Private Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Distribution, and Social Welfare Reform in Urban China. During the 1990s, when the Chinese urban labour market and social security reforms accelerated, average urban household wealth increased more than three fold and the distribution of wealth widened. We will document this significant change and examine its relationship to past and future social welfare reform. This project will:
· Be the first study of wealth accumulation and distribution in China over th ....Private Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Distribution, and Social Welfare Reform in Urban China. During the 1990s, when the Chinese urban labour market and social security reforms accelerated, average urban household wealth increased more than three fold and the distribution of wealth widened. We will document this significant change and examine its relationship to past and future social welfare reform. This project will:
· Be the first study of wealth accumulation and distribution in China over the 1990s.
· Add to our knowledge of the interrelationship between wealth accumulation, distribution and political power during economic transition.
· Contribute to a better design of a new social welfare system.
· Develop lessons and policy implications that will be broadly applicable to most transitional and developing economies.
The project will produce at least seven journal articles and one book.
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Skilled migration and the sustainability of Pacific Island education systems. Teachers' migration and the resulting shortage of teachers at national and local levels have become major concerns in many Pacific countries. This project will investigate the relationship between skilled migration, education systems and economic and social sustainability in Fiji Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. The aims are to improve the understanding of skilled migration in the Pacific region and analyse the inter-relati ....Skilled migration and the sustainability of Pacific Island education systems. Teachers' migration and the resulting shortage of teachers at national and local levels have become major concerns in many Pacific countries. This project will investigate the relationship between skilled migration, education systems and economic and social sustainability in Fiji Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. The aims are to improve the understanding of skilled migration in the Pacific region and analyse the inter-relationships between education-related migration, sustainability of education systems and human resource development in the Pacific Islands. The research will inform policy debates in the Pacific countries and in Australia, which is a major donor of foreign aid to these islands.Read moreRead less
Improving effectiveness of Australian aid to the island-Pacific. Improving the effectiveness of aid to the island Pacific so as to secure peace and prosperity within our immediate neighbourhood is in Australia's own national interest. This research investigates issues of state functioning and state failure with a view to improving the effectiveness of external interventions and of bolstering state capacity in the South Pacific. It is now widely acknowledged that ?failed states? can generate ref ....Improving effectiveness of Australian aid to the island-Pacific. Improving the effectiveness of aid to the island Pacific so as to secure peace and prosperity within our immediate neighbourhood is in Australia's own national interest. This research investigates issues of state functioning and state failure with a view to improving the effectiveness of external interventions and of bolstering state capacity in the South Pacific. It is now widely acknowledged that ?failed states? can generate refugee flows and create havens for organised crime or terrorist groups, thus becoming a threat to neighbouring states. Such cross-border spillovers have major implications for Australia's national security and have been the primary rationale for the recent interventions into Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.Read moreRead less
Border Controls and the Movement of People in a Globalizing Asia-Pacific Region: A Cross-National Study of Four Evolving Control Regimes. This project examines emerging border-control regimes in four countries of the Asia-Pacific region - Australia, Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia. Shifting away from traditional images of frontiers, it treats national borders as complex social realities, and argues that the location of ?borders? is increasingly becoming diffused within and outside the territory of ....Border Controls and the Movement of People in a Globalizing Asia-Pacific Region: A Cross-National Study of Four Evolving Control Regimes. This project examines emerging border-control regimes in four countries of the Asia-Pacific region - Australia, Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia. Shifting away from traditional images of frontiers, it treats national borders as complex social realities, and argues that the location of ?borders? is increasingly becoming diffused within and outside the territory of the nation state. It thus contributes to important theoretical debates about globalization and its relationship to migration and national power, while also presenting information directly relevant to cooperation between the nations of the region on issues related to the cross-border movement of people.Read moreRead less
