Food/body encounters: New approaches and alternative solutions to obesity prevention and policy. There is growing recognition of the need for new ways to tackle the obesity problem, and for forms of intervention that move beyond the limitations of individual behavioural changes. This project provides a paradigm for re-orientating how we have come to know obesity by investigating the cultural and institutional processes that shape everyday food and activity practices. Understanding and intervenin ....Food/body encounters: New approaches and alternative solutions to obesity prevention and policy. There is growing recognition of the need for new ways to tackle the obesity problem, and for forms of intervention that move beyond the limitations of individual behavioural changes. This project provides a paradigm for re-orientating how we have come to know obesity by investigating the cultural and institutional processes that shape everyday food and activity practices. Understanding and intervening in these dynamics of social practice are central to the challenges of reversing trends in the prevalence of obesity.Read moreRead less
Australian family diversity: Individual experiences and public attitudes. Whilst Australian families continue to diversify, public perceptions and policies related to families appear entrenched in a normative understanding of family. This project will provide a genealogy of public and policy accounts of Australian families, map public perceptions of a diverse range of family structures and modes of family formation, and identify how differing cohorts of Australian families talk about their famil ....Australian family diversity: Individual experiences and public attitudes. Whilst Australian families continue to diversify, public perceptions and policies related to families appear entrenched in a normative understanding of family. This project will provide a genealogy of public and policy accounts of Australian families, map public perceptions of a diverse range of family structures and modes of family formation, and identify how differing cohorts of Australian families talk about their families. Together, these strands will produce a unified body of knowledge about Australian families that will allow for the identification of factors influencing public perceptions, and thus the development of policy initiatives aimed at recognising family diversity and challenging social norms.Read moreRead less
Holonomy groups and special structures in pseudo-Riemannian geometry. The project studies mathematical models used in physical theories, such as general relativity and string theory, to create a global picture of the universe. The outcomes will enhance the role that Australia plays in these developments and contribute to the mathematical knowledge which lies at the foundations of modern technologies.
Social relations and social engagement in older adulthood: implications for health, well being and cognition. This project will examine the nature of changes in peoples social networks that occur with age and the effects of these changes on health and well being in later life. The project will use information collected as part of several ongoing Australian studies of ageing and will have implications for social policy.
Prospects for quality work and gender equality in frontline care work. Despite policy concerns about unmet demand for paid care, frontline care workers generally have poorer conditions than workers in other feminised sectors. This project will investigate the regulatory options to improve the quality of care work to build Australian expertise and knowledge about the links between job quality and quality of care services.
A Colonial and Conceptual History of Asymmetric Warfare and Security. War and terrorism feature prominently in popular, political and scholarly perceptions of Australia's colonial past and its geopolitical future. Our understanding of what constitutes war and terrorism emerged from a long colonial and conceptual history of Western international and political thought. The national and community benefits of this program of research derive precisely from its ability to link the uniqueness of Austra ....A Colonial and Conceptual History of Asymmetric Warfare and Security. War and terrorism feature prominently in popular, political and scholarly perceptions of Australia's colonial past and its geopolitical future. Our understanding of what constitutes war and terrorism emerged from a long colonial and conceptual history of Western international and political thought. The national and community benefits of this program of research derive precisely from its ability to link the uniqueness of Australia's colonial history to its global context, and to use both to provide new insight into current debates on terrorism and security that are integral to Australia's capacity to interpret itself to the rest of the world.Read moreRead less
Generations through prison: a critical exploration of the causes, experiences, and consequences of intergenerational incarceration. Around one third of the 30,000 prisoners in Australia are children or relatives of former prisoners, but very little is known about the causes, experiences and impacts of intergenerational incarceration. This project will redress this research deficit and help prevent the disproportionate recurrence of incarceration in particular familial lineages.
Palaeoclimate reconstructions from the isotopic signatures of fossilised leaf waxes. This project develops a method for using the chemical signature of fossilised leaf waxes to reconstruct hydrologic change in south-eastern Australia during the Holocene (last 10,000 years) and Eocene (56-34 million years ago). Understanding climate in the geologic past is essential for testing models and projecting future climate with rising carbon dioxide.
Reconceptualising urban planning and the built form: comparative international policies and evidence to reduce health inequities and social exclusion. Where people live affects their opportunities to lead productive lives and feel socially included. This project explores how different aspects of urban planning, rebuilding housing and neighbourhoods, shapes residents' health and wellbeing. The findings will assist Australian government and aims to strengthen socio-economically disadvantaged commu ....Reconceptualising urban planning and the built form: comparative international policies and evidence to reduce health inequities and social exclusion. Where people live affects their opportunities to lead productive lives and feel socially included. This project explores how different aspects of urban planning, rebuilding housing and neighbourhoods, shapes residents' health and wellbeing. The findings will assist Australian government and aims to strengthen socio-economically disadvantaged communities.Read moreRead less
Stigma and discrimination and their detrimental impact on social inclusion and health and well-being. Experiencing stigma and discrimination harms health and wellbeing, and prevents people from being fully included in society. This project will help us understand how to best reduce stigma and discrimination, and to protect people from their negative effects.