Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100496
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$446,291.00
Summary
Standardising Halal: interpreting the tension between global and local. This project aims to advance understanding of how halal standardisation has been reimagined in the context of global Muslim cultural diversity. It investigates the halal cultural economy—finance, food, travel, fashion, media, and cosmetics—in Malaysia and Indonesia. Using innovative interdisciplinary approaches, in particular anthropology and Islamic textual analysis, this project expects to generate a new level of understan ....Standardising Halal: interpreting the tension between global and local. This project aims to advance understanding of how halal standardisation has been reimagined in the context of global Muslim cultural diversity. It investigates the halal cultural economy—finance, food, travel, fashion, media, and cosmetics—in Malaysia and Indonesia. Using innovative interdisciplinary approaches, in particular anthropology and Islamic textual analysis, this project expects to generate a new level of understanding of halal industries. Expected outcomes include identifying major players and unpacking local cultural responses to the global move to homogenise halal practices. Australia is the world’s second-largest halal food exporter: this research should benefit its businesses’ expansion into contemporary halal industries.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100622
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,756.00
Summary
Welfare entrepreneurs and paradoxes of social control in rural China. This project aims to examine how non-state welfare systems run by local private entrepreneurs affect power relationships in contemporary rural China. Combining humanistic and social science approaches, the project expects to generate new knowledge about how welfare policies and practices interact with or develop alongside institutions of social control. Expected research outcomes include new empirical data on informal politica ....Welfare entrepreneurs and paradoxes of social control in rural China. This project aims to examine how non-state welfare systems run by local private entrepreneurs affect power relationships in contemporary rural China. Combining humanistic and social science approaches, the project expects to generate new knowledge about how welfare policies and practices interact with or develop alongside institutions of social control. Expected research outcomes include new empirical data on informal political processes and institutional development in post-Socialist economies. This will enhance the basis for scholarly theory and provide commercial and governmental organisations with the information and conceptual tools to accurately assess the priorities of their Chinese partners, competitors, or counterparts.Read moreRead less
Cultural values, birth and parenting: Reproductive health and Lao socialism. This project aims to provide an anthropology of procreation and parenting through ethnography of the Government of Laos’ Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health rollout as well as everyday reproduction in rural and remote Laos. It expects to generate new knowledge of core values in Laos, including those underpinning official treatment of children as human capital, difference as deprivation, and mother-and-chil ....Cultural values, birth and parenting: Reproductive health and Lao socialism. This project aims to provide an anthropology of procreation and parenting through ethnography of the Government of Laos’ Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health rollout as well as everyday reproduction in rural and remote Laos. It expects to generate new knowledge of core values in Laos, including those underpinning official treatment of children as human capital, difference as deprivation, and mother-and-child biomedical care as universal, as well as the (counter-)values lived in rural and remote practices, knowledge and sentiments. Anticipated benefits include advanced understandings of Lao culture and society, socialism as it articulates with international health and economic agendas, and the anthropology of human flourishing.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100603
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,000.00
Summary
Unwanted heroes: the Nationalist Sino-Japanese War veterans in China. This project aims to conceptualise the history of one of East Asia’s most significant modern conflicts, the Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), focusing on neglected stories of the Nationalist soldiers. Combining historical research, ethnography and discourse analysis, the project intends to investigate the local, national and international context behind the veterans' journey of being forgotten and re-remembered in Chinese history ....Unwanted heroes: the Nationalist Sino-Japanese War veterans in China. This project aims to conceptualise the history of one of East Asia’s most significant modern conflicts, the Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), focusing on neglected stories of the Nationalist soldiers. Combining historical research, ethnography and discourse analysis, the project intends to investigate the local, national and international context behind the veterans' journey of being forgotten and re-remembered in Chinese history. This work will assist governments and others to understand the legacies of the Second World War in China, and the complexity of Chinese nationalism. Potential benefits include reconciliation in this region through the facilitation of a more open discussion on war experiences and commemoration in Asia, intersecting with Australian commemoration practices.Read moreRead less
A Multispecies Anthropological Approach to Influenza. Influenza-type viruses currently pose a considerable threat to humanity, as well as to both domestic and wild animals. This project aims to address a significant gap in our knowledge about cultural perceptions towards influenza across different species, particularly horse flu. Through multispecies anthropology, planned outcomes are to gain a greater understanding of cross-species medical knowledge, including insights into cultural heritage, b ....A Multispecies Anthropological Approach to Influenza. Influenza-type viruses currently pose a considerable threat to humanity, as well as to both domestic and wild animals. This project aims to address a significant gap in our knowledge about cultural perceptions towards influenza across different species, particularly horse flu. Through multispecies anthropology, planned outcomes are to gain a greater understanding of cross-species medical knowledge, including insights into cultural heritage, biodiversity and disease resilience through an integrated socio-cultural-ecological approach. Benefits of these new insights into multi-species dynamics will be a greater understanding of viral spread and Mongolian pastoral health practices that may be employed in the prevention of influenza.Read moreRead less
