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
Masculinity, men and development: A critical analysis of violence, conflict and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention measures in Melanesia. Australia is making great efforts to improve the situation in the Melanesian countries of our region through large amounts of development aid. Despite this, economic and social conditions continue to deteriorate. Widespread conflict, violence and the AIDS epidemic are significant factors in this decline. This project will critically examine ....Masculinity, men and development: A critical analysis of violence, conflict and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention measures in Melanesia. Australia is making great efforts to improve the situation in the Melanesian countries of our region through large amounts of development aid. Despite this, economic and social conditions continue to deteriorate. Widespread conflict, violence and the AIDS epidemic are significant factors in this decline. This project will critically examine the programs set up to encourage more constructive behaviour, particularly among men. It will contribute significantly to making Australia's efforts to address these profoundly destabilising problems more effective. The Australian Government recognises that it is strongly in our national interest to bring about an improvement in the wellbeing of our neighbours and friends in the region.Read moreRead less
The Other Within: Visual Culture through Indigenous, tribal, minority,"subaltern" and multicultural displays in Asia-Pacific museums today. The reseach project will analyse and assess current practice and developing modes of museum representation and inclusion in the changing societies of the Asia-Pacific. Comparative research will be undertaken into Indigenous, tribal, minority, 'subaltern' and multicultural displays in eight museums and four cultural festivals. The research will focus on the ....The Other Within: Visual Culture through Indigenous, tribal, minority,"subaltern" and multicultural displays in Asia-Pacific museums today. The reseach project will analyse and assess current practice and developing modes of museum representation and inclusion in the changing societies of the Asia-Pacific. Comparative research will be undertaken into Indigenous, tribal, minority, 'subaltern' and multicultural displays in eight museums and four cultural festivals. The research will focus on the Industry Partner, the National Museum of Australia. It will develop a model for a non-Eurocentric approach. It will have practical outcomes for all the Investigators in consolidating networks, and producing colloquia, exhibitions, publications and a multimedia presentation.Read moreRead less
Collaboration, Nationalism and Imperial Strategy: Japanese-trained Armies in Northeast Asia 1932-1949. This project analyses the political and military significance of three local armies developed by the Japanese in Manchuria and Mongolia between 1932 and 1945. The project examines archival material and newspapers, as well as conducting fresh interviews, to explain the reasons for Japan's creation of these armies, the reasons why local people took part in them, and the consequences of this parti ....Collaboration, Nationalism and Imperial Strategy: Japanese-trained Armies in Northeast Asia 1932-1949. This project analyses the political and military significance of three local armies developed by the Japanese in Manchuria and Mongolia between 1932 and 1945. The project examines archival material and newspapers, as well as conducting fresh interviews, to explain the reasons for Japan's creation of these armies, the reasons why local people took part in them, and the consequences of this participation for Japanese imperialist plans and local nationalist aspirations. The project sets this analysis in the broader context of Japanese imperialism and examines the continuing political role of the armies in the region.Read moreRead less
Sustainable Development, Cultural Diversity, and Global Transformations: An Ethnography of Agricultural and Environmental Practices in East Timor. Civil unrest, low productivity, and environmental degradation in East Timor, the Solomon Islands, PNG, Nauru, and Indonesia, highlight the new challenges for international development policy. By providing culturally specific analyses of development processes and by advancing new policy directions, the study will enhance the capacities of Australian NG ....Sustainable Development, Cultural Diversity, and Global Transformations: An Ethnography of Agricultural and Environmental Practices in East Timor. Civil unrest, low productivity, and environmental degradation in East Timor, the Solomon Islands, PNG, Nauru, and Indonesia, highlight the new challenges for international development policy. By providing culturally specific analyses of development processes and by advancing new policy directions, the study will enhance the capacities of Australian NGOs, as well as international NGOs with Australian offices, government agencies and Indigenous communities, effectively to tackle acute poverty and environmental degradation in our region. These issues are increasingly pertinent to Australia.Read moreRead less
