of government effective. It will study the success of specific oversight bodies, such as Public Account Committees and Audit Offices, to determine whether their success depends on how they are institutionalised, or rather, on the ethical standards of the individuals who are expected to perform the oversight tasks. This project will contribute to the strengthening of what are currently regarded as fragile states and create the conditions for the further consolidation of their democratic systems and for sustainable socio-economic development in the Asia-Pacific region.Read moreRead less
Perceptions of terrorist groups in conflict-affected states. How do terrorist groups adapt in the face of counterterrorism measures and sustain themselves despite their lack of local popularity? This project answers this question through a systematic analysis of how local observers understand extremist groups in four states facing significant terrorist activities: Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan, and Somalia. This comparative analysis will provide an opportunity to assess local knowledge as a form of resi ....Perceptions of terrorist groups in conflict-affected states. How do terrorist groups adapt in the face of counterterrorism measures and sustain themselves despite their lack of local popularity? This project answers this question through a systematic analysis of how local observers understand extremist groups in four states facing significant terrorist activities: Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan, and Somalia. This comparative analysis will provide an opportunity to assess local knowledge as a form of resistance to terrorism, thereby generating new approaches to conceptualising and countering violent extremism. Other expected outcomes include new collaborative research networks between Australia and conflict-affected states, the creation of new datasets for researchers, and training for research students.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101540
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$331,000.00
Summary
Waves of Democracy and Secessionist Conflict. What is the relationship between democracy and secessionism? This project aims to investigate the theory that democratisation unleashes secessionist forces that are likely to turn violent in the absence of mature democratic institutions. Thus, waves of democracy yield waves of secessionist conflict. Through a statistical analysis of secessionism combined with case studies in three countries with dissimilar regime types - Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, an ....Waves of Democracy and Secessionist Conflict. What is the relationship between democracy and secessionism? This project aims to investigate the theory that democratisation unleashes secessionist forces that are likely to turn violent in the absence of mature democratic institutions. Thus, waves of democracy yield waves of secessionist conflict. Through a statistical analysis of secessionism combined with case studies in three countries with dissimilar regime types - Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, and Spain - the project aims to study the relationship between democratic institutions and secessionist outcomes. The project aims to contribute to our understanding of the unintended consequences of democratisation and inform policy choices regarding the introduction and sequencing of democratic institutions.Read moreRead less