Understanding the role of digital technologies in addressing loneliness. This sociological project aims to develop a new approach to understanding the role of digital technologies in efforts to overcome loneliness. The team expects to generate new knowledge of how digital technologies are used by people who feel lonely and applied in policies and programs, using an innovative approach to explore different views, gaining the essential knowledge for assisting lonely Australians, and building much- ....Understanding the role of digital technologies in addressing loneliness. This sociological project aims to develop a new approach to understanding the role of digital technologies in efforts to overcome loneliness. The team expects to generate new knowledge of how digital technologies are used by people who feel lonely and applied in policies and programs, using an innovative approach to explore different views, gaining the essential knowledge for assisting lonely Australians, and building much-needed research capacity in the sociology of loneliness and digital technologies. This should provide significant benefits such as a deep understanding of the sociocultural factors that influence people’s use of digital technologies to address loneliness, and evidence-based support for effective strategies and policies.Read moreRead less
Reclaiming Child Rights: Activism, Public Inquiries and Social Change. This project aims to develop an historical sociology of activism against institutional child abuse from the 1990s to the present. It examines the reform strategies, actions and rationales of activists before, during and after the Child Abuse Royal Commission using media-rich methods, and it investigates the mobilisation of child rights discourse in Australia and internationally. The project expects to generate new insights in ....Reclaiming Child Rights: Activism, Public Inquiries and Social Change. This project aims to develop an historical sociology of activism against institutional child abuse from the 1990s to the present. It examines the reform strategies, actions and rationales of activists before, during and after the Child Abuse Royal Commission using media-rich methods, and it investigates the mobilisation of child rights discourse in Australia and internationally. The project expects to generate new insights into child rights and activism, new understandings of a globally significant Royal Commission, and new knowledge on research translation. Expected outcomes and benefits include an archive of activist stories, a digital memory project, and a new model for public engagement with sensitive topics.Read moreRead less
Online anti-racism for Australia. Harmful manifestations of online racism are increasing. The neo-liberal assumption is that social media users and user groups can be responsiblised to disrupt online racism. This project analyses a subset of online anti-racism campaigns. The review provides the material to test effectiveness, using surveys. The survey findings will identify the ingredients for effective, safe and efficient online anti-racism intervention. An online anti-racism program will be de ....Online anti-racism for Australia. Harmful manifestations of online racism are increasing. The neo-liberal assumption is that social media users and user groups can be responsiblised to disrupt online racism. This project analyses a subset of online anti-racism campaigns. The review provides the material to test effectiveness, using surveys. The survey findings will identify the ingredients for effective, safe and efficient online anti-racism intervention. An online anti-racism program will be developed, implemented and evaluated. The development of guidelines for online anti-racism will overtly address the challenges and risks of action in this environment where regulation is so heavily contested.Read moreRead less
New Possibilities: Young People and Democratic Renewal. Vibrant democracies require generational renewal as norms, values and cultures evolve. This project is a systematic study of Australian students in the climate change movement. Examining who the students are, why they participate, how they organise, how they represent themselves and are represented by others in social and mainstream media, the project ethically advances ways of co-researching students’ civic and political participation in o ....New Possibilities: Young People and Democratic Renewal. Vibrant democracies require generational renewal as norms, values and cultures evolve. This project is a systematic study of Australian students in the climate change movement. Examining who the students are, why they participate, how they organise, how they represent themselves and are represented by others in social and mainstream media, the project ethically advances ways of co-researching students’ civic and political participation in offline and online settings. Expected outcomes include improved capacity for investigating student political action, new knowledge of the motivations, norms and practices that characterise student climate politics and concepts and tools for democratic renewal through engagement with young people.Read moreRead less
Digital Commemoration. This project investigates the interrelated commemorative practices, technology platforms, and social formations associated with digital commemoration. The urgency of this project arises as diverse forms of digital commemoration are increasingly used to express grief, solidarity and community, but are also a source of public and often personal disquiet. Digital commemoration is an emerging and often controversial practice with important implications for social institutions, ....Digital Commemoration. This project investigates the interrelated commemorative practices, technology platforms, and social formations associated with digital commemoration. The urgency of this project arises as diverse forms of digital commemoration are increasingly used to express grief, solidarity and community, but are also a source of public and often personal disquiet. Digital commemoration is an emerging and often controversial practice with important implications for social institutions, cultural conventions and personal values. This study makes a timely evidence-based contribution to an understanding of changing commemorative practices, their digital mediation, and the interactions between them.Read moreRead less
The Future Cemetery. This project aims to identify and critically assess the potential of innovative technologies to enhance the experience of the cemetery for an increasingly diverse, secular, and well-informed public, and to strengthen cemeteries’ community connections.
