International Organizations and Legislative Oversight: Improving Governance in Asia and the Pacific. This project will provide a better understanding of what makes legislative oversight of government effective. It will study the success of specific oversight bodies, such as Public Account Committees and Audit Offices, to determine whether their success depends on how they are institutionalised, or rather, on the ethical standards of the individuals who are expected to perform the oversight tasks ....International Organizations and Legislative Oversight: Improving Governance in Asia and the Pacific. This project will provide a better understanding of what makes legislative oversight of government effective. It will study the success of specific oversight bodies, such as Public Account Committees and Audit Offices, to determine whether their success depends on how they are institutionalised, or rather, on the ethical standards of the individuals who are expected to perform the oversight tasks. This project will contribute to the strengthening of what are currently regarded as fragile states and create the conditions for the further consolidation of their democratic systems and for sustainable socio-economic development in the Asia-Pacific region.Read moreRead less
The Evolution of East Asian Regionalism. In the aftermath of the East Asian crisis of 1997, the countries of East Asia have embarked upon a self-consciously pursued project of political integration or regionalism. If successful, it will have profound implications for the region's internal and external relations, and future development. This project will examine how regionalism is evolving in this strategically pivotal area, detail the factors that are encouraging or obstructing this process, and ....The Evolution of East Asian Regionalism. In the aftermath of the East Asian crisis of 1997, the countries of East Asia have embarked upon a self-consciously pursued project of political integration or regionalism. If successful, it will have profound implications for the region's internal and external relations, and future development. This project will examine how regionalism is evolving in this strategically pivotal area, detail the factors that are encouraging or obstructing this process, and provide a more appropriate theoretical framework in which to understand East Asia's highly distinctive style of regional integration.Read moreRead less
Islamic Perceptions of Justice in International Relations. This research moves beyond the conventional view of Islam and the West dichotomy and explores the middle ground. It explores the potential for redressing Muslim grievances through the existing international system by examining the sources of these grievances. It contextualises Islamic activism within time and space and, by implication, facilitates the formulation of relevant policy responses. As a result, this project contributes to a de ....Islamic Perceptions of Justice in International Relations. This research moves beyond the conventional view of Islam and the West dichotomy and explores the middle ground. It explores the potential for redressing Muslim grievances through the existing international system by examining the sources of these grievances. It contextualises Islamic activism within time and space and, by implication, facilitates the formulation of relevant policy responses. As a result, this project contributes to a de-ideologised view of the Muslim experience and the building of bridges to cross the imagined schism between Islam and the West. Read moreRead less
Global Security, Strategic Paradox and Limited War: The Politics and Ethics of Force. This project will provide detailed empirical research results plus conceptual innovations in the areas of peace and conflict studies. These will contribute to better understanding of contemporary threats and the effects of using force, and will enable the development of more effective policy options. The project will contribute strongly to the ARC's research priority 4, 'safeguarding Australia', by providing im ....Global Security, Strategic Paradox and Limited War: The Politics and Ethics of Force. This project will provide detailed empirical research results plus conceptual innovations in the areas of peace and conflict studies. These will contribute to better understanding of contemporary threats and the effects of using force, and will enable the development of more effective policy options. The project will contribute strongly to the ARC's research priority 4, 'safeguarding Australia', by providing important studies, analytical tools and policy recommendations that will strengthen Australia's national security, contribute to reducing conflict, and help us shape the regional and global security environment in our interests.Read moreRead less
Globalisation's Impact on the Government-Business Relationship: A Theoretical and Multi-Country Study. This project will explain why states in many contexts are developing more collaborative relationships with business (both domestic and transnational), contrary to the expectations of globalisation theory. It will develop a novel perspective on globalisation that recognises its potential to ?enable? and not merely to ?constrain? the state's capacities for industrial governance, and explain why s ....Globalisation's Impact on the Government-Business Relationship: A Theoretical and Multi-Country Study. This project will explain why states in many contexts are developing more collaborative relationships with business (both domestic and transnational), contrary to the expectations of globalisation theory. It will develop a novel perspective on globalisation that recognises its potential to ?enable? and not merely to ?constrain? the state's capacities for industrial governance, and explain why states tend to become more, not less, important to social life as economic interdependence rises and vulnerability increases. It will offer a new conceptualisation of state transformation by identifying the conditions under which globalisation creates pressures for increased public-private coordination of economic upgrading.Read moreRead less
