Mining voids and just transition: reimagining post-mining landscapes . This project aims to address the complex problem of how to deal with the long-term legacies of coal mining. Through a combination of ethnographic and Arts-Based Methods, the project will advance insight into how local communities in the Hunter Valley, NSW, experience socio-cultural impacts of environmental disturbance and mining legacies, particularly where final voids are present. It will generate new knowledge into potentia ....Mining voids and just transition: reimagining post-mining landscapes . This project aims to address the complex problem of how to deal with the long-term legacies of coal mining. Through a combination of ethnographic and Arts-Based Methods, the project will advance insight into how local communities in the Hunter Valley, NSW, experience socio-cultural impacts of environmental disturbance and mining legacies, particularly where final voids are present. It will generate new knowledge into potentials for reimagining post-mining landscapes and how such landscapes can support a just transition towards a post-mining future. Expected benefits include advancement of public discourses around mining legacies, research capacity building and theory development to support multi-stakeholder engagement and dialogue.Read moreRead less
The Nakanai Caves Cultural Heritage Project. This project aims to document and integrate the natural and cultural values of the Nakanai Caves in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for a cultural landscape World Heritage nomination. The project’s novel methodology incorporates community knowledge with archaeological and anthropological evidence to link natural and cultural values and define the landscape from local perspectives. Local input into the research will be prioritised. B ....The Nakanai Caves Cultural Heritage Project. This project aims to document and integrate the natural and cultural values of the Nakanai Caves in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for a cultural landscape World Heritage nomination. The project’s novel methodology incorporates community knowledge with archaeological and anthropological evidence to link natural and cultural values and define the landscape from local perspectives. Local input into the research will be prioritised. By emphasising local participation and management of World Heritage listing processes the project aims to address an identified gap in World Heritage methodologies. This project allows for a subtle, nuanced definition of cultural landscapes under the World Heritage Convention.Read moreRead less
Open Cuts to Land and Culture: Rural Community Engagement with Large-Scale Industrial Development. The effects of coal mining and combustion on local communities have not been adequately researched even though export-oriented coal production is a key element of Australia's economy in the 21st century. Increasing numbers of rural Australian communities are affected by profound changes to climate, environment and social life associated with open-cut mining and coal-fired power stations. This resea ....Open Cuts to Land and Culture: Rural Community Engagement with Large-Scale Industrial Development. The effects of coal mining and combustion on local communities have not been adequately researched even though export-oriented coal production is a key element of Australia's economy in the 21st century. Increasing numbers of rural Australian communities are affected by profound changes to climate, environment and social life associated with open-cut mining and coal-fired power stations. This research examines the impact of these developments in the Hunter Valley of NSW, from the point of view of local communities. The understandings we gain will offer government, corporate and community stakeholders the prospect of mutually beneficial outcomes in dealing with these impacts. Read moreRead less
The Professions, Human Rights, and the State: law and medicine in the transition from repression to democracy. This study contributes to an ?anthropology of democracy? examining the processes of political transition beyond the state. It investigates the role of the health and legal professions with regard to human rights abuses occurring during and after state repression taking the cases of Argentina and South Africa. It explores the way the legal and health professions extend human rights thro ....The Professions, Human Rights, and the State: law and medicine in the transition from repression to democracy. This study contributes to an ?anthropology of democracy? examining the processes of political transition beyond the state. It investigates the role of the health and legal professions with regard to human rights abuses occurring during and after state repression taking the cases of Argentina and South Africa. It explores the way the legal and health professions extend human rights through their respective ethical responsibilities thereby enhancing citizenship in the post-transition period. It will provide important insights into the roles professions play in mediating between civil society and the state in a transnational context.Read moreRead less
The Politics of Moral Order: How Peripheralised Communities are Made and Masked. The focus of this research is two peripheralised communities, one in Central Australia, and the other Kingston, Jamaica. It will analyse their anomalous economies, the welfare economy in Central Australia and the drug economy in downtown Kingston, in order to demonstrate how cultural difference and disprivilege are masked by a politics of moral order. The project will therefore explore a central feature of modernity ....The Politics of Moral Order: How Peripheralised Communities are Made and Masked. The focus of this research is two peripheralised communities, one in Central Australia, and the other Kingston, Jamaica. It will analyse their anomalous economies, the welfare economy in Central Australia and the drug economy in downtown Kingston, in order to demonstrate how cultural difference and disprivilege are masked by a politics of moral order. The project will therefore explore a central feature of modernity and demonstrate striking structural parallels, both mythic and social, at sites with different histories and cultures.Read moreRead less
