The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
The rule of law in history and memory: Australian and Canadian settler frontiers. This study is inspired by current 'History Wars' debates in Australia and Canada, which in raising questions about 'what happened' in the colonial past have demonstrated that the shape of the nation's historical memory is of vital present day importance. These debates have shown that more detailed historical research is required into how the frontiers of European settlement evolved in practice, and how Indigenous p ....The rule of law in history and memory: Australian and Canadian settler frontiers. This study is inspired by current 'History Wars' debates in Australia and Canada, which in raising questions about 'what happened' in the colonial past have demonstrated that the shape of the nation's historical memory is of vital present day importance. These debates have shown that more detailed historical research is required into how the frontiers of European settlement evolved in practice, and how Indigenous populations were made subject to colonial legal authority. As a project of comparative history, the study is of international as well as national significance. It has the potential to generate improved understanding of current conditions by highlighting differences and similarities between Australian and Canadian experiences.Read moreRead less
The Empire of New Idealism?: Civilisation and Australian New Idealism, 1850-1950. Philosophies, like people and commodities, travel the globe. This project traces the movement of British 'New Idealist' philosophy to Australia in the mid-nineteenth century, its transformation into 'Australian New idealism', and return to Britain. It shows how the hopes of these first Australian philosophers for a global community overlapped with politicians and policy makers, and uncovers their shaping role in th ....The Empire of New Idealism?: Civilisation and Australian New Idealism, 1850-1950. Philosophies, like people and commodities, travel the globe. This project traces the movement of British 'New Idealist' philosophy to Australia in the mid-nineteenth century, its transformation into 'Australian New idealism', and return to Britain. It shows how the hopes of these first Australian philosophers for a global community overlapped with politicians and policy makers, and uncovers their shaping role in the formulation of many social policies that remain with us today. It places Australian history and research at the heart of a new global vision of New Idealist studies and offers scholars, policy makers and educators the necessary background to more fully articulate Australian understandings of citizenship and civilisation.Read moreRead less
La Bella Liberta: Women, Freedom and the History of Italy c1800-1940. By exploring the intersection between Italy and the lives of some
prominent educated British women in the 19th and early 20th centuries
this project offers innovative approaches to British history, to
biography and to cultural history. By analysing the connection these
women drew between their own desire for personal emancipation and
Italian political developments and exploring their active interest in
the history, ....La Bella Liberta: Women, Freedom and the History of Italy c1800-1940. By exploring the intersection between Italy and the lives of some
prominent educated British women in the 19th and early 20th centuries
this project offers innovative approaches to British history, to
biography and to cultural history. By analysing the connection these
women drew between their own desire for personal emancipation and
Italian political developments and exploring their active interest in
the history, culture, and politics of Italy this research will offer
new insights into changing constructions of Italy, the intellectual
life of the expatriate world there and the important role women played
in representing Italy in the Anglophone world.
Read moreRead less
A Colonial and Conceptual History of Asymmetric Warfare and Security. War and terrorism feature prominently in popular, political and scholarly perceptions of Australia's colonial past and its geopolitical future. Our understanding of what constitutes war and terrorism emerged from a long colonial and conceptual history of Western international and political thought. The national and community benefits of this program of research derive precisely from its ability to link the uniqueness of Austra ....A Colonial and Conceptual History of Asymmetric Warfare and Security. War and terrorism feature prominently in popular, political and scholarly perceptions of Australia's colonial past and its geopolitical future. Our understanding of what constitutes war and terrorism emerged from a long colonial and conceptual history of Western international and political thought. The national and community benefits of this program of research derive precisely from its ability to link the uniqueness of Australia's colonial history to its global context, and to use both to provide new insight into current debates on terrorism and security that are integral to Australia's capacity to interpret itself to the rest of the world.Read moreRead less
Anthropological perspectives on ethnographic collecting by Australian colonial administrators in Papua and New Guinea and their contribution to museum collections. Australian colonial administrators in PNG built up large ethnographic collections. This study will examine the contexts in which 'ethnographic' objects were acquired from Indigenous peoples in PNG with particular emphasis on the role of Sir Hubert Murray. This will be the first study to examine the historical and cultural context of ....Anthropological perspectives on ethnographic collecting by Australian colonial administrators in Papua and New Guinea and their contribution to museum collections. Australian colonial administrators in PNG built up large ethnographic collections. This study will examine the contexts in which 'ethnographic' objects were acquired from Indigenous peoples in PNG with particular emphasis on the role of Sir Hubert Murray. This will be the first study to examine the historical and cultural context of the large PNG collections now held by the National Museum of Australia. It will provide a new perspective on Australia's role as a colonial power in the Pacific using ethnographic objects to explore the relationship between key figures in the Administration and Indigenous people.Read moreRead less
