Writing Identity onto the Screen: Subtitles and captions in Japanese media. This project analyses how varieties of language (dialect, gendered speech styles, youth slang) are written onto the screen in audiovisual media as subtitles and impact-captions. It explores the attitudes held by editors, producers and translators towards language which influence this process. It aims to use the Japanese global media, which is well-known for its heavy use of text-on-screen and its rich diversity of langu ....Writing Identity onto the Screen: Subtitles and captions in Japanese media. This project analyses how varieties of language (dialect, gendered speech styles, youth slang) are written onto the screen in audiovisual media as subtitles and impact-captions. It explores the attitudes held by editors, producers and translators towards language which influence this process. It aims to use the Japanese global media, which is well-known for its heavy use of text-on-screen and its rich diversity of language styles, as a case study. This is expected to lead to a greater understanding of textual representation of identity in contemporary digital media.Read moreRead less
Understanding and Combatting 'Dark Political Communication'. This project examines an emergent series of tactics used by political actors (i.e. politicians, lobbyists, political groups, etc.) that we are calling 'Dark Political Communication' (DPC). DPC differs markedly from existing, well-established modes of political communication, as it often involves the deliberate spread of disinformation, use of highly inflammatory language, antagonism towards the press and democratic institutions, as wel ....Understanding and Combatting 'Dark Political Communication'. This project examines an emergent series of tactics used by political actors (i.e. politicians, lobbyists, political groups, etc.) that we are calling 'Dark Political Communication' (DPC). DPC differs markedly from existing, well-established modes of political communication, as it often involves the deliberate spread of disinformation, use of highly inflammatory language, antagonism towards the press and democratic institutions, as well as actions that seek to exacerbate social discord. In this project, we will provide the first-ever complete account of DPC tactics, and provide a series of recommendations to journalists about how their practice can best evolve to address this novel communication paradigm. Read moreRead less
Keeping Memory Current: Updating and Discounting of Information. This project is about understanding the human cognitive capacity to manage change. The need to manage change is a common thread that permeates nearly all National Research Priorities and is a central issue in an information society. The applied component of the project will develop techniques to improve the capabilities of individuals and communities to rely on up-to-date knowledge during decision making. The project will also cont ....Keeping Memory Current: Updating and Discounting of Information. This project is about understanding the human cognitive capacity to manage change. The need to manage change is a common thread that permeates nearly all National Research Priorities and is a central issue in an information society. The applied component of the project will develop techniques to improve the capabilities of individuals and communities to rely on up-to-date knowledge during decision making. The project will also contribute to psychological science in numerous ways. Basic research in psychology is of particular national benefit because the available national research funding is commensurate with the requirements of world-class research in psychology.Read moreRead less
Using machine vision to explore Instagram’s everyday promotional cultures. The advertising-driven business models of social media platforms increasingly depend on automation. The technologies used by platforms are rapidly advancing, and include ‘machine vision’ systems that automatically classify faces, expressions, objects, and brand logos in images. The results are used to provide targeted content to users, often without their knowledge and without sufficient public oversight. Using a novel co ....Using machine vision to explore Instagram’s everyday promotional cultures. The advertising-driven business models of social media platforms increasingly depend on automation. The technologies used by platforms are rapidly advancing, and include ‘machine vision’ systems that automatically classify faces, expressions, objects, and brand logos in images. The results are used to provide targeted content to users, often without their knowledge and without sufficient public oversight. Using a novel combination of computational and cultural research methods, this project aims to: examine how machine vision works in platforms like Instagram; explore its role in everyday visual contexts through qualitative case studies of festivals, food, and lifestyle sports; and improve public understanding of machine vision systems.Read moreRead less
Platform governance: rethinking internet regulation as media policy. This project aims to investigate the regulatory and policy implications of understanding global digital platforms as media companies. Responding to ongoing public concern about these companies’ self-management of online communication and social media, this project will evaluate regulatory approaches to mediating abusive, offensive, defamatory and potentially illegal digital content. The project will develop detailed recommendat ....Platform governance: rethinking internet regulation as media policy. This project aims to investigate the regulatory and policy implications of understanding global digital platforms as media companies. Responding to ongoing public concern about these companies’ self-management of online communication and social media, this project will evaluate regulatory approaches to mediating abusive, offensive, defamatory and potentially illegal digital content. The project will develop detailed recommendation for reform based on case studies in Australia, the European Union, the United States of America and New Zealand, enabling media policy makers to more effectively regulate digital media platforms to better align with contemporary public interest rationales.Read moreRead less
Chinese-language digital/social media in Australia. This project aims to study the production, content and use of digital/social media by mainland Chinese migrants in Australia. China’s global rise has generated widespread anxiety about its possible use of diasporic Chinese media to influence the world. This project expects to generate a new framework for analysing soft power and propaganda in digital/social media, while also undertaking a major rethinking of the concept of flexible citizenship. ....Chinese-language digital/social media in Australia. This project aims to study the production, content and use of digital/social media by mainland Chinese migrants in Australia. China’s global rise has generated widespread anxiety about its possible use of diasporic Chinese media to influence the world. This project expects to generate a new framework for analysing soft power and propaganda in digital/social media, while also undertaking a major rethinking of the concept of flexible citizenship. The study will produce a more accurate assessment of China’s influence through migrant media in Australia and elsewhere.Read moreRead less
The global self: screening the history of human rights in the 20th century to the present. This project will research the history and theory of human rights as represented in film and new media. It will analyse the origins and development of human rights theory and document the changes in films about human rights in order to understand how we now conceptualise human rights in the twenty-first-century.
Cultural Conversations: A History of ABC Radio National. From old media to the digital, this project offers a detailed study and critical assessment of the national ideas network, Radio National. This ensemble of practices, identified within traditions of 'cultural radio', constitutes one of the most significant yet still underestimated platforms of public media internationally, and remains a singular cultural and media institution in Australia. The project will map practices and programs to und ....Cultural Conversations: A History of ABC Radio National. From old media to the digital, this project offers a detailed study and critical assessment of the national ideas network, Radio National. This ensemble of practices, identified within traditions of 'cultural radio', constitutes one of the most significant yet still underestimated platforms of public media internationally, and remains a singular cultural and media institution in Australia. The project will map practices and programs to understand their changing contribution to Australian public life, media and culture, whether through fostering the arts or contributing to the national conversation around science, politics, art or religion.Read moreRead less
Contemporary Indigenous film and television: new frames of understanding. Australian Indigenous film and television has exploded into the mainstream of the national media landscape over the last five years and is now a leading sector of the local industry. This research project, an interdisciplinary collaboration between an Indigenous and two non-indigenous scholars, aims to produce new frames for understanding this film and television in its local, national and international contexts. The resea ....Contemporary Indigenous film and television: new frames of understanding. Australian Indigenous film and television has exploded into the mainstream of the national media landscape over the last five years and is now a leading sector of the local industry. This research project, an interdisciplinary collaboration between an Indigenous and two non-indigenous scholars, aims to produce new frames for understanding this film and television in its local, national and international contexts. The research will result in a re-evaluation of the Australian audio-visual heritage that will result in greater recognition of and opportunities for Indigenous creative producers in the future.Read moreRead less