An analysis of research ethics and the ethical review process as culture and cultural process. This project explores research ethics and the ethical review process as culture and cultural process. It includes analyses of international ethics review-related documents, literature, and processes, case studies, key informant interviews, and observation of ethics committees in the process of deliberation. It focuses primarily on work associated with the paradigms and methods used or borrowed from t ....An analysis of research ethics and the ethical review process as culture and cultural process. This project explores research ethics and the ethical review process as culture and cultural process. It includes analyses of international ethics review-related documents, literature, and processes, case studies, key informant interviews, and observation of ethics committees in the process of deliberation. It focuses primarily on work associated with the paradigms and methods used or borrowed from the social sciences and topics and populations that seem to be the most problematic. This understanding might help us better address the issues involved and allow the development of policies and applications that are less problematic for all concerned.Read moreRead less
Society and climate change: A social analysis of new technology. The project aims to explore the likely unintended social consequences and disruption of technological responses to climate change. Responses to climate change often involve imagined technological innovation, including geo-engineering (or the modification of the global environment), newer forms of energy such as solar, wind or biofuels, and social technologies such as carbon trading. Both technological innovations and fantasies abou ....Society and climate change: A social analysis of new technology. The project aims to explore the likely unintended social consequences and disruption of technological responses to climate change. Responses to climate change often involve imagined technological innovation, including geo-engineering (or the modification of the global environment), newer forms of energy such as solar, wind or biofuels, and social technologies such as carbon trading. Both technological innovations and fantasies about technologies can disrupt social and economic life, and are themselves disrupted by the social processes involved in deployment. This investigation could make informed, acceptable, and possible technological adaptation more possible.Read moreRead less
Cultural competence in supporting Cambodians recovering from conflict. This project will (1) reduce the impact of conflict for the next generation, a key to a healthy start to life and ageing well (2) guide interventions in regional settings (3) inform guidelines for refugee programs in Australia (4) highlight culture as redressing weakened traditional support structures of survivors of war in Australia and the region, supporting the Government's welfare reform and participation agendas (5) equi ....Cultural competence in supporting Cambodians recovering from conflict. This project will (1) reduce the impact of conflict for the next generation, a key to a healthy start to life and ageing well (2) guide interventions in regional settings (3) inform guidelines for refugee programs in Australia (4) highlight culture as redressing weakened traditional support structures of survivors of war in Australia and the region, supporting the Government's welfare reform and participation agendas (5) equip Australia to understand insecurities of globalisation and what survivors of war can be driven to do - unless their culture is used as an asset rather than a source of terror (6) enhance Australia's capacity to engage with its cultural environment (7) enhance capacity for AusAID to interpret itself to the rest of the world.Read moreRead less
Climate change, place and community: An ethnographic study of the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. The project contributes to the National Research Priority of "An Environmentally Sustainable Australia" and the Priority Goal of "Responding to Climate Change and Variability." The interdisciplinary approach will advance social research on climate change in Australia, enhancing Australia's international profile in this crucial field. The research will contribute to public debates on policy initiativ ....Climate change, place and community: An ethnographic study of the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. The project contributes to the National Research Priority of "An Environmentally Sustainable Australia" and the Priority Goal of "Responding to Climate Change and Variability." The interdisciplinary approach will advance social research on climate change in Australia, enhancing Australia's international profile in this crucial field. The research will contribute to public debates on policy initiatives relevant to global warming and climate change. The regional and community focus of the study has the potential to contribute valuable knowledge about adaptive practices at the local level that can be applied to other locations in Australia and overseas. Read moreRead less
The Coal Rush and Beyond: Climate Change, Coal Reliance and Contested Futures. Globally, coal extraction and burning is booming. The burning of coal has released unprecedented quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and exacerbated anthropogenic climate change. This inter-disciplinary project investigates the 'coal rush' in sociopolitical terms, asking how it can be superseded. This project seeks explanations of why new coal mines and coal-fired power stations are constructed, investiga ....The Coal Rush and Beyond: Climate Change, Coal Reliance and Contested Futures. Globally, coal extraction and burning is booming. The burning of coal has released unprecedented quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and exacerbated anthropogenic climate change. This inter-disciplinary project investigates the 'coal rush' in sociopolitical terms, asking how it can be superseded. This project seeks explanations of why new coal mines and coal-fired power stations are constructed, investigate social conflicts centred on new coal facilities, and analyse what social factors may enable transition from coal. Specific sites, national contexts and transnational connections will be compared to develop a nuanced understanding of dependence on coal, and how it may be overcome. Read moreRead less