Deliberative Democracy and Citizenship: A Study of Deliberative Polling and Participatory Budgeting in China. The result of this research will enhance Australian democracy-promotion activities overseas, foster Chinese learning from Australian deliberative democratic experiences, as well as benefiting Australian governmental agencies such as AusAID and Australian NGOs working in this field. The project will also strengthen cooperation between Australian researchers and their counterparts in China ....Deliberative Democracy and Citizenship: A Study of Deliberative Polling and Participatory Budgeting in China. The result of this research will enhance Australian democracy-promotion activities overseas, foster Chinese learning from Australian deliberative democratic experiences, as well as benefiting Australian governmental agencies such as AusAID and Australian NGOs working in this field. The project will also strengthen cooperation between Australian researchers and their counterparts in China. The lessons learned from this Chinese experiment can be used to improve the quality of citizen participation and to develop more effective means of public participation and consultation in Australia. The project will contribute to the Australian government's dialogue approach to human rights issues in China since 1989.Read moreRead less
Western Theory of Deliberative Democracy and Chinese Practice of Participatory and Deliberative Institutions. This project is aimed to study how various participatory and deliberative institutions are pursued and promoted by peasants and residents in local governance in China. It is the first study that builds a bridge between Western theory of deliberative democracy and Chinese deliberative practice, adding to our knowledge of local participatory institutions in local China, contributing to a b ....Western Theory of Deliberative Democracy and Chinese Practice of Participatory and Deliberative Institutions. This project is aimed to study how various participatory and deliberative institutions are pursued and promoted by peasants and residents in local governance in China. It is the first study that builds a bridge between Western theory of deliberative democracy and Chinese deliberative practice, adding to our knowledge of local participatory institutions in local China, contributing to a better design of, and improvement of, these institutions, and developing lessons and policy implications that will be broadly applicable not only to most parts of China, but also to other developing countries and beyond.Read moreRead less
Changing political careers in Australia. The outcomes of the project include (i) contributions to our knowledge and understanding of sociopolitical change, especially in the area of elite formation and circulation; (ii) addressing the key theoretical issues in the area of elite theory and political professionalisation, this contribution to understanding of Australian politics, especially the recent changes in political recruitment and careers; and (iii) updating and extending the computerised ca ....Changing political careers in Australia. The outcomes of the project include (i) contributions to our knowledge and understanding of sociopolitical change, especially in the area of elite formation and circulation; (ii) addressing the key theoretical issues in the area of elite theory and political professionalisation, this contribution to understanding of Australian politics, especially the recent changes in political recruitment and careers; and (iii) updating and extending the computerised career register of the Australian federal parliamentarians.Read moreRead less
The Future of Oceans Governance in Polar Areas. Australia has a compelling national interest in maintaining its sovereignty and security in the Antarctic. Australian government goals include maintaining the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS); enhancing Australia's influence within the system; protecting the Antarctic environment; understanding the role of Antarctica in the global climate system; and undertaking scientific work of practical, economic and national significance. This project directly ad ....The Future of Oceans Governance in Polar Areas. Australia has a compelling national interest in maintaining its sovereignty and security in the Antarctic. Australian government goals include maintaining the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS); enhancing Australia's influence within the system; protecting the Antarctic environment; understanding the role of Antarctica in the global climate system; and undertaking scientific work of practical, economic and national significance. This project directly addresses national research priorities through analysis of oceans governance issues that centre on Australian interests. This project will also contribute to national benefit by focusing on issues central to the International Polar Year.Read moreRead less
Social futures and life pathways of young people in Queensland: waves 4 and 5 of a longitudinal study. This project assesses the impact of globalisation on the attitudes, behaviors, and life pathways of a cohort of over 7000 young Queenslanders, first surveyed when they were aged 12 and 13. Participants will be followed up when they are aged 19 and 20 and 20/21 to examine their experiences of the transition from school to work, family and social life.
