Social Adaptation to Climate Change in the Australian Public Sphere: A comparison of individual and group deliberative responses to scenarios of future climate change. This research addresses the ARC National Research Priorities Goal of 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, specifically 'Reducing and capturing emissions in transport and energy generation'. Avoiding, managing, and/or adapting to the climate change impacts is now the most pressing global environmental problem. This project ....Social Adaptation to Climate Change in the Australian Public Sphere: A comparison of individual and group deliberative responses to scenarios of future climate change. This research addresses the ARC National Research Priorities Goal of 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, specifically 'Reducing and capturing emissions in transport and energy generation'. Avoiding, managing, and/or adapting to the climate change impacts is now the most pressing global environmental problem. This project will produce tangible and original insights into policy options for institutional adjustment to future climate change in Australia; will provide insight into the scope for positive community behavioural change; and possible transformations in Australian social debate to maximise adaptive capacity. It will also strengthen and produce original conceptual approaches and research methods. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101469
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,000.00
Summary
The Dilemma of Compliance: Political Parties and Post-election Disputes. This project plans to analyse post-election disputes in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia to determine why political parties refuse to comply with electoral outcomes and what determines the strategies they use to contest them. To date, scholars have primarily focused on why post-election protests succeed, paying scant attention to the reasons political parties decide to reject election results in the first place. This projec ....The Dilemma of Compliance: Political Parties and Post-election Disputes. This project plans to analyse post-election disputes in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia to determine why political parties refuse to comply with electoral outcomes and what determines the strategies they use to contest them. To date, scholars have primarily focused on why post-election protests succeed, paying scant attention to the reasons political parties decide to reject election results in the first place. This project also seeks to evaluate the impact that post-election disputes and their resolutions have on the future of political parties and democratic governance. The findings of the project may inform and improve donor and civil society efforts to strengthen electoral management and the quality of democracy.Read moreRead less
Money Politics: Patronage, Political Networks and Electoral Dynamics in Southeast Asia. How does money politics shape electoral competition and outcomes in developing democracies? This project tackles this question by focusing on pork barrelling, spoils, vote buying and related phenomena in the four most important electoral regimes of Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Using methods that range from close observation of election campaigns to national surveys, the p ....Money Politics: Patronage, Political Networks and Electoral Dynamics in Southeast Asia. How does money politics shape electoral competition and outcomes in developing democracies? This project tackles this question by focusing on pork barrelling, spoils, vote buying and related phenomena in the four most important electoral regimes of Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Using methods that range from close observation of election campaigns to national surveys, the project will analyse how the distribution of material benefits via clientelist and other networks affects political dynamics. By identifying and explaining variations in patronage, the research will cast light on issues critical to the future of democracy, governance and political stability in Southeast Asia and beyond.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101692
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$325,000.00
Summary
Getting elections right? Electoral reform in democracies & autocracies. Why do some countries manage to 'get their elections right' while others fail? What explains changes in election integrity over time? And does election integrity matter for democracy? This project aims to address these questions by developing an original theoretical framework explaining changes in election integrity over time and the consequences for democratisation. The project will empirically test the theoretical framewor ....Getting elections right? Electoral reform in democracies & autocracies. Why do some countries manage to 'get their elections right' while others fail? What explains changes in election integrity over time? And does election integrity matter for democracy? This project aims to address these questions by developing an original theoretical framework explaining changes in election integrity over time and the consequences for democratisation. The project will empirically test the theoretical framework with a mixed-method approach that combines quantitative statistical analysis and in-depth country case studies using data on election integrity in over 900 elections from over 100 electoral democracies and autocracies around the world between 1974 and 2012.Read moreRead less
The political dynamics of Deng Xiaoping's leadership of China, 1979-1992. This project examines a crucial stage in the transformation of China from a backward socio-economic situation to a dynamic economic and political power. Deng Xiaoping was the most significant figure in this transformation, but the political dynamics of his leadership are imperfectly understood. This study will correct those misunderstandings.
