Autonomy, Liberalism and the Right to Culture. The question of whether or on what terms cultural diversity may be reconciled with liberal citizenship and national identity is among the most pressing issues confronting liberal democracies today. Australia, long committed to multiculturalism, faces this challenge daily in its law- and policy-making. This project tackles this question by offering a new way of thinking about the place and import of the core liberal value of individual autonomy. Now ....Autonomy, Liberalism and the Right to Culture. The question of whether or on what terms cultural diversity may be reconciled with liberal citizenship and national identity is among the most pressing issues confronting liberal democracies today. Australia, long committed to multiculturalism, faces this challenge daily in its law- and policy-making. This project tackles this question by offering a new way of thinking about the place and import of the core liberal value of individual autonomy. Now under considerable attack in political theory and from some groups for being "too sectarian", the project defends the importance of autonomy to liberal citizenship, while elaborating its moral and political implications for liberals and cultural minorities alike.Read moreRead less
Big-Picture Bioethics: policy-making and liberal democracy. We live an era of rapid growth in biotechnology generating new and difficult ethical questions that need to be tackled by bioethicists and politicians. This project goes beyond typical approaches in bioethics to explore the "big picture": how policies are generated in ethically-contentious domains. It is important to examine how the values of different stakeholders are reflected in such processes to ensure that they are in accordance wi ....Big-Picture Bioethics: policy-making and liberal democracy. We live an era of rapid growth in biotechnology generating new and difficult ethical questions that need to be tackled by bioethicists and politicians. This project goes beyond typical approaches in bioethics to explore the "big picture": how policies are generated in ethically-contentious domains. It is important to examine how the values of different stakeholders are reflected in such processes to ensure that they are in accordance with Australia's commitment to fostering a multicultural, pluralistic, democratic society. This project will produce practical recommendations for refining public consultation in healthcare policy-making through an examination of three relevant contentious case studies in Australia with comparison to Canada.Read moreRead less
Investigating Innovative Applications of Digital Media for Participatory Journalism and Citizen Engagement in Australian Public Communication. This project benefits the Australian community by undertaking the first comprehensive audit of collaborative online news production, and linking this to prototypes developed with leading industry partners such as SBS and Cisco Systems, to promote greater citizen participation in news production and public communication. It marks the first sustained applic ....Investigating Innovative Applications of Digital Media for Participatory Journalism and Citizen Engagement in Australian Public Communication. This project benefits the Australian community by undertaking the first comprehensive audit of collaborative online news production, and linking this to prototypes developed with leading industry partners such as SBS and Cisco Systems, to promote greater citizen participation in news production and public communication. It marks the first sustained application of an open source framework to understanding the future of journalism and news media, and public communication in a democratic society, through the development of user-generated content derived from online user communities and peer-to-peer interaction. It promotes smart innovation use through collaboration and user-led innovation in digitally networked online environments. Read moreRead less
Public Law Implications of Treaty Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians. Australia is the only Commonwealth country that has never signed an official treaty with its Indigenous peoples. It is not surprising then that a treaty between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians has been cited as a goal of the reconciliation process by bodies including the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Unfortunately, there has been little academic examination of the merits or content of a treaty ....Public Law Implications of Treaty Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians. Australia is the only Commonwealth country that has never signed an official treaty with its Indigenous peoples. It is not surprising then that a treaty between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians has been cited as a goal of the reconciliation process by bodies including the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Unfortunately, there has been little academic examination of the merits or content of a treaty, or of how a treaty might be accommodated within Australia's constitutional structure. With the benefit of comparative analysis, this project will provide a scholarly investigation of the role that a treaty could play under Australian law.Read moreRead less
Crisis and change: cultural-economic research on the adaptability and sustainability of Australian households. This research will enable better understanding of the ways in which households respond to governmental imperatives to become more sustainable in their own circumstances. It will reveal unheralded patterns of adaptation and innovative responses among ordinary households to the problems of climate change, financial crisis, and demographic transition. Funding this research will provide an ....Crisis and change: cultural-economic research on the adaptability and sustainability of Australian households. This research will enable better understanding of the ways in which households respond to governmental imperatives to become more sustainable in their own circumstances. It will reveal unheralded patterns of adaptation and innovative responses among ordinary households to the problems of climate change, financial crisis, and demographic transition. Funding this research will provide an opportunity for government to listen to Australian households, and to learn from their experiences as they grapple with contemporary economic, environmental and demographic challenges. It will enhance Australia's ability to become more environmentally sustainable, strengthen the social fabric of communities and reveal vernacular forms of innovation culture.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0237401