From words to deeds: the politics of compliance in post-crisis international tax reform. The OECD embarked on an ambitious program to limit international tax evasion as part of the G20's response to the Global Financial Crisis. This project will evaluate whether national governments have honoured their commitments to this historic agreement. These findings will make a significant contribution to our understanding of compliance in global governance.
Global Citizen Deliberation: Analysing a Deliberative Documentary. The project will enact and film the world’s first truly global citizens’ deliberation, a global citizens’ assembly (GCA) on genome editing, and proceed to analyse the impact of the ‘deliberative documentary’ film on public understanding of complex, fast-evolving science and technology. It will investigate the cross-cultural capacity of citizens to deliberate complex value-laden issues, and so ascertain prospects for an informed g ....Global Citizen Deliberation: Analysing a Deliberative Documentary. The project will enact and film the world’s first truly global citizens’ deliberation, a global citizens’ assembly (GCA) on genome editing, and proceed to analyse the impact of the ‘deliberative documentary’ film on public understanding of complex, fast-evolving science and technology. It will investigate the cross-cultural capacity of citizens to deliberate complex value-laden issues, and so ascertain prospects for an informed global public response to challenges posed by genome editing. Research will test the effects of the deliberative documentary on viewers, examining benefits of communicating complex issues via the work of the GCA. Other benefits include improving public trust in governance and advancing the Australian film industry.
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A Philosophical Investigation into Conditions of Conceptual Creativity. Australia as a young and striving society depends heavily on innovation and the integration of creative forces. Yet creativity can only be understood through a close analysis of its conditions. This philosophical project can contribute directly by investigating paradigm cases of successful groupings of individuals around specific clusters of related problems. It aims at exploring the nature of such structures and conditions ....A Philosophical Investigation into Conditions of Conceptual Creativity. Australia as a young and striving society depends heavily on innovation and the integration of creative forces. Yet creativity can only be understood through a close analysis of its conditions. This philosophical project can contribute directly by investigating paradigm cases of successful groupings of individuals around specific clusters of related problems. It aims at exploring the nature of such structures and conditions that determine the emergence and flourishing of conceptual creativity. Understanding the nexus between creativity, innovation and these groupings is of central importance to the promotion and maintenance of modern societies. It is central to the dynamics of societal processes and enhances creative responses in the realm of e. g. conflict solving.Read moreRead less
Interdependence, transnational institutions and the governance of international taxation in the 21st Century. The global financial crisis is placing national tax systems under unprecedented competitive pressures. In such an environment the need for international tax cooperation has never been greater. Using comparative analysis this project will seek to establish which transnational institutions and governance systems best support international tax cooperation. By doing so it will enhance both t ....Interdependence, transnational institutions and the governance of international taxation in the 21st Century. The global financial crisis is placing national tax systems under unprecedented competitive pressures. In such an environment the need for international tax cooperation has never been greater. Using comparative analysis this project will seek to establish which transnational institutions and governance systems best support international tax cooperation. By doing so it will enhance both the ability of state and non-state actors to develop and refine strategies for participating in such systems and the prospects for achieving cooperation in this critical aspect of world affairs.Read moreRead less
Supporting or sabotaging sustainable development? State policy responses to environmental certification schemes. Almost everywhere, forests and fisheries are experiencing degradation and biodiversity loss. Since 1990, governments, industry and civil society organizations have expressed growing interest in market-based instruments for environmentally sustainable development. However, while states support the use of market-based instruments in general, serious problems arise with specific schemes. ....Supporting or sabotaging sustainable development? State policy responses to environmental certification schemes. Almost everywhere, forests and fisheries are experiencing degradation and biodiversity loss. Since 1990, governments, industry and civil society organizations have expressed growing interest in market-based instruments for environmentally sustainable development. However, while states support the use of market-based instruments in general, serious problems arise with specific schemes. This is particular true of environmental certification schemes, several of which have been opposed. Our study will explore the underlying factors that shape government responses to certification schemes in the forestry and fisheries sectors, thereby providing practical policy advice to ensure state institutions support rather than sabotage environmentally sustainable development.Read moreRead less