Childhood and Modernity: Indian Children's Perspectives. This research, to be carried out in partnership with Indian institutions and scholars, will contribute to better public understanding of children's perspectives, rights, and social roles in India in an era of rapid change and globalisation. The focus on visual methods and collaboration with children will advance the methodologies of childhood research and produce knowledge valuable for a range of disciplines, from anthropology to history t ....Childhood and Modernity: Indian Children's Perspectives. This research, to be carried out in partnership with Indian institutions and scholars, will contribute to better public understanding of children's perspectives, rights, and social roles in India in an era of rapid change and globalisation. The focus on visual methods and collaboration with children will advance the methodologies of childhood research and produce knowledge valuable for a range of disciplines, from anthropology to history to cognitive science. The information gained will provide insights into the next generation of Indian adults, contributing to Australia's growing ties with India and the Asia-Pacific region.Read moreRead less
Economic consequences for Australia of global demographic change. In addition to addressing the economic implications of declining fertility and mortality in Australia this study will analyse major changes in demographic behaviour in regions on which Australia's economic health depends and the consequent changes in the flow of migrants into Australia. A new mathematical model of global population change will be integrated into the standard GTAP-dynamic model of global economic performance to pr ....Economic consequences for Australia of global demographic change. In addition to addressing the economic implications of declining fertility and mortality in Australia this study will analyse major changes in demographic behaviour in regions on which Australia's economic health depends and the consequent changes in the flow of migrants into Australia. A new mathematical model of global population change will be integrated into the standard GTAP-dynamic model of global economic performance to provide a useful tool for future analysis of Australia's population and economic policies. The analysis will contribute to policy development and the models will be widely available to policy institutions for their use.Read moreRead less
Changing patterns of migration from Afghanistan with implications for Australia. As a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, a major location for the resettlement of refugees and a major player in the international system with a stated commitment to humanitarian issues, Australia is well placed to play a lead role in promoting more effective solutions to the plight of refugees. This study is designed to contribute to that objective through research of one of the world's most important refugee g ....Changing patterns of migration from Afghanistan with implications for Australia. As a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, a major location for the resettlement of refugees and a major player in the international system with a stated commitment to humanitarian issues, Australia is well placed to play a lead role in promoting more effective solutions to the plight of refugees. This study is designed to contribute to that objective through research of one of the world's most important refugee groups, the Afghans. It will also provide a better understanding of the security issues involved in refugee migration.Read moreRead less
South Asian and East Asian economic integration and Australia: strategies for Asian regional cooperation. Australia has a vital interest in India's rise, its impact on South Asia's development and its integration with South and East Asia. The limited knowledge and the thinness of the intellectual base and institutional connections that would allow us to manage our interests in this event effectively mean that Australia is not yet well positioned to influence the forces and the thinking that will ....South Asian and East Asian economic integration and Australia: strategies for Asian regional cooperation. Australia has a vital interest in India's rise, its impact on South Asia's development and its integration with South and East Asia. The limited knowledge and the thinness of the intellectual base and institutional connections that would allow us to manage our interests in this event effectively mean that Australia is not yet well positioned to influence the forces and the thinking that will drive the process. Moving to explore the phenomenon of South Asia's development and aspirations in Asia and globally, is now a priority for Australia as other economies move to take up the opportunities that are unfolding from this development. This is a ground-breaking project that will address these deficiencies.Read moreRead less
Asian Women, Migration and Transnational Governance from Below. This project investigates international labour migration and its gender implications in the context of intra-regional flows in Southeast and East Asia.
It evaluates the responses and type(s) of activism by major migrant lobbyists as a potential force for socio-legal change and to what extent they operate beyond national borders. By integrating civil society activism, a novel approach is offered which conceptually combines the analy ....Asian Women, Migration and Transnational Governance from Below. This project investigates international labour migration and its gender implications in the context of intra-regional flows in Southeast and East Asia.
It evaluates the responses and type(s) of activism by major migrant lobbyists as a potential force for socio-legal change and to what extent they operate beyond national borders. By integrating civil society activism, a novel approach is offered which conceptually combines the analysis of women's needs and concerns when migrating internationally with democratisation processes and the increasing acceptance of global norms, nationally and transnationally.
The publication of a single-authored monograph and a number of journal articles is anticipated.Read moreRead less