A History of Manners: Savagery and Civility in Colonial Australia. The lessons of the past are vital to Australia's future. In the twenty-first century, Australia faces the urgent need to communicate across cultural barriers, and to acknowledge and respect divergent codes of conduct and manners. The history of manners in nineteenth-century Australia helps us to come to terms with our contested past by illuminating the complexities of a colonising culture, and the difficulties of adapting codes o ....A History of Manners: Savagery and Civility in Colonial Australia. The lessons of the past are vital to Australia's future. In the twenty-first century, Australia faces the urgent need to communicate across cultural barriers, and to acknowledge and respect divergent codes of conduct and manners. The history of manners in nineteenth-century Australia helps us to come to terms with our contested past by illuminating the complexities of a colonising culture, and the difficulties of adapting codes of conduct to the needs of a young, disparate and ever-changing society. Exploring the limitations of Australian elitism and egalitarianism, it opens the way for diverse and inclusive understandings of identity and national character. Read moreRead less
Transportation and Transformation: How Local Conditions Changed Traditional Ideas into Modern Politics. Knowledge of how ideas make, and are changed by, their ?journey? from place to place and over time is vital for a better understanding of our region and the world. The focus in this study on the influences acting upon the development of attitudes can give us a new perspective on our similarities and differences with other postcolonial societies. This study, through its comparative work with ....Transportation and Transformation: How Local Conditions Changed Traditional Ideas into Modern Politics. Knowledge of how ideas make, and are changed by, their ?journey? from place to place and over time is vital for a better understanding of our region and the world. The focus in this study on the influences acting upon the development of attitudes can give us a new perspective on our similarities and differences with other postcolonial societies. This study, through its comparative work with Britain, will also provide a much clearer picture of the influences upon Australia's political and social development and allow us to understand more effectively how ?local? and ?imported? ideas have melded together to form our national characteristics. Read moreRead less
The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual tra ....The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual traditions and cultural identity. A commitment to understanding what Chinese philosophy means to China's educated elite also demonstrates a willingness to foster dialogue and communication that is sensitive to the intellectual and cultural traditions which are a source of pride and identity for several of our major regional partners. Read moreRead less
At the Border: Health, Immigration Restriction and the Imagining of Australia, 1901-2001. This project traces and analyses connections between public health policies and immigration policies between 1901 and 2001 in Australia. It interrogates the changing regulation of Australia's population through border control and health screening of aspiring immigrants and citizens, as well as tourists, refugees and illegal entrants. Infectious disease control may well have been a major instrument through w ....At the Border: Health, Immigration Restriction and the Imagining of Australia, 1901-2001. This project traces and analyses connections between public health policies and immigration policies between 1901 and 2001 in Australia. It interrogates the changing regulation of Australia's population through border control and health screening of aspiring immigrants and citizens, as well as tourists, refugees and illegal entrants. Infectious disease control may well have been a major instrument through which movement over the national borders, and naturalisation into the population, have been governed and policed. The project will illuminate the significance of these interconnecting policies and practices for the historical, legal, and cultural imagining of Australia.
Read moreRead less
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds: Designing Everyday Modernism for Australian Communities 1920-1970. This cross-disciplinary project will construct an historical account of the interconnections between the network of governmental policies and initiatives promoting a healthy and educated citizenry, and the design and use of modern, municipal architecture in mid-century Australia. Detailed analysis of modern building types, from around the nation, including kindergartens, sporting facilities, swimmin ....Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds: Designing Everyday Modernism for Australian Communities 1920-1970. This cross-disciplinary project will construct an historical account of the interconnections between the network of governmental policies and initiatives promoting a healthy and educated citizenry, and the design and use of modern, municipal architecture in mid-century Australia. Detailed analysis of modern building types, from around the nation, including kindergartens, sporting facilities, swimming pools, child health clinics, libraries and community centres will constitute an original and important resource for historians, conservationists and architects. Historical findings will inform directions and lessons for future practice in the design, planning and conservation of community infrastructure.Read moreRead less