Civilisation, Masculinity, and the Body. By considering their relationship to broader Western concerns, this project examines the deep cultural origins of Australian masculinity and national identity. Much of the bush myth and the Anzac legend are grounded in assumptions that `true' manhood thrives outside of soft, sedentary and unhealthy cities, either in playing fields, battlefields, or the bush. Since Australia experienced growing anxieties about urban life and emphasized the importance of ph ....Civilisation, Masculinity, and the Body. By considering their relationship to broader Western concerns, this project examines the deep cultural origins of Australian masculinity and national identity. Much of the bush myth and the Anzac legend are grounded in assumptions that `true' manhood thrives outside of soft, sedentary and unhealthy cities, either in playing fields, battlefields, or the bush. Since Australia experienced growing anxieties about urban life and emphasized the importance of physical development along with most other Western countries, a project such as this helps situate this national experience within a broader cultural development. This is on the forefront of new scholarship that integrates the Australian experience with global culture.Read moreRead less
Women's NGOs, the United Nations and expanding civil society: a feminist critique, with reference to four UN member countries. Feminist non-governmental organisations have placed women's human rights concerns on the international agenda, but they are also increasingly expected to tailor themselves both to international bureaucracy and a domestic political role by becoming primary providers of what has become known as "social capital". Human rights remain important for women, but new strategies ....Women's NGOs, the United Nations and expanding civil society: a feminist critique, with reference to four UN member countries. Feminist non-governmental organisations have placed women's human rights concerns on the international agenda, but they are also increasingly expected to tailor themselves both to international bureaucracy and a domestic political role by becoming primary providers of what has become known as "social capital". Human rights remain important for women, but new strategies are needed to ensure government accountability for transforming the rhetoric of women's rights into reality. This project will examine these issues as faced by feminist NGOs in Australia, France, Pakistan and Haïti, to identify issues in common and suggest strategies for furthering the international feminist human rights project.Read moreRead less
Professional induction of female and male firefighters in a metropolitan fire station. This research offers new understanding of how the gendered professional identity of recruit firefighters is shaped by the regimes of selection, training and transition to work, in a metropolitan fire station. Doctoral research will explore whether women's relational and communication capacities are developed or discouraged in a masculinist work setting such as firefighting. The project will enhance understandi ....Professional induction of female and male firefighters in a metropolitan fire station. This research offers new understanding of how the gendered professional identity of recruit firefighters is shaped by the regimes of selection, training and transition to work, in a metropolitan fire station. Doctoral research will explore whether women's relational and communication capacities are developed or discouraged in a masculinist work setting such as firefighting. The project will enhance understanding of why some occupations remain male dominated despite 20 years of policy and program level change initiatives. It will have direct benefits for both metropolitan and rural firefighting services in Australia, assisting them to adapt to new professional and equity imperatives.Read moreRead less
Sexual Technologies and Reproductive Powers. The project is to investigate the impact of the new reproductive technologies on the concepts of the sexual relation. The derivation of concepts of sexual equality, and their relation and dependence on technology will be examined. Using the theoretical perspectives of European philosophy, in conjunction with contemporary feminist philosophy, the direction of change in concepts will be investigated.
Gender, power and identity in the early modern Nassau family. Our family identities shape our experiences of relationships, support structures, and interactions in broader communities around us but how do gender and power relationships affect expressions of family identities? Our project uses a case study of the early modern Nassau-Orange family, whose extensive and diverse sources include letters, art, architectural precincts, naming patterns, and even colonial endeavours. The word and colour o ....Gender, power and identity in the early modern Nassau family. Our family identities shape our experiences of relationships, support structures, and interactions in broader communities around us but how do gender and power relationships affect expressions of family identities? Our project uses a case study of the early modern Nassau-Orange family, whose extensive and diverse sources include letters, art, architectural precincts, naming patterns, and even colonial endeavours. The word and colour orange today symbolise Protestantism and the Dutch worldwide as a result of this pivotal family's self-presentation in the early modern period. We will produce monographs, PhD thesis, and research training in an international humanities team led by Australian researchers. Read moreRead less
Masculinity, men and development: A critical analysis of violence, conflict and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention measures in Melanesia. Australia is making great efforts to improve the situation in the Melanesian countries of our region through large amounts of development aid. Despite this, economic and social conditions continue to deteriorate. Widespread conflict, violence and the AIDS epidemic are significant factors in this decline. This project will critically examine ....Masculinity, men and development: A critical analysis of violence, conflict and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention measures in Melanesia. Australia is making great efforts to improve the situation in the Melanesian countries of our region through large amounts of development aid. Despite this, economic and social conditions continue to deteriorate. Widespread conflict, violence and the AIDS epidemic are significant factors in this decline. This project will critically examine the programs set up to encourage more constructive behaviour, particularly among men. It will contribute significantly to making Australia's efforts to address these profoundly destabilising problems more effective. The Australian Government recognises that it is strongly in our national interest to bring about an improvement in the wellbeing of our neighbours and friends in the region.Read moreRead less
Asian Women, Migration and Transnational Governance from Below. This project investigates international labour migration and its gender implications in the context of intra-regional flows in Southeast and East Asia.
