Exploring Internet Induced Changes in Youth Music Consumption. Music consumption is the basis of both a key Australian industry with wide reaching economic impact, and a social practice closely tied to identity formation, relationship development and mood management. This project has significant community and national benefit, in that it will further our understanding of contemporary popular music consumption. In documenting the range of online music products, young consumers' attitudes towards ....Exploring Internet Induced Changes in Youth Music Consumption. Music consumption is the basis of both a key Australian industry with wide reaching economic impact, and a social practice closely tied to identity formation, relationship development and mood management. This project has significant community and national benefit, in that it will further our understanding of contemporary popular music consumption. In documenting the range of online music products, young consumers' attitudes towards them, and their personal music acquisition habits, the project will lead to an understanding of how having access to almost unlimited, personalised music-file collections will affect the role music plays in their lives and the follow-on impact in social, cultural and economic terms.Read moreRead less
Young people, sex, love and the media. This project aims to discover what young Australians are learning about sex, love and relationships from popular media, as well as the impact that it is having on their behaviour and attitudes towards sexuality and intimate relationships. It will make recommendations about how to promote ethical and safe sexual practices and attitudes.
Television Presenters as Cultural Intermediaries. With significant changes in television programming, especially its preoccupation with everyday life through formats such as lifestyle shows and reality TV, it is important that research maintains its understanding of television's social and cultural function. This project will examine what kinds of ethical and social advice are being presented to the public, how this advice is being given and what the context of such advice is. The hypotheses inv ....Television Presenters as Cultural Intermediaries. With significant changes in television programming, especially its preoccupation with everyday life through formats such as lifestyle shows and reality TV, it is important that research maintains its understanding of television's social and cultural function. This project will examine what kinds of ethical and social advice are being presented to the public, how this advice is being given and what the context of such advice is. The hypotheses investigated will enable hard data to be inserted into debates about the media's role in society, benefiting the industry itself as well.Read moreRead less
Only at the movies: mapping the contemporary Australian cinema market. Only at the movies? is a three-year project that asks: What is the enduring appeal of cinemagoing and how is it changing? It will provide detailed analyses of formal film exhibition and distribution in Australia by combining economic, cultural and geospatial research with industry expertise.
The Power of the Image: affect, audience and disturbing imagery. In a period of fear and uncertainty about terrorism and war there is a pressing need to examine the specific contemporary modes of teenagers' engagements with media violence and the ways it contributes to their understanding of violence in the world around them. This project will identify the links young people make between affective and emotional reactions to media imagery, their own values and attitudes about the violence in ever ....The Power of the Image: affect, audience and disturbing imagery. In a period of fear and uncertainty about terrorism and war there is a pressing need to examine the specific contemporary modes of teenagers' engagements with media violence and the ways it contributes to their understanding of violence in the world around them. This project will identify the links young people make between affective and emotional reactions to media imagery, their own values and attitudes about the violence in everyday life (e.g. sexual harassment, bullying, fights at school), and their assessment of their own power and agency. It adds much needed Australian research to a field lacking a distinctive Australian perspective.Read moreRead less
Safety, risk and wellbeing on digital dating apps. This project aims to build an evidence-base scoping and strategic planning of health promotion campaigns targeting Australian dating app users. The rise of digital dating apps generates a number of issues regarding cultures of health and wellbeing, including concerns regarding risks of sexual assault, and sexually transmitted infection transmission. Popular media reports raise concerns regarding sexual privacy breaches, in the form of ‘revenge p ....Safety, risk and wellbeing on digital dating apps. This project aims to build an evidence-base scoping and strategic planning of health promotion campaigns targeting Australian dating app users. The rise of digital dating apps generates a number of issues regarding cultures of health and wellbeing, including concerns regarding risks of sexual assault, and sexually transmitted infection transmission. Popular media reports raise concerns regarding sexual privacy breaches, in the form of ‘revenge porn’, sexual harassment and sexual assault. Despite this, little evidence exists regarding the role apps currently play in users’ everyday negotiations of consent, condom use, contraception, and other aspects of sexual health and wellbeing. The outcomes of this project will establish foundations for future health interventions promoting sexual health and safety for digital dating app users, and take an innovative participatory approach. This will result in practical, strategic recommendations regarding the future planning, and implementation of digital health promotion campaigns targeting diverse populations, including heterosexual and same-sex-attracted young people aged 15-30.