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
Unlocking Regional Memory: An Electronic Archive Network. This project will enhance access to extensive records in four NSW regional archives. These designated regional repositories include holdings that can greatly enlarge our knowledge of Australian history and society. We aim to develop a detailed, uniform and cross-referenced Web-based electronic inventory of their collections using proven software. Furthermore, high-demand collections will be digitised and marked on the inventory, while rem ....Unlocking Regional Memory: An Electronic Archive Network. This project will enhance access to extensive records in four NSW regional archives. These designated regional repositories include holdings that can greatly enlarge our knowledge of Australian history and society. We aim to develop a detailed, uniform and cross-referenced Web-based electronic inventory of their collections using proven software. Furthermore, high-demand collections will be digitised and marked on the inventory, while remaining collections will be digitised on request. This project will facilitate intensive research, provide a technologically innovative solution to the problem of archival access until now limited by distance, and create a cooperative regional archival network.Read moreRead less
Understanding the concept and meaning of freedom in Western history. This project directly engages with current political and social debate and particularly with the National Research Priority 'Safeguarding Australia'. The priority goal 'Understanding our region and the world' is at the heart of the project because it addresses the principal political problem following from September 11, 2001: namely, the price of freedom. The project's principal national benefit will be to use history to chal ....Understanding the concept and meaning of freedom in Western history. This project directly engages with current political and social debate and particularly with the National Research Priority 'Safeguarding Australia'. The priority goal 'Understanding our region and the world' is at the heart of the project because it addresses the principal political problem following from September 11, 2001: namely, the price of freedom. The project's principal national benefit will be to use history to challenge our very understanding of the nature of freedom. The project questions the paradox that freedom can be assured by compromises made in the name of security and that, in this sense, freedom has a 'price'.Read moreRead less
Measuring and mapping the experience of racism in Australia. This is the first empirical assessment of the circumstances and frequency of the experience of racism in Australia. A telephone survey, 12000 respondents, and fieldwork in ten localities, are the major method. Spatial and social variations in the experience of racism will be analysed. Social construction theory will be tested as an explanation of such variations. Regional anti-racism packages will be developed and tested in the field. ....Measuring and mapping the experience of racism in Australia. This is the first empirical assessment of the circumstances and frequency of the experience of racism in Australia. A telephone survey, 12000 respondents, and fieldwork in ten localities, are the major method. Spatial and social variations in the experience of racism will be analysed. Social construction theory will be tested as an explanation of such variations. Regional anti-racism packages will be developed and tested in the field. Decision-support tools for local authorities and communities to combat racism will be provided. A unique racism database will underpin a scholarly monograph, doctoral dissertation and a series of refereed articles.Read moreRead less
Just truth? An empirical study of expert evidence. Though a ubiquitous feature of contemporary legal and regulatory practice, expert evidence continues to create administrative and socio-economic problems. Expert evidence can add to the length, cost and complexity of litigation and has been linked to the failure of tort law, the withdrawal of insurance coverage, legal mistakes and notorious miscarriages of justice. This project will examine how expert knowledge is developed and used in and aroun ....Just truth? An empirical study of expert evidence. Though a ubiquitous feature of contemporary legal and regulatory practice, expert evidence continues to create administrative and socio-economic problems. Expert evidence can add to the length, cost and complexity of litigation and has been linked to the failure of tort law, the withdrawal of insurance coverage, legal mistakes and notorious miscarriages of justice. This project will examine how expert knowledge is developed and used in and around legal settings. It will identify means of improving the provision and evaluation of expert advice in order to enhance the social legitimacy of our legal institutions and facilitate commercial innovation and productivity.Read moreRead less
Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements with Indigenous Peoples in Settler States: their role and relevance for Indigenous and other Australians. The project aims to examine treaty and agreement making with Indigenous Australians, including legal history and foundations, and the nature of the legal rights encompassed by agreements and treaties. It would include an audit of the current state of agreements with Indigenous parties, their purposes, status and outcomes; and would include inte ....Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements with Indigenous Peoples in Settler States: their role and relevance for Indigenous and other Australians. The project aims to examine treaty and agreement making with Indigenous Australians, including legal history and foundations, and the nature of the legal rights encompassed by agreements and treaties. It would include an audit of the current state of agreements with Indigenous parties, their purposes, status and outcomes; and would include international comparative research on treaty and agreement making. Outcomes would include a database on treaties and agreements in Australia and overseas and publication of collected papers and would contribute to the efforts by Indigenous organisations to secure political and economic rights through agreements with governments, industry and the community.Read moreRead less