Conflicting temporalities of climate governance: a comparative sociology of policy design and operationalization in Australia and the United Kingdom. This project will investigate the ways in which climate policy in Australia and the United Kingdom deals with uncertainty in the timing of climate change and climate change impacts. It will evaluate the utility of various approaches to climate policy and the potential contradictions that arise between climate dynamics and the policy design.
Knowledge integration for Torres Strait sustainability. This project aims to investigate how Torres Strait Islanders use context-specific local knowledge and research evidence to address environmental sustainability challenges. The Torres Strait is experiencing significant threats to its environment and there is a need to use research to identify strategies that can meet these challenges. However, at present significiant barriers exist in the translation of current research knowledge to the Torr ....Knowledge integration for Torres Strait sustainability. This project aims to investigate how Torres Strait Islanders use context-specific local knowledge and research evidence to address environmental sustainability challenges. The Torres Strait is experiencing significant threats to its environment and there is a need to use research to identify strategies that can meet these challenges. However, at present significiant barriers exist in the translation of current research knowledge to the Torres Strait context. The project will examine how knowledge is constructed (culturally) and develop new methods to allow research findings to be integrated into Torres Strait knowledge. This project will support the empowerment of Torres Strait Islander people to seek the research information that is most useful for their decision-making.Read moreRead less
Improving water market outcomes through a better understanding of market behaviour. The issue of water resources and their sustainable use is probably the most important issue facing the rural sector. The water reform process and its aim to secure water for the environment will cause economic and social pain and result in structural change within the irrigation sector. Properly functioning water markets will play an instrumental role in facilitating this process by providing water for the envir ....Improving water market outcomes through a better understanding of market behaviour. The issue of water resources and their sustainable use is probably the most important issue facing the rural sector. The water reform process and its aim to secure water for the environment will cause economic and social pain and result in structural change within the irrigation sector. Properly functioning water markets will play an instrumental role in facilitating this process by providing water for the environment and allowing water to move between competing resources. This study will enable policy makers and water managers to optimise the positive outcome of water markets and increase the likely success of programs to purchase environmental water.Read moreRead less
The social determinants of childhood injury. Child hood injury is a preventable problem of major importance. This project will provide a comprehensive, research-based policy solution that will minimise death and disability among children zero to three years of age.
Social Networks and Political Change in Contemporary Rural China. Rural China is home to nearly one-sixth of the world's population. Reforms in the Chinese countryside triggered a prolonged period of economic growth that has become the engine of the world economy and the major destination for Australian exports. Political and economic developments in the agricultural sector and the continued industrialisation of China's rural regions have an immediate impact on the Australian economy and will sh ....Social Networks and Political Change in Contemporary Rural China. Rural China is home to nearly one-sixth of the world's population. Reforms in the Chinese countryside triggered a prolonged period of economic growth that has become the engine of the world economy and the major destination for Australian exports. Political and economic developments in the agricultural sector and the continued industrialisation of China's rural regions have an immediate impact on the Australian economy and will shape Australia's relations with China long into the twenty-first century. Australia is a world leader in research on contemporary China and this project will help to consolidate that position.Read moreRead less
New Possibilities: Young People and Democratic Renewal. Vibrant democracies require generational renewal as norms, values and cultures evolve. This project is a systematic study of Australian students in the climate change movement. Examining who the students are, why they participate, how they organise, how they represent themselves and are represented by others in social and mainstream media, the project ethically advances ways of co-researching students’ civic and political participation in o ....New Possibilities: Young People and Democratic Renewal. Vibrant democracies require generational renewal as norms, values and cultures evolve. This project is a systematic study of Australian students in the climate change movement. Examining who the students are, why they participate, how they organise, how they represent themselves and are represented by others in social and mainstream media, the project ethically advances ways of co-researching students’ civic and political participation in offline and online settings. Expected outcomes include improved capacity for investigating student political action, new knowledge of the motivations, norms and practices that characterise student climate politics and concepts and tools for democratic renewal through engagement with young people.Read moreRead less
Negotiating the Lifecourse: Changing and Maintaining Household and Labour Market Links. This study builds upon and extends a unique longitudinal Australian project concerned with the way in which men and women negotiate employment and domestic responsibilities over the lifecourse. We are seeking funds to collect a third wave of data from our sample and to extend the project in three key areas concerning the domestic division of labour, women's employment and marital stability, and family formati ....Negotiating the Lifecourse: Changing and Maintaining Household and Labour Market Links. This study builds upon and extends a unique longitudinal Australian project concerned with the way in which men and women negotiate employment and domestic responsibilities over the lifecourse. We are seeking funds to collect a third wave of data from our sample and to extend the project in three key areas concerning the domestic division of labour, women's employment and marital stability, and family formation. The significance of the project lies in its longitudinal design enabling us to address key social questions that have not been examined in Australia in the past. The project will deliver important information to policy-makers as well as providing a unique database for social researchers.Read moreRead less
Land, Community and Governance in Rural China. Although China is becoming Australia's largest trading partner, we know too little about the control of land in rural China and the implications for the agricultural economy. Geo-politically, the stability of China is crucial to the region, and many commentators see rural unrest as the greatest threat to the regime. Since disputes over the use and ownership of land are the main source of this instability, providing much-needed information about Chin ....Land, Community and Governance in Rural China. Although China is becoming Australia's largest trading partner, we know too little about the control of land in rural China and the implications for the agricultural economy. Geo-politically, the stability of China is crucial to the region, and many commentators see rural unrest as the greatest threat to the regime. Since disputes over the use and ownership of land are the main source of this instability, providing much-needed information about China's agricultural economy and the potential for political unrest in rural China is directly in Australia's interest.Read moreRead less
Communities and New Patterns of Stratification in a Chinese City. China plays a major geopolitical role in the Asia-Pacific region. It is essential to understand the political and social challenges faced by China. Whether or not Chinese urban areas are going to experience a period of further growth and stability depends largely on the ability of the Chinese government to manage social change. This research will be the first systematic investigation into contemporary community building in China. ....Communities and New Patterns of Stratification in a Chinese City. China plays a major geopolitical role in the Asia-Pacific region. It is essential to understand the political and social challenges faced by China. Whether or not Chinese urban areas are going to experience a period of further growth and stability depends largely on the ability of the Chinese government to manage social change. This research will be the first systematic investigation into contemporary community building in China. By looking at the fundamental re-organisation of urban society, it will significantly improve the understanding of the complex social implications of China's rapid modernization and regional integration, and provide unprecedented insights on the perspectives for political reform. Read moreRead less
Negotiating the Life Course: Education, Work, Family and Lifestyle Behaviour in Australia. The Negotiating the Life Course Project is a leading Australian social science resource accessible to and widely used by university researchers and students, especially PhD students. Beyond its major academic contributions, its results have been extensively reported in the media and have greatly increased community understanding of Australian society. It has an important and on-going role in several areas ....Negotiating the Life Course: Education, Work, Family and Lifestyle Behaviour in Australia. The Negotiating the Life Course Project is a leading Australian social science resource accessible to and widely used by university researchers and students, especially PhD students. Beyond its major academic contributions, its results have been extensively reported in the media and have greatly increased community understanding of Australian society. It has an important and on-going role in several areas of policy formulation especially in the development of policies related to the balance of work and family. Its principals are leading social commentators in these policy areas because, in large part, they are able to draw upon this significant national resource. Read moreRead less