Transportation and Transformation: How Local Conditions Changed Traditional Ideas into Modern Politics. Knowledge of how ideas make, and are changed by, their ?journey? from place to place and over time is vital for a better understanding of our region and the world. The focus in this study on the influences acting upon the development of attitudes can give us a new perspective on our similarities and differences with other postcolonial societies. This study, through its comparative work with ....Transportation and Transformation: How Local Conditions Changed Traditional Ideas into Modern Politics. Knowledge of how ideas make, and are changed by, their ?journey? from place to place and over time is vital for a better understanding of our region and the world. The focus in this study on the influences acting upon the development of attitudes can give us a new perspective on our similarities and differences with other postcolonial societies. This study, through its comparative work with Britain, will also provide a much clearer picture of the influences upon Australia's political and social development and allow us to understand more effectively how ?local? and ?imported? ideas have melded together to form our national characteristics. 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
Australian Responses to Refugees, 1901-2005. Determining appropriate responses to refugees is a definitive political concern in contemporary Australia. However, conceptual and historical analysis is lacking of the global context and genealogy of Australia's current policy. This project will analyse Australian reactions to refugees from Federation to the present. It is hypothesised that positions on refugees have been integral to the constitution of Australian national identity. Using an innovati ....Australian Responses to Refugees, 1901-2005. Determining appropriate responses to refugees is a definitive political concern in contemporary Australia. However, conceptual and historical analysis is lacking of the global context and genealogy of Australia's current policy. This project will analyse Australian reactions to refugees from Federation to the present. It is hypothesised that positions on refugees have been integral to the constitution of Australian national identity. Using an innovative combination of theory (relating to nationhood), cultural reading and archival research, this project will explore the complex interaction between government policy, humanitarian concerns, and the culture of security considerations. The project will inform public and policy debate.Read moreRead less
National identity, historical narrative and violence: A comparative study of contemporary Catalonia and the Basque Country in France and Spain. This project will make an important contribution to our understanding of the contemporary roots of self-determination, autonomy and identity. These themes have particular relevance in a world in which nationalist and ethnic claims have assumed a renewed importance. They are also particularly relevant in the light of Australia's current concerns about nat ....National identity, historical narrative and violence: A comparative study of contemporary Catalonia and the Basque Country in France and Spain. This project will make an important contribution to our understanding of the contemporary roots of self-determination, autonomy and identity. These themes have particular relevance in a world in which nationalist and ethnic claims have assumed a renewed importance. They are also particularly relevant in the light of Australia's current concerns about national security: understanding issues of nationalism and identity embedded in historical narratives is central to understanding the origins of political violence.Read moreRead less
Becoming Australians, or Unbecoming Colonials? Australians in British Journalism, 1892-1902. This project will analyse the influence of Australian writers in British journalistic representations/discussions of Australia in the years which produced a federated Australia, and the British Commonwealth. Through detailed study of several 'Australian' journalists working in London, and their social and institutional contexts, it will trace some of the forces at work to define and represent relations ....Becoming Australians, or Unbecoming Colonials? Australians in British Journalism, 1892-1902. This project will analyse the influence of Australian writers in British journalistic representations/discussions of Australia in the years which produced a federated Australia, and the British Commonwealth. Through detailed study of several 'Australian' journalists working in London, and their social and institutional contexts, it will trace some of the forces at work to define and represent relations between Britain and AustraliaRead moreRead less
The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature. The anthology will be a major scholarly work. Its publication will stimulate scholarship in the Humanities. The project will also renew mainstream interest in the scope and sophistication of Australian literature. Many new works will be introduced to Australian readers, to education systems and to literary scholarship. The stand-alone anthology of Indigenous literature will enhance the public profile of Indigenous writers and will provide ....The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature. The anthology will be a major scholarly work. Its publication will stimulate scholarship in the Humanities. The project will also renew mainstream interest in the scope and sophistication of Australian literature. Many new works will be introduced to Australian readers, to education systems and to literary scholarship. The stand-alone anthology of Indigenous literature will enhance the public profile of Indigenous writers and will provide a vehicle for the representation of Indigenous culture and history to non-Indigenous Australians, who are often unable to access such knowledge and voices in print. New critical perspectives will ensure a valuable public resource, and understandings of Australian society will be enriched.Read moreRead less
