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
Cross-cultural 'larrikins' in a Neo-liberal world: ideology and myth in postmodern Australia, Mexico and Brazil. This project will help to re-frame the Ozzie 'larrikin' as a cross-cultural mediator, a complex, inclusive figure able to draw together the many strands of multicultural Australia. At the same time it will help Australian business in Latin America by pointing out misleading assumptions about culture in management training, proposing in their stead a more flexible, better-informed and ....Cross-cultural 'larrikins' in a Neo-liberal world: ideology and myth in postmodern Australia, Mexico and Brazil. This project will help to re-frame the Ozzie 'larrikin' as a cross-cultural mediator, a complex, inclusive figure able to draw together the many strands of multicultural Australia. At the same time it will help Australian business in Latin America by pointing out misleading assumptions about culture in management training, proposing in their stead a more flexible, better-informed and thoroughly contemporary approach, through which Australian business people can be more sensitive and effective, economically successful, and ambassadors for their country. Read moreRead less
The role of development agencies in shaping national identity in Thailand. The study will provide much needed research on a country that has an important bilateral relationship with Australia. More specifically, the role of development agencies in the shaping of national identity is little understood. Given the increased role that such agencies play in the reconstruction of nations, this is a timely study. My study, based on intense fieldwork and extensive use of Thai language documents, will of ....The role of development agencies in shaping national identity in Thailand. The study will provide much needed research on a country that has an important bilateral relationship with Australia. More specifically, the role of development agencies in the shaping of national identity is little understood. Given the increased role that such agencies play in the reconstruction of nations, this is a timely study. My study, based on intense fieldwork and extensive use of Thai language documents, will offer an analysis of this role. Understanding how Thai national identity has adapted to change is an important component of Australian cross-cultural literacy, and important in understanding the future direction of Thai politics. Read moreRead less
Autobiographical Avatars: testimony and emerging technologies of life narrative. Australian research has led to new ways of thinking about the ethical, social and political work of these autobiographical genres. This project builds on a national reputation for excellence in this scholarly field, and it promotes writing across the fields of literary studies, and creative and professional writing which are areas of particular strength at the institutional location of this project. Some case stud ....Autobiographical Avatars: testimony and emerging technologies of life narrative. Australian research has led to new ways of thinking about the ethical, social and political work of these autobiographical genres. This project builds on a national reputation for excellence in this scholarly field, and it promotes writing across the fields of literary studies, and creative and professional writing which are areas of particular strength at the institutional location of this project. Some case studies selected for this project involve people, nations and polities with which the Australian government is engaged in long-term diplomatic, political and military engagements - Iraq and Afghanistan, for example.Read moreRead less
The Cultivation of Middle-Class Taste: Reading, Tourism and Education Choices in Urban China. In urban China, high-income professionals and consumers have enormous influence on the development of élite education, travel, and cultural pursuits, but also on the stability of the Party-State. Their choices will materially affect Australian economic strategy, and will impact the socio-political character of the entire region. This project works to support Australian understanding of the tastes, aspir ....The Cultivation of Middle-Class Taste: Reading, Tourism and Education Choices in Urban China. In urban China, high-income professionals and consumers have enormous influence on the development of élite education, travel, and cultural pursuits, but also on the stability of the Party-State. Their choices will materially affect Australian economic strategy, and will impact the socio-political character of the entire region. This project works to support Australian understanding of the tastes, aspirations and national priorities of this new formation: the Chinese middle class. The approach and outcomes of the research will enhance Australia's global position in innovative, relevant Asian scholarship, support good economic strategy, and provide an accurate socio-cultural lens through which to engage with Chinese and regional futures.Read moreRead less
