A difficult marriage: gender, politics and the romance in literary accounts of German unification. This project focuses on the interrelationships between gender, politics and the romance in literary accounts of German unification. Through an exploration of how the political ?marriage? between East and West Germany, with its conventionalised gender roles, is mapped onto literary marriages, the project examines the challenges and opportunities that unification has afforded men and women. It will y ....A difficult marriage: gender, politics and the romance in literary accounts of German unification. This project focuses on the interrelationships between gender, politics and the romance in literary accounts of German unification. Through an exploration of how the political ?marriage? between East and West Germany, with its conventionalised gender roles, is mapped onto literary marriages, the project examines the challenges and opportunities that unification has afforded men and women. It will yield insights into the ways in which unification has rewritten the scripts for femininity and masculinity and forced a transformation of intimacy. Its findings will enhance knowledge of gender relations in post-communist Europe and the relationships between gender, the nation and modernity.Read moreRead less
Infertility, IVF and reproductive tourism in Thailand and the region. This project will deepen our knowledge of the cross-cultural issues involved in infertility and the transfer of assisted reproductive technologies in the Asian region. Australian IVF expertise and technology is exported overseas and the project will reflect upon the processes and dilemmas involved in this. Innovative work on reproductive tourism will develop new theoretical insights as well as describe a growing social phenome ....Infertility, IVF and reproductive tourism in Thailand and the region. This project will deepen our knowledge of the cross-cultural issues involved in infertility and the transfer of assisted reproductive technologies in the Asian region. Australian IVF expertise and technology is exported overseas and the project will reflect upon the processes and dilemmas involved in this. Innovative work on reproductive tourism will develop new theoretical insights as well as describe a growing social phenomenon in our region. Read moreRead less
The Impact of Globalisation in Transforming Sexuality and Cultural Citizenship in Transnational Chinese Cultures: A Comparative Analysis. This project analyses the impact of globalisation and the rapidly increasing use of new media in transforming gender and sexual identities in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. New forms of cultural citizenship are emerging in these Chinese societies, and alongside them new modes of sexuality. Specifically, the project examines changing conc ....The Impact of Globalisation in Transforming Sexuality and Cultural Citizenship in Transnational Chinese Cultures: A Comparative Analysis. This project analyses the impact of globalisation and the rapidly increasing use of new media in transforming gender and sexual identities in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. New forms of cultural citizenship are emerging in these Chinese societies, and alongside them new modes of sexuality. Specifically, the project examines changing conceptions of femininity seen in representations of lesbian identity in fiction, film, television, popular music, manga comics, and the Internet. The project will provide the first comparative, scholarly analysis of this transformation, and will help us understand its broader implications for the region as a whole.Read moreRead less
Fashionable Times: An Inquiry into the History of China's Modernity. Fashion, once regarded as a purely Western phenomenon and equated with thoroughly modern life, has recently made an improbable appearance in histories both of urban life in late imperial China and of twentieth-century Chinese nationalism. To speak of Chinese fashion is effectively to raise a question about the origins and course of China's modernity. The project aims to respond to this question through a study of the culture of ....Fashionable Times: An Inquiry into the History of China's Modernity. Fashion, once regarded as a purely Western phenomenon and equated with thoroughly modern life, has recently made an improbable appearance in histories both of urban life in late imperial China and of twentieth-century Chinese nationalism. To speak of Chinese fashion is effectively to raise a question about the origins and course of China's modernity. The project aims to respond to this question through a study of the culture of clothing from Ming to Mao, the expected outcome being an illustrated monograph of interest to scholars and general readers in the fields of fashion theory, material culture, and Chinese history.Read moreRead less
Sexual contracts in Burma and Cambodia: Intersections of Desire, Duty and Debt. Prostitution, sex trafficking, and violence against women are global concerns. A better understanding of the underlying context that permits women and children to be abused in this manner in other cultures will allow Australia to assist in addressing these problems - in our own multicultural society and abroad - in a culturally appropriate manner that will prove far more effective than current approaches. Australia h ....Sexual contracts in Burma and Cambodia: Intersections of Desire, Duty and Debt. Prostitution, sex trafficking, and violence against women are global concerns. A better understanding of the underlying context that permits women and children to be abused in this manner in other cultures will allow Australia to assist in addressing these problems - in our own multicultural society and abroad - in a culturally appropriate manner that will prove far more effective than current approaches. Australia has long been regarded as a leader in the Asia-Pacific region, especially regarding crime prevention and protecting the rights of marginalised groups. The research outcomes of this project have practical applications that can only enhance our reputation.Read moreRead less