Cross-cultural translations: initiating Australian encounters with post colonial Korean art and national identity. The project analyses the complex problems of exhibiting the art of other cultures to both insiders and outsiders. It develops a new theoretical approach to understanding the complexities of cross-cultural translation, the dynamics of cross-cultural receptions, and the concepts of otherness and identity in visual arts. In translating and presenting the rich, diverse and vibrant art o ....Cross-cultural translations: initiating Australian encounters with post colonial Korean art and national identity. The project analyses the complex problems of exhibiting the art of other cultures to both insiders and outsiders. It develops a new theoretical approach to understanding the complexities of cross-cultural translation, the dynamics of cross-cultural receptions, and the concepts of otherness and identity in visual arts. In translating and presenting the rich, diverse and vibrant art of post-1945 Korea in an art historically important yet accessible way, first to culturally unfamiliar Australians, then to other Asians and finally to Koreans themselves, a new model for exhibiting other cultures will be developed.Read moreRead less
Being Muslim in Eastern Indonesia: practice, politics and cultural diversity. The project contributes to Safeguarding Australia through improved understanding of Muslim communities in eastern Indonesia and training young scholars in this field. Our studies of island society and regional Islamic organisations offer ethnographically informed comparative perspectives on Islamic cultural diversity across eastern Indonesia, including current changes in religious practice and governance. Insights deve ....Being Muslim in Eastern Indonesia: practice, politics and cultural diversity. The project contributes to Safeguarding Australia through improved understanding of Muslim communities in eastern Indonesia and training young scholars in this field. Our studies of island society and regional Islamic organisations offer ethnographically informed comparative perspectives on Islamic cultural diversity across eastern Indonesia, including current changes in religious practice and governance. Insights developed will enable Australia to anticipate future directions of socio-political transformation in Indonesia,and evaluate prospects for democratization, economic stability and human security. In a region that remains a priority for Australian development our research will improve understanding of a key driver of social life.Read moreRead less
Education reform and social transformation in rural China. This project will increase Australian understanding of China's transformation from a rural, agricultural nation into an urban industrialized one. It will also build a collaboration between the Australian National University and the Shandong Academy of Social Sciences, which will facilitate the ability of Australian postgraduate students to undertake field research in China.
Middle Classes, New Media and Indie Networks in Post Authoritarian Indonesia. The study shall deepen Australians' appreciation of a little-known but strategically-placed facet of Indonesian society. It shall enhance understanding of the opinions, worldviews and cultural productions of young Indonesians, and of the culturally specific character of their digital engagements. In its focus on urban middle class Indonesians, the project shall produce new and detailed knowledge about the cultures and ....Middle Classes, New Media and Indie Networks in Post Authoritarian Indonesia. The study shall deepen Australians' appreciation of a little-known but strategically-placed facet of Indonesian society. It shall enhance understanding of the opinions, worldviews and cultural productions of young Indonesians, and of the culturally specific character of their digital engagements. In its focus on urban middle class Indonesians, the project shall produce new and detailed knowledge about the cultures and lifestyles of one of Australia's most important higher education markets, and its role in the society. Finally, the project shall deepen the Australian public's understandings of Indonesia as an increasingly complex, disjunctive society.Read moreRead less
Pop Cultures in Indonesia: a New Asian Politics of Pleasure and Identity. The study addresses one of National Research Priorities (Goal 4 'Safeguarding Australia'), by better 'understanding our region and the world', and boosting Australia's 'soft power'. Recent changes in Indonesia render much of our knowledge about that society outdated. The study will deliver a significant contribution to the urgent revitalisation of Indonesian and cultural studies. It will hopefully elevate the quality of ou ....Pop Cultures in Indonesia: a New Asian Politics of Pleasure and Identity. The study addresses one of National Research Priorities (Goal 4 'Safeguarding Australia'), by better 'understanding our region and the world', and boosting Australia's 'soft power'. Recent changes in Indonesia render much of our knowledge about that society outdated. The study will deliver a significant contribution to the urgent revitalisation of Indonesian and cultural studies. It will hopefully elevate the quality of our public debate about the world's largest Muslim populated country and Australia's neighbour, by paying serious and overdue attention to the brightest sides of contemporary Indonesia that have occupied the minds of one hundred millions or so ordinary people there.Read moreRead less