War crimes and the Japanese military, 1941-1945. During the Second World War, Japanese military forces in Asia and the Pacific committed extraordinary atrocities against prisoners-of-war, civilian internees and local populations. These atrocities shocked Japan's Western enemies, not least because Japanese military behaviour in the early 20th century had been celebrated as remarkably humane. This project seeks to explain Japanese wartime brutality, identifying the specific circumstances in which ....War crimes and the Japanese military, 1941-1945. During the Second World War, Japanese military forces in Asia and the Pacific committed extraordinary atrocities against prisoners-of-war, civilian internees and local populations. These atrocities shocked Japan's Western enemies, not least because Japanese military behaviour in the early 20th century had been celebrated as remarkably humane. This project seeks to explain Japanese wartime brutality, identifying the specific circumstances in which it occurred and considering the particular wartime context. It challenges the prevalent explanation of Japanese wartime violence which locates the causes of brutality in deeply rooted aspects of Japanese national culture. This research is expected to contribute to understandings of war and violence.Read moreRead less
Tibet's rivers in the Anthropocene: history and present trajectories. This project aims to produce a multifaceted history of the eastern Tibetan Plateau's rivers, focusing on the increasing human impacts during the Anthropocene. It will combine data from archival, cultural and oral sources in multiple languages with the results of scientific studies of river flow, water quality, and sediment, ice, and tree-rings analysis. The project will produce both historical narratives and graphic representa ....Tibet's rivers in the Anthropocene: history and present trajectories. This project aims to produce a multifaceted history of the eastern Tibetan Plateau's rivers, focusing on the increasing human impacts during the Anthropocene. It will combine data from archival, cultural and oral sources in multiple languages with the results of scientific studies of river flow, water quality, and sediment, ice, and tree-rings analysis. The project will produce both historical narratives and graphic representations that model past land and water usage. The results of the project will underpin environmental policy for this hydrologically and ecologically crucial region, including the development of a paradigm of care based on the region's indigenous cultural resources.Read moreRead less
Repatriation and release of Japanese war criminals 1946-1958: Southeast Asia, Japan and the Great Powers. Japanese war criminals held in Southeast Asia were repatriated and released in Japan from the late 1940s. Releases were negotiated between Japan and the nation that had convicted the prisoner. The project provides new understandings of the emergence of Southeast Asian states in regional diplomacy and of Japan's re-emergence as a regional power.
Northeast Asia and the Korean War: legacies of hot and cold wars in contemporary constructions of the region. This project will provide the first comprehensive study of the socio-economic, cultural and ideological impact of the Korean War on Korea's northeast Asian neighbours: China, Japan, Russia's Far East, Taiwan and Mongolia. It will deepen understanding of the region's cold war and of contemporary moves to and create a post cold war northeast Asia.
The Politics of Guilt in Asia: the Afterlife of Japanese War Crimes. This project aims to investigate the perception of Japan’s continuing guilt for atrocities committed during the Second World War. Until the 1970s, it was widely believed that Japan had resolved its guilt by accepting punishment, paying recompense and apologising, and could move on. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the process by which the idea of Japan’s guilt was revived to become a major issue in East Asian ....The Politics of Guilt in Asia: the Afterlife of Japanese War Crimes. This project aims to investigate the perception of Japan’s continuing guilt for atrocities committed during the Second World War. Until the 1970s, it was widely believed that Japan had resolved its guilt by accepting punishment, paying recompense and apologising, and could move on. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the process by which the idea of Japan’s guilt was revived to become a major issue in East Asian and world affairs. Expected outcomes include enhanced understanding of how historical grievance is constructed and why it has come to be considered always open to review. Anticipated benefits include a greater understanding of the changing ways in which historical grievance is used, both politically and ethically.Read moreRead less
Beyond Domestic Borders: Transnational Mobility in the Making of Modern Korea, 1920-1945. The project offers a new perspective on gender and colonial history by examining crossborder movements and networks of women and men in and beyond East Asia in the early to mid-twentieth century. It focuses on Korea, which had the distinctive experience of being colonised by Japan, a non-Western colonial power. Through analysis of archival and visual materials, it explores the ways in which Korea’s interact ....Beyond Domestic Borders: Transnational Mobility in the Making of Modern Korea, 1920-1945. The project offers a new perspective on gender and colonial history by examining crossborder movements and networks of women and men in and beyond East Asia in the early to mid-twentieth century. It focuses on Korea, which had the distinctive experience of being colonised by Japan, a non-Western colonial power. Through analysis of archival and visual materials, it explores the ways in which Korea’s interactions with Europe, North America, and other Asian countries transformed gender norms and bodily practices during Japanese rule. The project will deepen our understanding of the impact of transnational flow of people and ideas in the making of one of Australia’s most important partners in the region.Read moreRead less
Suharto's enablers? Social complicity in the Indonesian killings of 1965-66. This projects aims to revolutionise understandings of civilian involvement in the most critical and bloody turning point in modern Indonesian history, the 1965-66 killings, and to transform the evidence base for Indonesian history-writing. By accessing critically endangered and never before used survivor community archives, the project will examine the complicity of civilians in the killings and how the violence shaped ....Suharto's enablers? Social complicity in the Indonesian killings of 1965-66. This projects aims to revolutionise understandings of civilian involvement in the most critical and bloody turning point in modern Indonesian history, the 1965-66 killings, and to transform the evidence base for Indonesian history-writing. By accessing critically endangered and never before used survivor community archives, the project will examine the complicity of civilians in the killings and how the violence shaped modern Indonesian national identity and moral consciousness. It will further generate a new, centralised archive of these preserved materials and compile new oral history interviews with the remaining witnesses to these pivotal events.Read moreRead less
Politics of public health in the Asia-Pacific region: the League of Nations Health Organization and the Japanese Empire, 1921-41. The project's outcomes will deepen public knowledge of how key actors in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan and Australia, interacted with the League of Nations in shaping norms of global health governance. It will also show the continued engagement of these regional actors in a period of military confrontation.
Critical thought in Thailand after Marxism: modern political history through ideas. This collaborative Australian-Thai project will document competing schools of critical thought that emerged in Thailand after the Cold War. Our team will map and analyse the battles of ideas that parallel political contests in the country, deepening understanding of tensions that now polarise one of Australia's most important regional neighbours.
Soybeans and socialism: agrarian transformation in Manchuria, 1935-1965. Throughout the early twentieth century, Manchuria was known for two things: its strategic importance and its soybeans. At the same time that the region was politically and militarily contested, Manchuria also experienced stellar economic growth, propelled in large part by the soy economy. This project aims to analyse the changing importance of soy as Manchuria transitioned from Japanese to Chinese rule. Each established mec ....Soybeans and socialism: agrarian transformation in Manchuria, 1935-1965. Throughout the early twentieth century, Manchuria was known for two things: its strategic importance and its soybeans. At the same time that the region was politically and militarily contested, Manchuria also experienced stellar economic growth, propelled in large part by the soy economy. This project aims to analyse the changing importance of soy as Manchuria transitioned from Japanese to Chinese rule. Each established mechanisms to control the soy economy, direct its proceeds to private wealth and regional development and increase production through development, reorganization or coercion. The Manchurian soy economy was a proving ground for rural policy elsewhere, and demonstrates both its potential and its limitations.Read moreRead less