New Concepts of Human Security and AIDS. This project recognises that the AIDS pandemic is a significant example of non-military threats to international security, and that different national responses to AIDS are a product of different political, economic and cultural factors. It seeks to explore the complex relationship between national, international and grass roots responses to HIV/AIDS, with some emphasis on those countries most significant to Australia's security needs. It seeks to use soc ....New Concepts of Human Security and AIDS. This project recognises that the AIDS pandemic is a significant example of non-military threats to international security, and that different national responses to AIDS are a product of different political, economic and cultural factors. It seeks to explore the complex relationship between national, international and grass roots responses to HIV/AIDS, with some emphasis on those countries most significant to Australia's security needs. It seeks to use social theory to illuminate practical issues facing HIV/AIDS advocacy at local, national and international levels, in particular how does one assure effective responses from all stakeholders.Read moreRead less
The Politics of Alliance Affinity. There is bipartisan consensus in Australia that the alliance with the US is the 'cornerstone' of Australia's security. However, many of the United States' alliances are increasingly being placed under strain by demographic and attitudinal changes, changing US force postures, and a shift in US policy on coalition military activities. Managing the alliance relationship with Washington will be a serious challenge for Australia's security policy makers. Australia a ....The Politics of Alliance Affinity. There is bipartisan consensus in Australia that the alliance with the US is the 'cornerstone' of Australia's security. However, many of the United States' alliances are increasingly being placed under strain by demographic and attitudinal changes, changing US force postures, and a shift in US policy on coalition military activities. Managing the alliance relationship with Washington will be a serious challenge for Australia's security policy makers. Australia also has significant security relationships with New Zealand and the UK. Understanding the domestic politics of their security policies will provide a much firmer basis for managing these aspects of Australia's international security.Read moreRead less
Political institutions, war, and peace: Global and regional dynamics. Ideas about democratic peace have been seized upon by some political leaders, and resonate with the public imagination. Australia has important relationships with countries of a wide range of regime types beyond stable democracy, such as Afghanistan, China, Fiji, Indonesia, and Iraq. This project gives systematic understanding of the real-world foreign policy implications of the range of political regimes. It allows scholars, ....Political institutions, war, and peace: Global and regional dynamics. Ideas about democratic peace have been seized upon by some political leaders, and resonate with the public imagination. Australia has important relationships with countries of a wide range of regime types beyond stable democracy, such as Afghanistan, China, Fiji, Indonesia, and Iraq. This project gives systematic understanding of the real-world foreign policy implications of the range of political regimes. It allows scholars, citizens, and policy makers to move beyond generalisations like democratic peace, the universality of which is belied in recent research. It contributes to safeguarding Australia, develops multidisciplinary social science capacity in cutting edge quantitative methods, and mentors a PhD student.Read moreRead less
Nuclear Giants? Prospects for Nuclear Energy in China and India. Since the traditional path of energy consumption is not an option for China and India, nuclear energy is recommended as a clean and sustainable alternative. If either China or India or both start expanding their nuclear energy capacity, Australia has a direct interest as a major supplier of coal, natural gas and uranium. As two unconvential great powers, their ability to expand nuclear energy to an extent necessary to meet the ch ....Nuclear Giants? Prospects for Nuclear Energy in China and India. Since the traditional path of energy consumption is not an option for China and India, nuclear energy is recommended as a clean and sustainable alternative. If either China or India or both start expanding their nuclear energy capacity, Australia has a direct interest as a major supplier of coal, natural gas and uranium. As two unconvential great powers, their ability to expand nuclear energy to an extent necessary to meet the challenges will have security implications in the region. Understanding the nuclear politics in these two countries is a necessary requirement for Australia.Read moreRead less
Political Risk, Institutions and Regulatory Regimes: Business, Foreign Investment and Public Administration in Asia. Rating accurately the risk environment of emerging economies has always been problematic. Insufficiently developed methodological tools and the lack of institutional and regulatory data make the process imprecise. This project overcomes this problem, developing a new industry based risk assessment system for understanding political risk to commercial activities and foreign investo ....Political Risk, Institutions and Regulatory Regimes: Business, Foreign Investment and Public Administration in Asia. Rating accurately the risk environment of emerging economies has always been problematic. Insufficiently developed methodological tools and the lack of institutional and regulatory data make the process imprecise. This project overcomes this problem, developing a new industry based risk assessment system for understanding political risk to commercial activities and foreign investors in nine of Asia's most rapidly developing economies. The study, one of the first to correlate institutional and regulatory forms to the incidence, severity and recurrence of risk, will deepen our knowledge of political and regulatory institutions in Asia and provide investors with the ability to navigate those environments successfully. Read moreRead less