Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science: A comparative analysis. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to bring together anthropologists, educationlists, museum curators and Indigenous communities to research ways of incorporating Indigenous knowledge into school and museum education programs. The project uses the expertise of the partners to analyse the process of inclusion from the perspective of cross-cultural discourse. The research will enable complex conceptual and ethical issues t ....Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science: A comparative analysis. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to bring together anthropologists, educationlists, museum curators and Indigenous communities to research ways of incorporating Indigenous knowledge into school and museum education programs. The project uses the expertise of the partners to analyse the process of inclusion from the perspective of cross-cultural discourse. The research will enable complex conceptual and ethical issues to be addressed that will enable an extended and productive exchange between Indigenous communities and the general educational sector. The outcomes will include refereed publications and works in new media.Read moreRead less
Social, Environmental and Economic Sustainability in the Context of Melanesian Mining Projects. This is an interdisciplinary study of Melanesian understandings of socio-economic and environmental sustainability in the context of mining projects. It entails research into traditional ecological knowledge and assessment of ways that local understandings and expectations compromise programs based on Western scientific principles. It will examine local ideas about land use and food security, and the ....Social, Environmental and Economic Sustainability in the Context of Melanesian Mining Projects. This is an interdisciplinary study of Melanesian understandings of socio-economic and environmental sustainability in the context of mining projects. It entails research into traditional ecological knowledge and assessment of ways that local understandings and expectations compromise programs based on Western scientific principles. It will examine local ideas about land use and food security, and the social and cultural factors that determine responses to impacts of mining projects. The project will involve collaborative, interdisciplinary research, integrating social and cultural analysis and environmental and agrarian studies. It will contribute to current debates on environmentalism, mining impact and sustainable development.Read moreRead less
Pacific Islanders in regional Victoria: visitors, migrants and overstayers. This project aims to understand the socio-economic situation of Pacific Islanders living in regional Victoria, including visitors, permanent residents, seasonal workers and undocumented migrants. The aim is to investigate the impact of these different statuses on access to public services, interactions within and across ethnic groups, and trans-local and transnational practices. Working with partner organisations involve ....Pacific Islanders in regional Victoria: visitors, migrants and overstayers. This project aims to understand the socio-economic situation of Pacific Islanders living in regional Victoria, including visitors, permanent residents, seasonal workers and undocumented migrants. The aim is to investigate the impact of these different statuses on access to public services, interactions within and across ethnic groups, and trans-local and transnational practices. Working with partner organisations involved with migrant populations in the area, the project seeks to shed new light on Australian regional migration and bring marginalised regional populations into discussions of migration and transnationalism. Intended outcomes include scholarly publications, policy-focused reports and an open access project website.Read moreRead less
Angulimala walks - from understanding violence in Cambodia to building cultural competence in Australian international development. The purpose of this project is to make sure that people affected by violence in formerly war-torn countries like Cambodia (including those who migrated to Australia) are helped in culturally appropriate ways. The project will lead to a framework for 'cultural competence' to be used by Australia's international development and health sectors.
Italians in Western Australia: A cultural history and archive of migrants and migration. This project brings together the interdisciplinary skills and international reputations of experts on Italian migration, peak State Government institutions and international and local Italian communities and institutions to redress a significant absence in the study of Western Australian Italian migration. An accessible history and archive of the Italian presence in WA urban, rural and transnational contexts ....Italians in Western Australia: A cultural history and archive of migrants and migration. This project brings together the interdisciplinary skills and international reputations of experts on Italian migration, peak State Government institutions and international and local Italian communities and institutions to redress a significant absence in the study of Western Australian Italian migration. An accessible history and archive of the Italian presence in WA urban, rural and transnational contexts will be produced. An exhibition will display this heritage to audiences across the State. Fine-grained historical research will provide valuable ethnographic evidence to inform pressing intellectual debates regarding migration, racism, multiculturalism, nationalism and transnationalism.Read moreRead less
Lifespan learning and literacy for young adults in remote Indigenous communities. Engagement with learning across the lifespan and increased literacy skills among early school leavers and other young adults will have direct benefits to remote Indigenous communities and to the nation. These include the increased ability of this next generation of Indigenous adults to develop the skills and confidence required to actively build stable and self-reliant institutions, improve social and economic circ ....Lifespan learning and literacy for young adults in remote Indigenous communities. Engagement with learning across the lifespan and increased literacy skills among early school leavers and other young adults will have direct benefits to remote Indigenous communities and to the nation. These include the increased ability of this next generation of Indigenous adults to develop the skills and confidence required to actively build stable and self-reliant institutions, improve social and economic circumstances and enhance the health of their families and communities. Additional benefits will flow from the enhanced capacity of individuals to participate effectively in the national economy and from more positive spending of public funds on evidence-based programs that work rather than ongoing problem alleviation.Read moreRead less
Exploring the myth of the single solution: an anthropological study of housing maintenance and infrastructure issues in Australia. Indigenous housing is a core challenge for improving Australia's social and economic fabric. Urgent issues of amenity, maintenance and responsibility remain unresolved. By documenting what is involved in taking a difficult yet successful intervention model for targeting small-scale repairs and maintenance to scale in Australia, the research will shed critical light o ....Exploring the myth of the single solution: an anthropological study of housing maintenance and infrastructure issues in Australia. Indigenous housing is a core challenge for improving Australia's social and economic fabric. Urgent issues of amenity, maintenance and responsibility remain unresolved. By documenting what is involved in taking a difficult yet successful intervention model for targeting small-scale repairs and maintenance to scale in Australia, the research will shed critical light on: the complexities of program replication and effect; the social and political context such programs operate within; the characteristics required for sustained reform. It will also add an Australian contribution to a growing international field: namely, the anthropology of policy, aid and development. Read moreRead less
Indigenous Culture, Heritage and Economy in Rural NSW. Effective incorporation of Indigenous peoples into Australian social and economic life is a recognised national priority. A meaningful route is through Indigenous cultural heritage, an integral component of Australian identity. Through interdisciplinary pure research, enhanced by applied methodologies, this project will deliver knowledge and training to realise the value of local Indigenous cultural heritage for a rural area. It will culmina ....Indigenous Culture, Heritage and Economy in Rural NSW. Effective incorporation of Indigenous peoples into Australian social and economic life is a recognised national priority. A meaningful route is through Indigenous cultural heritage, an integral component of Australian identity. Through interdisciplinary pure research, enhanced by applied methodologies, this project will deliver knowledge and training to realise the value of local Indigenous cultural heritage for a rural area. It will culminate in Indigenous people developing roles that contribute directly to Shire and corporate interests. In making a significant contribution to the economic and social well-being of a particular rural area, the project has potential for adoption elsewhere.Read moreRead less
The Nakanai Caves Cultural Heritage Project. This project aims to document and integrate the natural and cultural values of the Nakanai Caves in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for a cultural landscape World Heritage nomination. The project’s novel methodology incorporates community knowledge with archaeological and anthropological evidence to link natural and cultural values and define the landscape from local perspectives. Local input into the research will be prioritised. B ....The Nakanai Caves Cultural Heritage Project. This project aims to document and integrate the natural and cultural values of the Nakanai Caves in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for a cultural landscape World Heritage nomination. The project’s novel methodology incorporates community knowledge with archaeological and anthropological evidence to link natural and cultural values and define the landscape from local perspectives. Local input into the research will be prioritised. By emphasising local participation and management of World Heritage listing processes the project aims to address an identified gap in World Heritage methodologies. This project allows for a subtle, nuanced definition of cultural landscapes under the World Heritage Convention.Read moreRead less