After the crisis: Nation-building challenges in East Timor. Given the substantial commitment of International Stabilisation Force intervention, nation and state building in East Timor remains a high priority for Australian policy makers. This project will examine three key nation-building agendas in post-crisis East Timor, focusing on the key areas of decentralisation of state authority, evolving relationships with traditional authorities, and post-crisis conflict resolution programs, over the p ....After the crisis: Nation-building challenges in East Timor. Given the substantial commitment of International Stabilisation Force intervention, nation and state building in East Timor remains a high priority for Australian policy makers. This project will examine three key nation-building agendas in post-crisis East Timor, focusing on the key areas of decentralisation of state authority, evolving relationships with traditional authorities, and post-crisis conflict resolution programs, over the period of 2009-11. In so doing, the project will contribute to a better understanding of antecedent factors to state failure, linking directly with recent Australian government policy concerns over 'fragile states', and their potential to destabilise the regional security environment.Read moreRead less
China's invisible economic leadership: women in family enterprises. Chinese women are generally regarded as not having been in the leadership of economic reform. In contrast, the Chief Investigator's recent research on the new rich in North China suggests that the wives of new entrepreneurs may play significant, though unacknowledged, leadership roles in enterprise development. In particular, it suggests that women often act as business managers and accountants alongside their husbands, especial ....China's invisible economic leadership: women in family enterprises. Chinese women are generally regarded as not having been in the leadership of economic reform. In contrast, the Chief Investigator's recent research on the new rich in North China suggests that the wives of new entrepreneurs may play significant, though unacknowledged, leadership roles in enterprise development. In particular, it suggests that women often act as business managers and accountants alongside their husbands, especially in family based enterprises first established in the private sector. It is now proposed to test the wider applicability of these findings, and explore the consequences for the development of enterprises, families and local politics.Read moreRead less
The Gender Politics of Global Economic Competitiveness in Southeast Asia. States such as Malaysia face similar economic challenges to Australia - for example maintaining economic competitiveness in the face of rising competition from low(er) wage labour countries (especially China), maintaining and enhancing a competitive ICT infrastructure and building successful and sustainable technology policies. Critically assessing the role that women and the family can play in Malaysia's attempts to trans ....The Gender Politics of Global Economic Competitiveness in Southeast Asia. States such as Malaysia face similar economic challenges to Australia - for example maintaining economic competitiveness in the face of rising competition from low(er) wage labour countries (especially China), maintaining and enhancing a competitive ICT infrastructure and building successful and sustainable technology policies. Critically assessing the role that women and the family can play in Malaysia's attempts to transition to a more knowledge intensive economy will invariably open up policy lessons for Australia.Read moreRead less
The New Rich and the State in China: The social basis of local power. Australia's relationship with China is important for economic, political and social, reasons. This project will generally assist in contributing to understanding about China's social and political development, and will develop specific expertise in the socio-economic environments of its research localities across five provinces that will be of use to Australian companies seeking access to the China market. It will also add to ....The New Rich and the State in China: The social basis of local power. Australia's relationship with China is important for economic, political and social, reasons. This project will generally assist in contributing to understanding about China's social and political development, and will develop specific expertise in the socio-economic environments of its research localities across five provinces that will be of use to Australian companies seeking access to the China market. It will also add to the development of Australia's standing as a major centre of research on contemporary China. Read moreRead less
Internal and External Sources of Political Instability in East Timor. This project is of direct relevance to Australia through its bilateral and multilateral provision of police to assist in the maintenance of East Timor's law and order, through its training of and support for the East Timor Border Patrol Unit, and its training and support of the East Timor defence force, Falintil-FDTL. The project also goes to the core of Australia's concerns with regional state maintenance (or conversely, pote ....Internal and External Sources of Political Instability in East Timor. This project is of direct relevance to Australia through its bilateral and multilateral provision of police to assist in the maintenance of East Timor's law and order, through its training of and support for the East Timor Border Patrol Unit, and its training and support of the East Timor defence force, Falintil-FDTL. The project also goes to the core of Australia's concerns with regional state maintenance (or conversely, potential state failure), direct bilateral relations with both East Timor and Indonesia, and the triangular relationship between these three states. Read moreRead less