The internationalisation of nationalist populism. This project aims to explain the rising international cooperation between nationalist populists in democracies across the world. It expects to generate new knowledge about how and why these forces now work together to oppose common targets such as multilateral institutions, free trade and liberal democracy. Expected outcomes of this project include a sophisticated, evidence-based understanding of the dynamics and effects of contemporary nationali ....The internationalisation of nationalist populism. This project aims to explain the rising international cooperation between nationalist populists in democracies across the world. It expects to generate new knowledge about how and why these forces now work together to oppose common targets such as multilateral institutions, free trade and liberal democracy. Expected outcomes of this project include a sophisticated, evidence-based understanding of the dynamics and effects of contemporary nationalist populist cooperation. Given Australia's commitment to promoting good governance and strong democratic institutions, in addition to the interest overseas nationalist populists have shown in helping likeminded movements in Australia, the project will provide significant benefits for policymakers.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100573
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$322,699.00
Summary
Glasnost for Myanmar? Political cultures in transition. Myanmar is a major country in Southeast Asia and has since 2008 made moves towards more democratic government. This project will research and explain this period of transition in terms of political cultures. It will provide guidance on the processes of democratisation underway in a society that has experienced long-term military rule.
Rights Defence Lawyers and Constitutionalism in China. Scholars have argued that rights lawyers have played key roles in advancing social and political change in a reforming society through defining and defending citizen rights, developing civil society, and seeking to moderate state power. However, few studies have examined the political roles or aspirations of lawyers in contemporary China. This project aims to demonstrate how Chinese 'rights defence' lawyers have drawn together diverse strand ....Rights Defence Lawyers and Constitutionalism in China. Scholars have argued that rights lawyers have played key roles in advancing social and political change in a reforming society through defining and defending citizen rights, developing civil society, and seeking to moderate state power. However, few studies have examined the political roles or aspirations of lawyers in contemporary China. This project aims to demonstrate how Chinese 'rights defence' lawyers have drawn together diverse strands of social protest to become an articulating voice for constitutional reform. The project aims to make both empirical and theoretical contributions to the world-wide debate on the interaction between rights lawyers, rule of law, social activism and political reform.Read moreRead less
Presidential Power and its Limits in Post-Authoritarian Indonesia. This project will study the development of the Indonesian presidency after the fall of long-time autocrat Suharto in 1998. While much of the recent research on this subject has focused on the personalities of the four post-1998 presidents, this project intends to highlight institutional and structural aspects of the presidency. In particular, the proposed research aims to explore to what extent democratisation, decentralisation a ....Presidential Power and its Limits in Post-Authoritarian Indonesia. This project will study the development of the Indonesian presidency after the fall of long-time autocrat Suharto in 1998. While much of the recent research on this subject has focused on the personalities of the four post-1998 presidents, this project intends to highlight institutional and structural aspects of the presidency. In particular, the proposed research aims to explore to what extent democratisation, decentralisation and power diffusion have constrained Indonesian presidents in exercising executive authority. When completed, the project aims to deliver a comprehensive picture of Indonesia's post-authoritarian presidency, describing in detail its constitutional powers, institutional set-up and structural limitations.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100371
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$331,248.00
Summary
The Rise of sophisticated authoritarianism in Southeast Asia. This project aims to investigate the persistence of authoritarian rule in Southeast Asia. Against the backdrop of a global democratic recession, the project seeks to identify how dictators and dominant parties have learnt to maintain power using increasingly sophisticated techniques. Using five original case studies and three qualitative methods, the expected outcome is an explanation for the survival of authoritarian regimes that is ....The Rise of sophisticated authoritarianism in Southeast Asia. This project aims to investigate the persistence of authoritarian rule in Southeast Asia. Against the backdrop of a global democratic recession, the project seeks to identify how dictators and dominant parties have learnt to maintain power using increasingly sophisticated techniques. Using five original case studies and three qualitative methods, the expected outcome is an explanation for the survival of authoritarian regimes that is accessible and informative to the academic, policymaking and democracy promotion communities. The knowledge gained from this project can be used to safeguard Australia’s interest in the preservation and growth of democracy abroad. The benefits will be risk reduction in terms of decision making and improved national security.Read moreRead less