Antimicrobial resistance, inequality and development in India. This project aims to provide an analysis of the cultural and social drivers behind the threat of antimicrobial resistance in India. As the highest consumer of antibiotics globally, India is central to the global challenge of addressing antimicrobial resistance. This project will focus on antimicrobial resistance as a distinctly social problem. The intended outcomes include a deep understanding of how the crisis is unfolding in India ....Antimicrobial resistance, inequality and development in India. This project aims to provide an analysis of the cultural and social drivers behind the threat of antimicrobial resistance in India. As the highest consumer of antibiotics globally, India is central to the global challenge of addressing antimicrobial resistance. This project will focus on antimicrobial resistance as a distinctly social problem. The intended outcomes include a deep understanding of how the crisis is unfolding in India at the nexus of poverty, weak governance and embedded cultural practices. Anticipated findings will generate policy-relevant outputs to optimise antimicrobial use, position Australia as a leading voice in addressing a global threat, and prepare Australia against the specific issue of microbial resistance.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100570
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,715.00
Summary
Evolving social, moral and economic values of blood in China. This project aims to explore the changing economic, social, moral and political meanings of blood in 20th and 21st century China, particularly the relationship between blood economies and multiple inequalities. The project will research the selling, buying and donation of blood in Chinese history, challenge contemporary understandings of resistance to blood-donation, and suggest solutions to contemporary problems in China’s blood sect ....Evolving social, moral and economic values of blood in China. This project aims to explore the changing economic, social, moral and political meanings of blood in 20th and 21st century China, particularly the relationship between blood economies and multiple inequalities. The project will research the selling, buying and donation of blood in Chinese history, challenge contemporary understandings of resistance to blood-donation, and suggest solutions to contemporary problems in China’s blood sector. The results are expected to contribute to welfare, blood sector and policy reform and to concerns about health, inequality and security in China in an interconnected world.Read moreRead less
Mongolian medicine: different modes of knowledge transmission. This project aims to investigate a multispecies approach within nomadic medical practices and how this knowledge has been transmitted on the Mongolian Plateau. It will examine how Mongolian medicine treats both humans and animal patients, and how multispecies knowledge has developed over time. The project will focus on three forms of knowledge transmission: learning through word-of-mouth and practical trial-and-error; a more structur ....Mongolian medicine: different modes of knowledge transmission. This project aims to investigate a multispecies approach within nomadic medical practices and how this knowledge has been transmitted on the Mongolian Plateau. It will examine how Mongolian medicine treats both humans and animal patients, and how multispecies knowledge has developed over time. The project will focus on three forms of knowledge transmission: learning through word-of-mouth and practical trial-and-error; a more structured form of learning through Buddhist monasteries, which engages with both apprenticeship and ancient texts; and the modern institutional model of the hospital. The project expects to contribute to research on global health across species, as well as across different environmental contexts within local settings.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101210
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,000.00
Summary
The newest nationalism: constructing a Hong Kong national identity. This project aims to investigate the emergence of a political movement promoting Hong Kong nationalism, transforming a seemingly depoliticised trade port into one of the most politically charged cities in the world. The project will use an ethnographic approach of close engagement with activists and their experiences to build on macro-level analyses of Hong Kong’s relationship with China and generate new knowledge of the persona ....The newest nationalism: constructing a Hong Kong national identity. This project aims to investigate the emergence of a political movement promoting Hong Kong nationalism, transforming a seemingly depoliticised trade port into one of the most politically charged cities in the world. The project will use an ethnographic approach of close engagement with activists and their experiences to build on macro-level analyses of Hong Kong’s relationship with China and generate new knowledge of the personal aspirations and anxieties driving these tensions. By observing processes of ethnogenesis in real time, the project will provide innovative insights on the ongoing global debates about the origins, appeal, and implications of nationalism today. The results of the project will help build Australia’s ability to engage with both Hong Kong and China.Read moreRead less
Building India: Religion, craft and infrastructure in contemporary Asia. This project aims to show how Hinduism and the god Vishwakarma—literally, Maker of the Universe—frame and propel the infrastructural systems key to India’s rise as a 21st century economic powerhouse. The project will explore the unprecedented growth of Vishwakarma worship across India’s infrastructural and business enterprise sectors, and its role in mobilising a creative class of professionals. It will also investigate its ....Building India: Religion, craft and infrastructure in contemporary Asia. This project aims to show how Hinduism and the god Vishwakarma—literally, Maker of the Universe—frame and propel the infrastructural systems key to India’s rise as a 21st century economic powerhouse. The project will explore the unprecedented growth of Vishwakarma worship across India’s infrastructural and business enterprise sectors, and its role in mobilising a creative class of professionals. It will also investigate its role in instilling a spirit of craftsmanship among workers in Prime Minister Modi’s Make-in-India campaign. The project aims to deepen Australian understanding of Asian religion and economy as it seeks to navigate trade and investment opportunities in Asia.Read moreRead less