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Soybeans and socialism: agrarian transformation in Manchuria, 1935-1965. Throughout the early twentieth century, Manchuria was known for two things: its strategic importance and its soybeans. At the same time that the region was politically and militarily contested, Manchuria also experienced stellar economic growth, propelled in large part by the soy economy. This project aims to analyse the changing importance of soy as Manchuria transitioned from Japanese to Chinese rule. Each established mec ....Soybeans and socialism: agrarian transformation in Manchuria, 1935-1965. Throughout the early twentieth century, Manchuria was known for two things: its strategic importance and its soybeans. At the same time that the region was politically and militarily contested, Manchuria also experienced stellar economic growth, propelled in large part by the soy economy. This project aims to analyse the changing importance of soy as Manchuria transitioned from Japanese to Chinese rule. Each established mechanisms to control the soy economy, direct its proceeds to private wealth and regional development and increase production through development, reorganization or coercion. The Manchurian soy economy was a proving ground for rural policy elsewhere, and demonstrates both its potential and its limitations.Read moreRead less
Rethinking Impartial Humanitarianism: Lessons from the Recent History of the Asia-Pacific Region. Australia today is increasingly involved in complex international humanitarian missions, involving cooperation with other nations and with international non-government organizations. These actions have profound implications for relationships between Australia and other countries. Through an investigation of key case studies from the Asia-Pacific region, this project will create a deeper understandin ....Rethinking Impartial Humanitarianism: Lessons from the Recent History of the Asia-Pacific Region. Australia today is increasingly involved in complex international humanitarian missions, involving cooperation with other nations and with international non-government organizations. These actions have profound implications for relationships between Australia and other countries. Through an investigation of key case studies from the Asia-Pacific region, this project will create a deeper understanding of the long-term experiences, possibilities and limitations of impartial humanitarian action. It will thus contribute to global debates about humanitarianism, and to better-informed Australian engagement in responding to humanitarian crises in our region and the wider world.Read moreRead less
Understanding the World: Domei Tsushin (United News Agency), the Japanese State and International Politics 1936 - 52. Domei tsushin (United News Agency) was arguably the most important source of overseas events for the Japanese public during the war time. A rigorous scholarly examination, however, has been yet to come. Using new materials, this project will first examine Domei's role and its relations with the state during the war, and assesses its over all impact in international politics. ....Understanding the World: Domei Tsushin (United News Agency), the Japanese State and International Politics 1936 - 52. Domei tsushin (United News Agency) was arguably the most important source of overseas events for the Japanese public during the war time. A rigorous scholarly examination, however, has been yet to come. Using new materials, this project will first examine Domei's role and its relations with the state during the war, and assesses its over all impact in international politics. Secondly, it will explore how its role, structure and relations with the state and the public changed (or unchanged) in the post-war peace time. I intend to produce a book manuscript at the end of the project.Read moreRead less
A Study of the Fulbright Program in Australia 1949-2009. This history of the Fulbright Program of educational exchange between Australia and the USA will explore a significant and undervalued aspect of the post-war relationship between the two countries. It will enhance our understanding of the sources of innovative ideas and their transfer, by investigating whether the 2600 Australian Fulbright scholars since 1949 were influential in re-orienting local research practice and public policy initia ....A Study of the Fulbright Program in Australia 1949-2009. This history of the Fulbright Program of educational exchange between Australia and the USA will explore a significant and undervalued aspect of the post-war relationship between the two countries. It will enhance our understanding of the sources of innovative ideas and their transfer, by investigating whether the 2600 Australian Fulbright scholars since 1949 were influential in re-orienting local research practice and public policy initiatives along US models. It will broaden awareness of the Fulbright Program's place in the Australian experience of globalisation, and contribute to a critical understanding of cultural diplomacy as a key feature of foreign policy.Read moreRead less
The Spectre of Velvet Revolution: Dissidents, International Civil Society and post-Communist Authoritarianism. The study of 'Velvet Revolution,' both as a theory and as historical events, has immense implications for Australian policymakers. As an approach to regime change that does not entail foreign military intervention, 'Velvet Revolution' offers a path for democratic transition that minimises nationalist resentment and post-revolutionary violence. As a radical challenge to undemocratic regi ....The Spectre of Velvet Revolution: Dissidents, International Civil Society and post-Communist Authoritarianism. The study of 'Velvet Revolution,' both as a theory and as historical events, has immense implications for Australian policymakers. As an approach to regime change that does not entail foreign military intervention, 'Velvet Revolution' offers a path for democratic transition that minimises nationalist resentment and post-revolutionary violence. As a radical challenge to undemocratic regimes, it also constitutes a potent alternative to militant Islamism. By illuminating the role of dissidents and international civil society as protagonists and purveyors of 'Velvet Revolution,' this project will help to clarify the conditions that have facilitated the successful spread of democratic revolution.Read moreRead less