Religion and Spirituality in the Contemporary World: An Indonesian Case Study. Religious extremism in Indonesia became a major security concern for Australia after the Bali bombing. Research thus focused on the networks of small and rather marginal Islamic radical groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), while the broader national and international trends that give rise to this and other, more moderate and popular new forms of religiosity remained unexplored. This emphasis on extremism contributed ....Religion and Spirituality in the Contemporary World: An Indonesian Case Study. Religious extremism in Indonesia became a major security concern for Australia after the Bali bombing. Research thus focused on the networks of small and rather marginal Islamic radical groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), while the broader national and international trends that give rise to this and other, more moderate and popular new forms of religiosity remained unexplored. This emphasis on extremism contributed to a stereotyping of Islam as intransigent, and of multi-ethnic and multi-religious Indonesia as an Islamic nation. The current project will deliver a more balanced appraisal of the impact of resurging religiosity in our region by focusing on the pluralistic and relativistic religious attitudes more representative of Indonesian society today.Read moreRead less
Indonesia in exile: The Indonesian Left abroad during the late Cold War. Since ousting President Suharto in 1998 Indonesians have been striving to make sense of a turbulent political past and re-evaluating long-held assumptions, including about communism. After decades of political suppression, there are signs some new form of polity will emerge in which a long-suppressed Left might play a part and which Australia needs to understand. Since diasporic, exilic communities are a potential source of ....Indonesia in exile: The Indonesian Left abroad during the late Cold War. Since ousting President Suharto in 1998 Indonesians have been striving to make sense of a turbulent political past and re-evaluating long-held assumptions, including about communism. After decades of political suppression, there are signs some new form of polity will emerge in which a long-suppressed Left might play a part and which Australia needs to understand. Since diasporic, exilic communities are a potential source of inter-state tension, and possible irritant in Australian-Indonesian relations, it is important for Australia to understand the role such communities may play in sustaining and transmitting alternative political visions, and in challenging the state. [97]Read moreRead less
Deliberative Global Governance. The worldwide movement building deliberative democracy should now address deliberative capacity in whole systems, not just micro innovations such as citizens' juries. This includes global systems such as that addressing climate change; substantial environmental benefits will result. A world populated by more effective democracies - especially in East Asia - is in Australia's national security interest. A century ago, Australia was a world leader in innovations suc ....Deliberative Global Governance. The worldwide movement building deliberative democracy should now address deliberative capacity in whole systems, not just micro innovations such as citizens' juries. This includes global systems such as that addressing climate change; substantial environmental benefits will result. A world populated by more effective democracies - especially in East Asia - is in Australia's national security interest. A century ago, Australia was a world leader in innovations such as the secret ballot and votes for women. Work on deliberative democracy can put Australia back in the forefront of democratic progress, with many associated social, political, and economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Climate Change and Security in the South Pacific. Climate change is dangerous to many Pacific societies and countries, which will in turn generate problems for Australian aid, diplomatic, immigration and security policy. The practical benefits of this project will be improved understanding of the security risks that climate change poses; and knowledge about the capacity of, and ways to improve, the climate change and security institutions that are necessary to manage these risks. The intellectua ....Climate Change and Security in the South Pacific. Climate change is dangerous to many Pacific societies and countries, which will in turn generate problems for Australian aid, diplomatic, immigration and security policy. The practical benefits of this project will be improved understanding of the security risks that climate change poses; and knowledge about the capacity of, and ways to improve, the climate change and security institutions that are necessary to manage these risks. The intellectual benefits include the application of a novel, multi-scale and longitudinal approach of relevance to both climate impacts and environmental security research; the project will enhance Australia's reputation, and advance expertise, in both these fields.Read moreRead less
Building Difference: Architectural Strategies in Colonial Museums. Natural history and ethnology museums built in the 19th century in British imperial territories in Australia, New Zealand, India, and Canada were driven by specific colonising intent. Their architecture reflects the cultural complexities of empire. Using archival sources, the project researches the deployment of metropolitan architectural theory in colonial museum design from the foundation of these institutions to decolonisatio ....Building Difference: Architectural Strategies in Colonial Museums. Natural history and ethnology museums built in the 19th century in British imperial territories in Australia, New Zealand, India, and Canada were driven by specific colonising intent. Their architecture reflects the cultural complexities of empire. Using archival sources, the project researches the deployment of metropolitan architectural theory in colonial museum design from the foundation of these institutions to decolonisation and institutional modernisation in the mid-20th century. It examines how architectural strategies were exploited and inflected by different local conditions, to produce a sophisticated investigation of the architecture of empire.Read moreRead less