Social engagement in Spiritualism. This project aims to investigate the sociological, anthropological and historical dimensions of Spiritualism in Australia, a small but highly influential religious movement. 19th century Spiritualist ideas about the afterlife have shaped many citizens’ beliefs that individual personality survives death in a family-centred spirit realm. Combining both sociological and anthropological approaches, the project will map the production and effect of belief on family, ....Social engagement in Spiritualism. This project aims to investigate the sociological, anthropological and historical dimensions of Spiritualism in Australia, a small but highly influential religious movement. 19th century Spiritualist ideas about the afterlife have shaped many citizens’ beliefs that individual personality survives death in a family-centred spirit realm. Combining both sociological and anthropological approaches, the project will map the production and effect of belief on family, civic participation and ethics. This project aims to give scholars a fuller, more accurate view of religious dynamics in Australia.Read moreRead less
Counter-Radical Revival: Indonesia's New-Style Islamic Prayer Rallies. This project is the first systematic investigation of a new type of counter-radical religious mobilisation in Muslim Southeast Asia: mass prayer rallies attended by tens of thousands of people and led by charismatic preachers of Hadhrami Arab descent. While transnational Islamist movements promoting an Islamic state have identified 'true Islam' with Arab practices, Hadhrami leaders of the new-style prayer rallies publicly res ....Counter-Radical Revival: Indonesia's New-Style Islamic Prayer Rallies. This project is the first systematic investigation of a new type of counter-radical religious mobilisation in Muslim Southeast Asia: mass prayer rallies attended by tens of thousands of people and led by charismatic preachers of Hadhrami Arab descent. While transnational Islamist movements promoting an Islamic state have identified 'true Islam' with Arab practices, Hadhrami leaders of the new-style prayer rallies publicly resist such claims, promoting religious rituals beloved in Indonesian local Islam. This project seeks to document the scope and impact of the new-style prayer rallies and understand them as new religious forms responsive to the late-modern social changes affecting not just the West, but also Islamic Southeast Asia.Read moreRead less
The function of images in magical papyri and artefacts of ritual power from Late Antiquity. A study of images in magical papyri and related artefacts from Late Antiquity, drawn for the purpose of healing and protection or to achieve success in personal relations and business. The research outcome will be a new holistic understanding of the design and use of such objects, and the transmission of traditions of knowledge in ancient society.
Kingship, art and cult practice: decoding symbolism in an ancient Central Asian royal city. Hidden in the elaborate imagery of the richly ornamented 'Ceremonial Complex' recently uncovered at the ancient 'Royal City' of Kazakly-yatkan in Uzbekistan is a wealth of symbolism relating to cult, kingship and the divine. The study of this magnificent corpus has broad relevance for the history of all the lands across the ancient Persian world.
Religious Innovation and Social Reform in Sri Lanka. This project proposes comparative research on socio-religious reform movements in Sri Lanka, exploring four separate yet related research foci in the post-war context involving each of the major world religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam). It explores questions of human equality and social cohesion in the setting of post-conflict national reconstruction. The project is significant as an innovative, simultaneous study of Sri La ....Religious Innovation and Social Reform in Sri Lanka. This project proposes comparative research on socio-religious reform movements in Sri Lanka, exploring four separate yet related research foci in the post-war context involving each of the major world religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam). It explores questions of human equality and social cohesion in the setting of post-conflict national reconstruction. The project is significant as an innovative, simultaneous study of Sri Lankan religion combined with an examination of the relationship between religion and social difference, inclusion and exclusion. Involving four PhDs from Sri Lanka and Australia working with experienced anthropologists from each country, the project aims to produce a significant ongoing international collaboration.Read moreRead less