Ascending the Cross: Soviet Dissidents and the Universalisation of Human Rights. This project will study the contribution of persecuted dissidents to a diplomatic revolution. It will investigate how apparently powerless Soviet intellectuals like Sakharov and Solzhenitsyn used their moral authority to transform detente and challenge the notion that human rights was an internal affair of sovereign states. My hypothesis is that this challenge helped to provoke the 1970s human rights boom, which sch ....Ascending the Cross: Soviet Dissidents and the Universalisation of Human Rights. This project will study the contribution of persecuted dissidents to a diplomatic revolution. It will investigate how apparently powerless Soviet intellectuals like Sakharov and Solzhenitsyn used their moral authority to transform detente and challenge the notion that human rights was an internal affair of sovereign states. My hypothesis is that this challenge helped to provoke the 1970s human rights boom, which scholarship traditionally attributes to the inspirational role of President Carter and Western NGOs. By illuminating the role of non-Western citizens, this research calls into question prevailing assumptions about the specificially Western sources of the emerging international human rights order.
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Northeast Asia and the Korean War: legacies of hot and cold wars in contemporary constructions of the region. This project will provide the first comprehensive study of the socio-economic, cultural and ideological impact of the Korean War on Korea's northeast Asian neighbours: China, Japan, Russia's Far East, Taiwan and Mongolia. It will deepen understanding of the region's cold war and of contemporary moves to and create a post cold war northeast Asia.
Australia's foreign aid since 1945: National values and aid allocation. This project aims to analyse Australian motives and their connectedness to the allocation of foreign aid since the Second World War. In addition to reducing poverty and lifting living standards abroad, aid has always been linked to other interests such as the promotion of security, economic opportunity and other outcomes. This project will research relationships between identified values and geographical priorities in Austra ....Australia's foreign aid since 1945: National values and aid allocation. This project aims to analyse Australian motives and their connectedness to the allocation of foreign aid since the Second World War. In addition to reducing poverty and lifting living standards abroad, aid has always been linked to other interests such as the promotion of security, economic opportunity and other outcomes. This project will research relationships between identified values and geographical priorities in Australia's aid programme. In reconnecting history with the social science of applied economics, it will provide methodological paths for further research, including comparable studies of other governments giving aid. This project expects to add to understanding of Australia's role in world affairs and the significance of aid in Australia's international reputation.Read moreRead less
Historical Conflict and Reconciliation in East Asia: Media, History Wars and the Search for Regional Understanding. The relationship between Japan, China and Korea is of central importance to the future stability of our region, and of particular political and economic importance to Australia. This project will promote a deeper understanding of current tensions in the relationship between these countries, and will contribute to the practical search for resolutions to cultural and ideological dime ....Historical Conflict and Reconciliation in East Asia: Media, History Wars and the Search for Regional Understanding. The relationship between Japan, China and Korea is of central importance to the future stability of our region, and of particular political and economic importance to Australia. This project will promote a deeper understanding of current tensions in the relationship between these countries, and will contribute to the practical search for resolutions to cultural and ideological dimensions of this conflict. By addressing the relationship between changing methods of communication and contrasting images of history, the project will also contribute to the development of new theoretical approaches to the communication of historical knowledge in the twenty-first century. Read moreRead less
Towards a globalised history of international relations, the case of Japan. This project aims to revise the Euro-American-centric understanding of the history of international relations by incorporating the case of the first non-Euro-American modern power, Japan, and developing theory that internalises colonialism. Benefits to Australia and beyond include gaining a more historically accurate knowledge of this history, greater insights into the impact of this dominant understanding on the actions ....Towards a globalised history of international relations, the case of Japan. This project aims to revise the Euro-American-centric understanding of the history of international relations by incorporating the case of the first non-Euro-American modern power, Japan, and developing theory that internalises colonialism. Benefits to Australia and beyond include gaining a more historically accurate knowledge of this history, greater insights into the impact of this dominant understanding on the actions of non-Euro-American powers, and enhanced sensitivity of policy-makers and practitioners to their schemes to post-colonial societies. This revised history could also benefit general public debates on rethinking measures for dealing with issues arising from the diversity within Australian society and internationally.Read moreRead less