Country Girlhood: the meaning and experience of girlhood in rural and regional Australia. What meanings does Australian country life impose on or generate for girls, and how have these helped define both country life and girlhood in Australia? Looking at the experience of growing up in rural and regional (ie. non-metropolitan) Australia, and how governments and communities have sought to respond to and define it, this project considers how country girlhood has interacted with social policy and o ....Country Girlhood: the meaning and experience of girlhood in rural and regional Australia. What meanings does Australian country life impose on or generate for girls, and how have these helped define both country life and girlhood in Australia? Looking at the experience of growing up in rural and regional (ie. non-metropolitan) Australia, and how governments and communities have sought to respond to and define it, this project considers how country girlhood has interacted with social policy and other influences, and as a particular conjunction of age, gender, location, and community. Is there such a thing as Australian country girlhood, and how has it been shaped by or helped form Australian ways of life?Read moreRead less
A cultural history of Australian motor travel overseas. This project will add to our understanding of Australians' changing perceptions of the world, the way that Australian identity has been performed when overseas and the practice of motor touring.
It will be of direct benefit to the tourist industry and in contributing to our knowledge of Australia's relationship to the world and our region.
The Concept of Innocence and the Political Community: Australian identity and social health. In recent years, dispute, and even violence, has erupted in Australia between cultural groups and interests. By analysing the import of 'innocence' in Western social thought, and the cultural values corresponding to it, the project promotes a rethinking of the assumptions that underpin (and often undermine) relations between different cultures that make up the Australian community. In so doing, the proje ....The Concept of Innocence and the Political Community: Australian identity and social health. In recent years, dispute, and even violence, has erupted in Australia between cultural groups and interests. By analysing the import of 'innocence' in Western social thought, and the cultural values corresponding to it, the project promotes a rethinking of the assumptions that underpin (and often undermine) relations between different cultures that make up the Australian community. In so doing, the project addresses urgent questions posed by contemporary philosophy, and implicitly within Australian society, regarding the negotiation of differences between citizens and communities. The project thereby contributes to Australia's reputation in the field of social philosophy, particularly concerning cultural difference.Read moreRead less
Marking Masculinity in Australian Theatre, 1955-70 and 1985-2000: a movement-based analysis of performed masculinities in historical and cultural contexts. This project will chart variations and changes in the representation of masculinity in Australia during the second half of the 20th century, as revealed by a movement-based study of two contrasting periods of Australian theatre, 1955-70 and 1985-2000. Materials to be studied are written play scripts; film and video recordings of theatre perfo ....Marking Masculinity in Australian Theatre, 1955-70 and 1985-2000: a movement-based analysis of performed masculinities in historical and cultural contexts. This project will chart variations and changes in the representation of masculinity in Australia during the second half of the 20th century, as revealed by a movement-based study of two contrasting periods of Australian theatre, 1955-70 and 1985-2000. Materials to be studied are written play scripts; film and video recordings of theatre performance; and theatre reviews which comment on the performance of gender. The outcomes of the research, in the form of conference papers, scholarly articles and a jointly-authored book, will enhance our understanding of the social effects of masculinity, and of theatre's impact on social change in Australia.Read moreRead less