Light, place and presence in the history of Australian photography. Photography is central to Australian history and national identity. It is a powerful tool through which our identities are forged, and through photography our understanding of our place in relation to our environments, each other and the world are made visible. By grounding this research in the unique status of light as a physical agent in photography and a key symbol of identity and place in Australia, this project will develop ....Light, place and presence in the history of Australian photography. Photography is central to Australian history and national identity. It is a powerful tool through which our identities are forged, and through photography our understanding of our place in relation to our environments, each other and the world are made visible. By grounding this research in the unique status of light as a physical agent in photography and a key symbol of identity and place in Australia, this project will develop a new approach to photography that enriches our social and cultural imagination, and propels Australian scholarship onto the international agenda. Read moreRead less
Working the Land: Women's Rural Labour and the Making of a Nation, Australia, 1901-1945. Dr Ford's research delivers social, cultural and economic benefits to Australia, particularly for rural Australia, for women and for aging Australians. Her work will increase community understanding about working life in rural Australia; the relationship between land, agriculture, gender and national identity; and the ways women combined family responsibilities with farm work - issues central to debates abou ....Working the Land: Women's Rural Labour and the Making of a Nation, Australia, 1901-1945. Dr Ford's research delivers social, cultural and economic benefits to Australia, particularly for rural Australia, for women and for aging Australians. Her work will increase community understanding about working life in rural Australia; the relationship between land, agriculture, gender and national identity; and the ways women combined family responsibilities with farm work - issues central to debates about the role of rural Australia and work/life balance. Her project will contribute to rural communities' sense of identity, as well as promote heritage tourism, important to regional economic development. It will also develop partnerships between universities and rural communities and improve the global visibility of Australian research.Read moreRead less
La Bella Liberta: Women, Freedom and the History of Italy c1800-1940. By exploring the intersection between Italy and the lives of some
prominent educated British women in the 19th and early 20th centuries
this project offers innovative approaches to British history, to
biography and to cultural history. By analysing the connection these
women drew between their own desire for personal emancipation and
Italian political developments and exploring their active interest in
the history, ....La Bella Liberta: Women, Freedom and the History of Italy c1800-1940. By exploring the intersection between Italy and the lives of some
prominent educated British women in the 19th and early 20th centuries
this project offers innovative approaches to British history, to
biography and to cultural history. By analysing the connection these
women drew between their own desire for personal emancipation and
Italian political developments and exploring their active interest in
the history, culture, and politics of Italy this research will offer
new insights into changing constructions of Italy, the intellectual
life of the expatriate world there and the important role women played
in representing Italy in the Anglophone world.
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Social Memory and Historical Justice: How Democratic Societies Remember and Forget the Victimisation of Minorities in the Past. We will analyse how the victimisation of minorities is publicly and collectively remembered in a range of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the Ukraine, Austria, Germany, Peru, Chile and the USA. We will identify key factors that enable democratic societies to work towards historical justice. By exploring how memories are contested and how communities ....Social Memory and Historical Justice: How Democratic Societies Remember and Forget the Victimisation of Minorities in the Past. We will analyse how the victimisation of minorities is publicly and collectively remembered in a range of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the Ukraine, Austria, Germany, Peru, Chile and the USA. We will identify key factors that enable democratic societies to work towards historical justice. By exploring how memories are contested and how communities actively negotiate the legacies of the past, we will address issues of crucial contemporary concern. The project will provide research training and international experience for a postdoctoral fellow and three doctoral students in an area at the cutting edge of the humanities and social sciences.Read moreRead less