Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100811
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$366,036.00
Summary
Justifying war. This project will develop a comprehensive new account of the ethics of war. Radically departing from the current philosophical orthodoxy in its focus on the distinctively collectivist dimensions of war's morality, it will offer a new take on both the positive reasons that justify warfare and the constraints on starting, fighting and ending wars.
A constructive critique of the political approach to the philosophy of human rights. This project explores the many uses of human rights discourse in contemporary politics. It focuses on an increasingly popular 'political' approach that identifies human rights as grounds for action against states which violate these rights. This project has implications for how the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 should be implemented.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100325
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,931.00
Summary
Revisiting the foundations of mainstream economics: a cooperative account of wellbeing and moral improvement. This study presents a major theoretical challenge to the individualistic definition of wellbeing that defines mainstream economics. It does so by advancing an alternative paradigm for understanding individual wellbeing as co-dependent on the wellbeing of others, exploring intersubjective attitudes that facilitate cooperative economic behaviour.
Democratic Resilience: The Public Sphere and Extremist Attacks. The project aims to explain responses to extremist attacks intended to sow division, and why some democracies prove fragile, succumbing to polarisation or exclusion of key groups, while others prove resilient by sustaining integrative, tolerant discourse. The project develops new knowledge through an innovative synthesis of cultural sociology and deliberative democracy to analyse nine cases of responses in the public realm to attack ....Democratic Resilience: The Public Sphere and Extremist Attacks. The project aims to explain responses to extremist attacks intended to sow division, and why some democracies prove fragile, succumbing to polarisation or exclusion of key groups, while others prove resilient by sustaining integrative, tolerant discourse. The project develops new knowledge through an innovative synthesis of cultural sociology and deliberative democracy to analyse nine cases of responses in the public realm to attacks. Expected outcomes include a new account of the democratic public sphere, and identification of how meaningful, civil communication whose health is vital to democracy, especially in a multicultural society, can be maintained. Benefits include identification of measures to counter extremist political disruption.Read moreRead less
The Foundation, Role, and Design of Democracy. Democracy now reigns unchallenged as the master ideal in contemporary societies, western and non-western, developed and developing. But what is democracy, what is its essential role, and by what institutions can that role be best played in the changing circumstances of local, national and international life? This project develops a unified theory of the foundation, role and design of democratic institutions. By establishing a permanent international ....The Foundation, Role, and Design of Democracy. Democracy now reigns unchallenged as the master ideal in contemporary societies, western and non-western, developed and developing. But what is democracy, what is its essential role, and by what institutions can that role be best played in the changing circumstances of local, national and international life? This project develops a unified theory of the foundation, role and design of democratic institutions. By establishing a permanent international research centre focused on these vital questions, it will address theoretical and practical issues of great importance to all contemporary communities, and give Australia a new and on-going voice in crucial international debates.Read moreRead less
Norms, Reasons & Values. Social norms often come adrift from the reasons and values that they are supposed to serve. Strengthening Australia'a social and economic fabric (a National Research Priority) requires understanding how norms work and revising them in changing circumstances. This project explores such ideas in relation to crucial issues-democracy, terrorism (another NRP), historical injustice and sexuality-and interjects practical suggestions into the public debate over how norms ought ....Norms, Reasons & Values. Social norms often come adrift from the reasons and values that they are supposed to serve. Strengthening Australia'a social and economic fabric (a National Research Priority) requires understanding how norms work and revising them in changing circumstances. This project explores such ideas in relation to crucial issues-democracy, terrorism (another NRP), historical injustice and sexuality-and interjects practical suggestions into the public debate over how norms ought be revised. It also furthers Australia's world standing in political science and philosophy and, by enlisting international scholars to help explore these issues, focuses the intellectual firepower of the world on problems of national importance to Australia.Read moreRead less
Communicating power: Political consultants, symbolic production and media democracy. The project will investigate the professionalization of political communication with a specific focus on the role of political consultants and communication specialists in contemporary Australian politics. The principal research aim is to identify and analyse the frames of reference and evaluative modes structuring the work of political consultants. Political consultants will be analysed as a subset of new 'symb ....Communicating power: Political consultants, symbolic production and media democracy. The project will investigate the professionalization of political communication with a specific focus on the role of political consultants and communication specialists in contemporary Australian politics. The principal research aim is to identify and analyse the frames of reference and evaluative modes structuring the work of political consultants. Political consultants will be analysed as a subset of new 'symbolic' managers and mediators in a society in which information is the key productive resource. The project will generate a detailed analysis of how the professionalization of political communication is transforming representative democracy in network society.Read moreRead less
Political normativity and the feasibility requirement. Commonsense says that claims about how social and political life ought to be arranged must not make infeasible demands. This project will investigate this piece of commonsense and explore its implications for a number of pressing issues, such as climate change, multiculturalism, political participation, inequality, historical justice, and the rules of war.
Fragility and Security: Human Rights, State Wrongs and Democratic Solidarity. This project will contribute to understanding our region and the world by providing a normative framework from which to judge the democratic value of security and human rights. In doing so, it will inform contemporary debates about border protection and clarify the role that Australian citizens should play in determining the nation's security interests and defending human rights. Moreover, an account of democratic soli ....Fragility and Security: Human Rights, State Wrongs and Democratic Solidarity. This project will contribute to understanding our region and the world by providing a normative framework from which to judge the democratic value of security and human rights. In doing so, it will inform contemporary debates about border protection and clarify the role that Australian citizens should play in determining the nation's security interests and defending human rights. Moreover, an account of democratic solidarity will be developed, which would strengthen the bonds between citizens and non-citizens from different cultures thereby enhancing Australia's reputation as a tolerant, multicultural society. The implications of the findings for contemporary debates about the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia will be considered.Read moreRead less
A study of Australia's ability to train soldiers to be effective and ethical. This project addresses the ARC's priority goals Protecting Australia from Terrorism and Crime and Transformational Defence Technologies. In the fight against terrorism and as defence technologies evolve it is crucial to uphold the Australian military's ethical commitments and international reputation. Australian soldiers must be responsive to rapidly changing threats in ways that maintain the military's core ethical co ....A study of Australia's ability to train soldiers to be effective and ethical. This project addresses the ARC's priority goals Protecting Australia from Terrorism and Crime and Transformational Defence Technologies. In the fight against terrorism and as defence technologies evolve it is crucial to uphold the Australian military's ethical commitments and international reputation. Australian soldiers must be responsive to rapidly changing threats in ways that maintain the military's core ethical commitments. By assessing current military practices in light of these commitments this project enhances the military's ability to train soldiers to be effective and ethical fighters. The internationally important outcomes of this project will also enhance Australia's high standing in the area of applied ethics.Read moreRead less