Migration, Ethnicity and Workforce Segmentation in the Asia-Pacific. Globalisation has produced new polarised patterns in working populations, including ethnically segmented labour. The related dynamics of work, ethnicity and labour segmentation have very significant long-term consequences. Systematic studies are available for advanced economies, but are far less developed for newly industrialised countries. This program investigates these changes in major Asia-Pacific urban-industrial centres. ....Migration, Ethnicity and Workforce Segmentation in the Asia-Pacific. Globalisation has produced new polarised patterns in working populations, including ethnically segmented labour. The related dynamics of work, ethnicity and labour segmentation have very significant long-term consequences. Systematic studies are available for advanced economies, but are far less developed for newly industrialised countries. This program investigates these changes in major Asia-Pacific urban-industrial centres. Innovative analyses from large-scale datasets and from strategic localised case studies will meet this shortfall in knowledge. They will also connect with more extensive ongoing studies of social transformations. Research outcomes and theoretical re-assessments will be presented in two workshops, and published in refereed journals and a book.Read moreRead less
In the shadow of Singapore: The limits of transnationalism in Insular Riau. This project will contribute to the process of safeguarding Australia, through a better understanding of our nearest neighbours. An enhanced understanding of nationalism and regionalism in Southeast Asia is central to the maintenance of effective bilateral and multilateral relations between Australia and its near neighbours. Cross-border tension between our ASEAN neighbours is potentially a problem for Australia, and thu ....In the shadow of Singapore: The limits of transnationalism in Insular Riau. This project will contribute to the process of safeguarding Australia, through a better understanding of our nearest neighbours. An enhanced understanding of nationalism and regionalism in Southeast Asia is central to the maintenance of effective bilateral and multilateral relations between Australia and its near neighbours. Cross-border tension between our ASEAN neighbours is potentially a problem for Australia, and thus of political and economic concern to all Australians.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354600
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Sources of Insecurity: Local, National and Global. Globalizing violence and the War on Terror have brought with them an acute sense of insecurity. The present study is intended to map and understand sources of that insecurity, both from ?below? and ?above?. From below, the project analyses the cultural-political and socio-economic conditions of violence on the ground, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. From above, it documents Western representations of recent arenas of violence. The aim of th ....Sources of Insecurity: Local, National and Global. Globalizing violence and the War on Terror have brought with them an acute sense of insecurity. The present study is intended to map and understand sources of that insecurity, both from ?below? and ?above?. From below, the project analyses the cultural-political and socio-economic conditions of violence on the ground, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. From above, it documents Western representations of recent arenas of violence. The aim of the project is to research the commonplace claim that it is reassertions of older forms of traditionalism or cultural and civilizational difference that are the well-spring of contemporary global violence, including terrorism.Read moreRead less
Violence at the Intersections of Globalism, Nationalism and Tribalism. This cross-disciplinary study investigates recent arenas of violence, from the genocide in Rwanda to ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, militia activities in East Timor and the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. First, it examines Western public representations of these arenas. Secondly, drawing upon comparative political and anthropological analyses, the study tests its hypothesis that neo-tribalism and neo-traditionalism are be ....Violence at the Intersections of Globalism, Nationalism and Tribalism. This cross-disciplinary study investigates recent arenas of violence, from the genocide in Rwanda to ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, militia activities in East Timor and the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. First, it examines Western public representations of these arenas. Secondly, drawing upon comparative political and anthropological analyses, the study tests its hypothesis that neo-tribalism and neo-traditionalism are best understood in the globalising context of insecure nation-states. This study thus examines the commonplace claim that assertions of primordial tribalism and traditionalism are the well-spring of contemporary violence. The investigation will inform future Australian and international responses to sites of conflict.Read moreRead less
Government, Religion and the Problem of Moral Order in Contemporary Papua New Guinea. Successful Australian international relations depend on understanding the popular culture within which neighbouring people formulate grievances and desires for change. PNG is physically close to Australia; it was an administered colony and today as a regional ally it receives much Australian aid. Many Australian organizations, companies and citizens reside in PNG. This project will provide accurate knowledge o ....Government, Religion and the Problem of Moral Order in Contemporary Papua New Guinea. Successful Australian international relations depend on understanding the popular culture within which neighbouring people formulate grievances and desires for change. PNG is physically close to Australia; it was an administered colony and today as a regional ally it receives much Australian aid. Many Australian organizations, companies and citizens reside in PNG. This project will provide accurate knowledge of how popular religious movements can provide a political language for voicing everyday expectations and grievances. Social and cultural changes can produce new perceptions of injustice that are voiced as a moral critique of present day government, where the future kingdom of God or of the dead is used as a point of ethical contrast.Read moreRead less