It will generate knowledge about the industry’s and the public’s future-oriented desires through an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and evidence-based assessment of emerging cemetery-based technologies including mobile apps, ....The Future Cemetery. This project aims to identify and critically assess the potential of innovative technologies to enhance the experience of the cemetery for an increasingly diverse, secular, and well-informed public, and to strengthen cemeteries’ community connections.
It will generate knowledge about the industry’s and the public’s future-oriented desires through an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and evidence-based assessment of emerging cemetery-based technologies including mobile apps, GPS systems, drones, holography, virtual reality, green burials, and resomation.
A key expected outcome is a future cemetery that makes sensitive use of technology to enhance its services to public and community, underpinned by scholarly research.
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Wealth Inequality in Australia: Sources and Solutions. The project aims to investigate the causes and consequences of asset price inflation and increasing inequalities in asset-based wealth in Australia. It expects to generate significant new knowledge about the evolution of asset-based inequality and about how the increasing concentration of asset-ownership is shaping the life opportunities of young people. Expected outcomes include the identification of policy options available to mitigate the ....Wealth Inequality in Australia: Sources and Solutions. The project aims to investigate the causes and consequences of asset price inflation and increasing inequalities in asset-based wealth in Australia. It expects to generate significant new knowledge about the evolution of asset-based inequality and about how the increasing concentration of asset-ownership is shaping the life opportunities of young people. Expected outcomes include the identification of policy options available to mitigate the negative impact of asset inflation and growing wealth inequality. This should provide significant benefits for governments and policy makers at a time when asset price inflation and the cost of housing represent critical policy challenges. Read moreRead less
From mainstream to margins: The denormalisation of underage heavy drinking. This mixed-methods study aims to investigate changes in, and contemporary experiences of, heavy drinking for underage young people in Australia. The project expects to generate new knowledge on whether and how processes of ‘de-normalisation’ are shaping heavy drinking practices and experiences of social inclusion for underage young people. Expected outcomes of the project include the development of a contemporary theoret ....From mainstream to margins: The denormalisation of underage heavy drinking. This mixed-methods study aims to investigate changes in, and contemporary experiences of, heavy drinking for underage young people in Australia. The project expects to generate new knowledge on whether and how processes of ‘de-normalisation’ are shaping heavy drinking practices and experiences of social inclusion for underage young people. Expected outcomes of the project include the development of a contemporary theoretical model of underage drinking. This should provide significant benefits such as advancing understanding of the social and structural factors shaping heavy underage drinking practices. Findings can be used to inform policy directions aiming to holistically maximise health and social wellbeing for young people.Read moreRead less
Understanding the Australian public's expectations of personalised genomics. This multi-disciplinary project aims to be the first to explore the Australian public's awareness of new developments in genetic science that allow healthy individuals to access their own genetic makeup. Called 'personal genomics', this broad group of genetic tests can be used for a variety of purposes that include ancestry, paternity, sporting ability and health. These tests are developing at a rapid rate yet little is ....Understanding the Australian public's expectations of personalised genomics. This multi-disciplinary project aims to be the first to explore the Australian public's awareness of new developments in genetic science that allow healthy individuals to access their own genetic makeup. Called 'personal genomics', this broad group of genetic tests can be used for a variety of purposes that include ancestry, paternity, sporting ability and health. These tests are developing at a rapid rate yet little is known about why, how and where they are used by the public. This project will employ a mixed methods approach to examine how the public might engage with this new technology. The research aims to help define educational strategies and supports and thereby to inform national policy for personal genomics.Read moreRead less
Reconciling biological and social Indigeneity in the genomic era. Advances in genomics are expected to have profound impacts on contemporary identities, including Indigeneity. A focus on social processes since the 1970s has left scholarship on Indigenous identity ill-equipped to grapple with the consequences of the genomic era. Drawing on multidisciplinary expertise, Indigenous and non-Indigenous investigators intend to examine biological and social influences on Indigeneity in narratives of sel ....Reconciling biological and social Indigeneity in the genomic era. Advances in genomics are expected to have profound impacts on contemporary identities, including Indigeneity. A focus on social processes since the 1970s has left scholarship on Indigenous identity ill-equipped to grapple with the consequences of the genomic era. Drawing on multidisciplinary expertise, Indigenous and non-Indigenous investigators intend to examine biological and social influences on Indigeneity in narratives of self-presentation and in two fields currently being transformed by genomics: ancestry testing and repatriation. The project is expected to develop and test a biosocial model of Indigeneity to enhance existing knowledge of Indigenous identification as a critical factor in monitoring and improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people.Read moreRead less