Read moreRead less
Transforming Drivers: Driving as Social, Cultural and Gendered Practice. Drawing on cultural studies, social psychology, philosophy and social studies of technology, this interdisciplinary project responds to industry calls for more in-depth alternatives to traditional models of driver psychology that rely on behaviour. A model of driving as a complex cultural practice and social activity will be elaborated through an innovative approach which explores the links between the experience of drivin ....Transforming Drivers: Driving as Social, Cultural and Gendered Practice. Drawing on cultural studies, social psychology, philosophy and social studies of technology, this interdisciplinary project responds to industry calls for more in-depth alternatives to traditional models of driver psychology that rely on behaviour. A model of driving as a complex cultural practice and social activity will be elaborated through an innovative approach which explores the links between the experience of driving, cultural identity and media representations. The focus is on young drivers, with a special emphasis on gender differences. The project will generate new approaches to road safety research and driver education campaigns.Read moreRead less
The Monitored Audience: Control of Personal Information in the Digital Era. In an era when the internet can gather detailed information about citizens and mobile phones can target ads to them based on their location, consumers need a say in the policies and practices governing the use of their personal information. Research indicates Australians are concerned about the collection and use of their information. This project would explore what they are doing about it and what information handling p ....The Monitored Audience: Control of Personal Information in the Digital Era. In an era when the internet can gather detailed information about citizens and mobile phones can target ads to them based on their location, consumers need a say in the policies and practices governing the use of their personal information. Research indicates Australians are concerned about the collection and use of their information. This project would explore what they are doing about it and what information handling policies and practices they support. The findings will provide a citizen perspective on deliberations over information and data handling policy as well as on ethical and legal debates about commercial monitoring at a time when the technology for capturing personal information continues to develop at a rapid pace.Read moreRead less
Media Classification Systems: An International Comparative Study. The central question for media classification is 'by whom should this be consumed?' This project aims to examine the ways in which this question has been answered across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Encompassing case studies of India, Japan, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Brazil and China, and with a particular emphasis on Australia, the project is intended to produce a comparative history of the emerge ....Media Classification Systems: An International Comparative Study. The central question for media classification is 'by whom should this be consumed?' This project aims to examine the ways in which this question has been answered across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Encompassing case studies of India, Japan, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Brazil and China, and with a particular emphasis on Australia, the project is intended to produce a comparative history of the emergence of media classification systems based on the international exchange of policy approaches, ideas about public interest and the protection of minors and the circulation of media objects. This research aims to address the continuing significance of the media classification question in an era of media convergence.Read moreRead less
Young, Mobile, Networked: Mobile Media and Youth Culture in Australia. Mobiles are a common part of life for young Australians, yet there is very little reliable data about how these are used and their social and cultural implications - especially new services such as mobile music, cameras and television. The qualitative and quantitative data from this project will give a detailed, national picture of mobile media use, and will be highly valuable for Australian companies, policymakers, regulator ....Young, Mobile, Networked: Mobile Media and Youth Culture in Australia. Mobiles are a common part of life for young Australians, yet there is very little reliable data about how these are used and their social and cultural implications - especially new services such as mobile music, cameras and television. The qualitative and quantitative data from this project will give a detailed, national picture of mobile media use, and will be highly valuable for Australian companies, policymakers, regulators, non-governmental organizations as well as researchers. It will provide new knowledge to inform planning and innovation, and contribute to a better understanding of the social and cultural implications of mobile technologies.Read moreRead less