Suicide Terrorism: The Use of Life as a Weapon. Bali attacks were a powerful reminder that Australians are not immune from terrorism. Suicide terrorism is the most lethal form of terrorism. It constitutes 3 % of all terrorist attacks but accounts for 48 % of all deaths. Australia's involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor has made Australia a more likely terrorist target. An informed understanding of suicide terrorism in our region would assist in developing appropriate policies for prote ....Suicide Terrorism: The Use of Life as a Weapon. Bali attacks were a powerful reminder that Australians are not immune from terrorism. Suicide terrorism is the most lethal form of terrorism. It constitutes 3 % of all terrorist attacks but accounts for 48 % of all deaths. Australia's involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor has made Australia a more likely terrorist target. An informed understanding of suicide terrorism in our region would assist in developing appropriate policies for protecting Australia from terrorism. The research will also contribute to evaluation of costs and benefits of Australian government policies of democratisation in the region and War on Terror.Read moreRead less
Being Asian in Australia and the United States: Analysing Ethnic Representations in Visual Arts, Popular Culture, Academia and Community Festivals. Australia's engagement with Asia and North America remains central to our national security and economic development. This research offers a unique window into the experiences and sensibilities of a constituency within the Australian population which has been relatively unacknowledged in the official domain. A better understanding about Asians in Aus ....Being Asian in Australia and the United States: Analysing Ethnic Representations in Visual Arts, Popular Culture, Academia and Community Festivals. Australia's engagement with Asia and North America remains central to our national security and economic development. This research offers a unique window into the experiences and sensibilities of a constituency within the Australian population which has been relatively unacknowledged in the official domain. A better understanding about Asians in Australia and the US will enhance Australia's capacity to interpret itself to Asia and North America. Information about transnational Asian communities is an important means of improving our ability to respond to changing conditions within Australia and the region at large.Read moreRead less
Arabian Africans or African Arabs? The dynamics of Islamic African identity in the Arabian Peninsula. An understanding of the social and cultural background to current conflicts is a step towards resolving them and this project is a significant contribution to Australia's understanding of the world and of Muslims. It will explain how and why many non-Arab Muslims are drawn towards the Arab world, by virtue of what it can offer them and of what the alternatives are increasingly failing to offer, ....Arabian Africans or African Arabs? The dynamics of Islamic African identity in the Arabian Peninsula. An understanding of the social and cultural background to current conflicts is a step towards resolving them and this project is a significant contribution to Australia's understanding of the world and of Muslims. It will explain how and why many non-Arab Muslims are drawn towards the Arab world, by virtue of what it can offer them and of what the alternatives are increasingly failing to offer, both on a personal level and in a political sense. This is a study of African Muslims, but as a comparative study it has a direct relevance to Australia's relationship with the Islamic world, Arab, African or Asian. Ultimately, it will help to explain why contemporary events seem to have led to the clash of two civilisations, the West and Islam.Read moreRead less
Asia-Pacific Cosmopolitanisms: Managing Diversity and Identity Politics in a Changing Region. Why can people of diverse cultural and other backgrounds sometimes devise ways of living together while, at other times, they can be drawn into racism and violence? Are there ways of coping with, managing - even celebrating - human social, cultural, biological and sexual diversity that do not lead to conflict and exclusion? Are we seeing new cosmopolitanisms emerging? This research will investigate thes ....Asia-Pacific Cosmopolitanisms: Managing Diversity and Identity Politics in a Changing Region. Why can people of diverse cultural and other backgrounds sometimes devise ways of living together while, at other times, they can be drawn into racism and violence? Are there ways of coping with, managing - even celebrating - human social, cultural, biological and sexual diversity that do not lead to conflict and exclusion? Are we seeing new cosmopolitanisms emerging? This research will investigate these questions by focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. The research will result in several publications (monographs, articles, etc.), a website/discussion forum, research database/resources facilities, a conference, and the consolidation of long-term collaborative links with Asian intellectuals.Read moreRead less
Paths Not Taken: The False Spring of Political Pluralism in Postwar Singapore. The project aims to recast Singapore's postwar history to challenge the hegemonic paradigm by studying civil and political movements that have operated outside the parameters of imagination created by the ruling party. Using a combination of archival, interview, and anthropological/artistic research techniques, we will study Singapore's postwar period of political pluralism, which was finally smothered in the late 197 ....Paths Not Taken: The False Spring of Political Pluralism in Postwar Singapore. The project aims to recast Singapore's postwar history to challenge the hegemonic paradigm by studying civil and political movements that have operated outside the parameters of imagination created by the ruling party. Using a combination of archival, interview, and anthropological/artistic research techniques, we will study Singapore's postwar period of political pluralism, which was finally smothered in the late 1970s. It will culminate in an international conference and an edited book. We intend to use the project to build international partnerships and it should place Australia in an unprecedented strategic position as a major partner of researchers in Singapore.Read moreRead less