Agriculture, politics and trade: Understanding Japan's reform processes and prospects. Japan's continuing agricultural trade liberalisation is essential to Australia's future export prospects in Asia because Japan is Australia's largest export market for agricultural products. By assessing the nature and strength of key domestic factors encouraging reform of Japan's agricultural trade policy, the research will advance knowledge about an area of Japanese political economy that directly affects Au ....Agriculture, politics and trade: Understanding Japan's reform processes and prospects. Japan's continuing agricultural trade liberalisation is essential to Australia's future export prospects in Asia because Japan is Australia's largest export market for agricultural products. By assessing the nature and strength of key domestic factors encouraging reform of Japan's agricultural trade policy, the research will advance knowledge about an area of Japanese political economy that directly affects Australia's trade position and commercial policy. This knowledge will provide intellectual support to the design of current and future Australian multilateral and bilateral trade bargaining strategies at the World Trade Organization and in relation to the Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement respectively. Read moreRead less
The Dilemmas of Energy Security in China and India. As a major energy exporter to both China and India, Australia to a significant extent is dependent on the stability and integrity of the international energy trade and more broadly of the global trade in goods and services. China and India are major trading partners of Australia and have emerged as major potential markets for Australia's energy exports. Developing a comprehensive understanding of the energy policy making dilemmas of these two e ....The Dilemmas of Energy Security in China and India. As a major energy exporter to both China and India, Australia to a significant extent is dependent on the stability and integrity of the international energy trade and more broadly of the global trade in goods and services. China and India are major trading partners of Australia and have emerged as major potential markets for Australia's energy exports. Developing a comprehensive understanding of the energy policy making dilemmas of these two emerging great powers thus sits at the core of this country's security and foreign policy considerations.Read moreRead less
Representation and Political Regimes in Southeast Asia. Comprehending drivers and directions of political regimes in Southeast Asia is urgently needed as the global financial crisis and climate change pose new challenges for Australia's regional engagement. Aid strategies to support and promote preferred political and other governance institutions will be enhanced by knowledge of the conflicts and alliances over political representation. Specific coalitions functional for democratic institutions ....Representation and Political Regimes in Southeast Asia. Comprehending drivers and directions of political regimes in Southeast Asia is urgently needed as the global financial crisis and climate change pose new challenges for Australia's regional engagement. Aid strategies to support and promote preferred political and other governance institutions will be enhanced by knowledge of the conflicts and alliances over political representation. Specific coalitions functional for democratic institutions in particular would become clearer. Business interests in trade and investment will benefit from understanding the nature and extent of conflicts over representation and their potential or otherwise to result in trade protectionism and affect political stability.Read moreRead less
Political party financing and democratic consolidation in Indonesia. As Australia's vast neighbour to the north, Indonesia, is of critical importance to Australian national interests. Particularly essential in this regard is the stability of Indonesia's young democracy, which is increasingly threatened by the widespread perception that party politics are contaminated by corrupt, greedy and self-centred politicians. This sentiment is largely fuelled by complaints about questionable fundraising pr ....Political party financing and democratic consolidation in Indonesia. As Australia's vast neighbour to the north, Indonesia, is of critical importance to Australian national interests. Particularly essential in this regard is the stability of Indonesia's young democracy, which is increasingly threatened by the widespread perception that party politics are contaminated by corrupt, greedy and self-centred politicians. This sentiment is largely fuelled by complaints about questionable fundraising practices of political parties. Accordingly, this study will be of great interest to Australian policy-makers, aid officials and businesses that wish to address the deficiencies in Indonesia's political system through political and economic cooperation programs.Read moreRead less
Democratization, Institutional Reform and Ethnic Politics in the Asia-Pacific. The democratisation of the Asia-Pacific has significant implications for Australia. Consolidated democracies are better able to manage internal conflicts, and less likely to pose a threat to their neighbours via arms trafficking, refugee flows, and transnational terrorism. However, the initial transitional period of democratisation can be highly fraught, and many of the new democracies of the Asia-Pacific are fragile, ....Democratization, Institutional Reform and Ethnic Politics in the Asia-Pacific. The democratisation of the Asia-Pacific has significant implications for Australia. Consolidated democracies are better able to manage internal conflicts, and less likely to pose a threat to their neighbours via arms trafficking, refugee flows, and transnational terrorism. However, the initial transitional period of democratisation can be highly fraught, and many of the new democracies of the Asia-Pacific are fragile, beset by internal cleavages and conflicts. If ways can be found to manage ethnic and other cleavages within a democratic framework, the prospects for peaceful and stable governance in the region will be significantly enhanced. This has the potential to transform the security of the region and Australia's relations with it.Read moreRead less