It evaluates the responses and type(s) of activism by major migrant lobbyists as a potential force for socio-legal change and to what extent they operate beyond national borders. By integrating civil society activism, a novel approach is offered which conceptually combines the analy ....Asian Women, Migration and Transnational Governance from Below. This project investigates international labour migration and its gender implications in the context of intra-regional flows in Southeast and East Asia.
It evaluates the responses and type(s) of activism by major migrant lobbyists as a potential force for socio-legal change and to what extent they operate beyond national borders. By integrating civil society activism, a novel approach is offered which conceptually combines the analysis of women's needs and concerns when migrating internationally with democratisation processes and the increasing acceptance of global norms, nationally and transnationally.
The publication of a single-authored monograph and a number of journal articles is anticipated.Read moreRead less
COUNTER-MAPPING GENDER AND POLITICS: WOMEN, DEMOCRATIC RECONSTITUTION, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN EAST TIMOR AND THE PHILIPPINES. This project examines counter-mappings to conventional approaches in the analysis of political and social transformations in East Timor and the Philippines. It analyses the ways in which women's political subjectivities are constituted in the complex interplay of indigenous belief systems, nation-state building, modernity, development, and the intervention of int ....COUNTER-MAPPING GENDER AND POLITICS: WOMEN, DEMOCRATIC RECONSTITUTION, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN EAST TIMOR AND THE PHILIPPINES. This project examines counter-mappings to conventional approaches in the analysis of political and social transformations in East Timor and the Philippines. It analyses the ways in which women's political subjectivities are constituted in the complex interplay of indigenous belief systems, nation-state building, modernity, development, and the intervention of international organizations. How do poor women redefine and expand conventional approaches to governance, local and international security, and sustainable development? It explores the mechanisms that produce and reproduce women's empowerment and/or marginalisation with particular attention to resilient local knowledges that open-up possibilities for democratic reconstitution of society.
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Farm Women, Networks and ICTs. Considerable national funds have been spent on brining rural Australians online. In the previous year over half of those living in non-metropolitan Australian accessed the internet. However, little is known about how new technologies are being integrated into the daily lives of rural people. This research moves from quantifying technology take-up in rural Australia and describing the possibilities of what new technologies may offer rural people, to analysing and cr ....Farm Women, Networks and ICTs. Considerable national funds have been spent on brining rural Australians online. In the previous year over half of those living in non-metropolitan Australian accessed the internet. However, little is known about how new technologies are being integrated into the daily lives of rural people. This research moves from quantifying technology take-up in rural Australia and describing the possibilities of what new technologies may offer rural people, to analysing and critiquing the extent to which these possibilities are being realised. It will inform policy on rural and regional technology access and use.Read moreRead less
Continuities and change in the history of European women's letter-writing. This project will enhance Australia's strong international reputation for cutting-edge work in European history. At a time when questions about communication, self-representation and personal life are of such very great interest, both academically and more generally, this project offers the possibility of bringing academic scholarship closer to issues that are of general interest to the wider community. There is also cons ....Continuities and change in the history of European women's letter-writing. This project will enhance Australia's strong international reputation for cutting-edge work in European history. At a time when questions about communication, self-representation and personal life are of such very great interest, both academically and more generally, this project offers the possibility of bringing academic scholarship closer to issues that are of general interest to the wider community. There is also considerable national benefit in the innovative approach that this project proposes, which offers a new model for collaborative research in the humanities.Read moreRead less