Liturgical texts and practices in the ancient world. This project aims to reconstruct the liturgical life of one of the most diverse and influential religious traditions across Eurasia, from Roman Egypt to early modern China: the Manichaeans. It investigates cultural adaptation, chronological development and unity of practice in a deeper manner that helps support the discipline of religious studies more generally. It expects to generate new knowledge through the critical editing of complex texts ....Liturgical texts and practices in the ancient world. This project aims to reconstruct the liturgical life of one of the most diverse and influential religious traditions across Eurasia, from Roman Egypt to early modern China: the Manichaeans. It investigates cultural adaptation, chronological development and unity of practice in a deeper manner that helps support the discipline of religious studies more generally. It expects to generate new knowledge through the critical editing of complex texts and the employment of emergent methodologies for an integrated, holistic understanding of community literatures in terms of lived religion. Expected outcomes are advances to methodology and the profiling of one aspect of the ancient world.Read moreRead less
Building India: Religion, craft and infrastructure in contemporary Asia. This project aims to show how Hinduism and the god Vishwakarma—literally, Maker of the Universe—frame and propel the infrastructural systems key to India’s rise as a 21st century economic powerhouse. The project will explore the unprecedented growth of Vishwakarma worship across India’s infrastructural and business enterprise sectors, and its role in mobilising a creative class of professionals. It will also investigate its ....Building India: Religion, craft and infrastructure in contemporary Asia. This project aims to show how Hinduism and the god Vishwakarma—literally, Maker of the Universe—frame and propel the infrastructural systems key to India’s rise as a 21st century economic powerhouse. The project will explore the unprecedented growth of Vishwakarma worship across India’s infrastructural and business enterprise sectors, and its role in mobilising a creative class of professionals. It will also investigate its role in instilling a spirit of craftsmanship among workers in Prime Minister Modi’s Make-in-India campaign. The project aims to deepen Australian understanding of Asian religion and economy as it seeks to navigate trade and investment opportunities in Asia.Read moreRead less
Waiet: Archaeology of a Torres Strait Islander ritual pathway. The project aims to provide a high-resolution archaeological record of ritual mobility by examining a Torres Strait Islander initiation pathway. The project is expected to generate new knowledge about human movement and improve public understanding of Indigenous peoples connection with country. Anticipated outcomes of the multi-disciplinary and community-led research include the first detailed record of ancient ritual mobility in nor ....Waiet: Archaeology of a Torres Strait Islander ritual pathway. The project aims to provide a high-resolution archaeological record of ritual mobility by examining a Torres Strait Islander initiation pathway. The project is expected to generate new knowledge about human movement and improve public understanding of Indigenous peoples connection with country. Anticipated outcomes of the multi-disciplinary and community-led research include the first detailed record of ancient ritual mobility in northern Australia and development of a web-based system to transfer archival information between cultural institutions and remote communities. This should provide significant benefits and assist Meriam people to engage with their cultural heritage and expand public knowledge about Indigenous forms of mobility.Read moreRead less
Cultures of belief in Renaissance Florence. The project asks new questions and employs new methods for understanding the material and cultural development of Renaissance Florence by focussing on the city's rapidly evolving religious context. It foregrounds the close study of preaching and its generation, and elaborates the oral as a category of historical analysis.
Recently discovered rare manuscripts of mediaeval Pali subcommentaries: a missing link in Buddhist textual transmission. The project will "enhance Australia's capacity to interpret and engage with its regional environment through a greater understanding of languages, societies and cultures" (Research priority 4: Understanding our region and the world); it will deepen our understanding of religious and cultural traditions of many Buddhist countries, which constitute a substantial part of Australi ....Recently discovered rare manuscripts of mediaeval Pali subcommentaries: a missing link in Buddhist textual transmission. The project will "enhance Australia's capacity to interpret and engage with its regional environment through a greater understanding of languages, societies and cultures" (Research priority 4: Understanding our region and the world); it will deepen our understanding of religious and cultural traditions of many Buddhist countries, which constitute a substantial part of Australia's regional environment, and advance our knowledge of Buddhism, the fastest growing religion in Australia. Since this is the first project of its kind in the field of Pali studies, it will increase the international prestige of Australian research capability and open new possibilities for international cooperation in the field.Read moreRead less