National identity, historical narrative and violence: A comparative study of contemporary Catalonia and the Basque Country in France and Spain. This project will make an important contribution to our understanding of the contemporary roots of self-determination, autonomy and identity. These themes have particular relevance in a world in which nationalist and ethnic claims have assumed a renewed importance. They are also particularly relevant in the light of Australia's current concerns about nat ....National identity, historical narrative and violence: A comparative study of contemporary Catalonia and the Basque Country in France and Spain. This project will make an important contribution to our understanding of the contemporary roots of self-determination, autonomy and identity. These themes have particular relevance in a world in which nationalist and ethnic claims have assumed a renewed importance. They are also particularly relevant in the light of Australia's current concerns about national security: understanding issues of nationalism and identity embedded in historical narratives is central to understanding the origins of political violence.Read moreRead less
La Bella Liberta: Women, Freedom and the History of Italy c1800-1940. By exploring the intersection between Italy and the lives of some
prominent educated British women in the 19th and early 20th centuries
this project offers innovative approaches to British history, to
biography and to cultural history. By analysing the connection these
women drew between their own desire for personal emancipation and
Italian political developments and exploring their active interest in
the history, ....La Bella Liberta: Women, Freedom and the History of Italy c1800-1940. By exploring the intersection between Italy and the lives of some
prominent educated British women in the 19th and early 20th centuries
this project offers innovative approaches to British history, to
biography and to cultural history. By analysing the connection these
women drew between their own desire for personal emancipation and
Italian political developments and exploring their active interest in
the history, culture, and politics of Italy this research will offer
new insights into changing constructions of Italy, the intellectual
life of the expatriate world there and the important role women played
in representing Italy in the Anglophone world.
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The export of Chinese architecture to the Third World; China's international role in development. This project examines the global dimension of nation building through an investigation into the export of Chinese architecture to the Third World as part of its overseas aid programs between 1956 and 1989. Australia's bilateral relationship with China is one of our most important, and the overseas aid program is an important aspect of our foreign policy. This research will advance the national inter ....The export of Chinese architecture to the Third World; China's international role in development. This project examines the global dimension of nation building through an investigation into the export of Chinese architecture to the Third World as part of its overseas aid programs between 1956 and 1989. Australia's bilateral relationship with China is one of our most important, and the overseas aid program is an important aspect of our foreign policy. This research will advance the national interest through: a substantial increase in the knowledge of China's international role in the Third World; evaluation of the cultural significance of overseas aid programs; and conceptual reformulation of the relationship between nation building and global space.Read moreRead less
Transportation and Transformation: How Local Conditions Changed Traditional Ideas into Modern Politics. Knowledge of how ideas make, and are changed by, their ?journey? from place to place and over time is vital for a better understanding of our region and the world. The focus in this study on the influences acting upon the development of attitudes can give us a new perspective on our similarities and differences with other postcolonial societies. This study, through its comparative work with ....Transportation and Transformation: How Local Conditions Changed Traditional Ideas into Modern Politics. Knowledge of how ideas make, and are changed by, their ?journey? from place to place and over time is vital for a better understanding of our region and the world. The focus in this study on the influences acting upon the development of attitudes can give us a new perspective on our similarities and differences with other postcolonial societies. This study, through its comparative work with Britain, will also provide a much clearer picture of the influences upon Australia's political and social development and allow us to understand more effectively how ?local? and ?imported? ideas have melded together to form our national characteristics. Read moreRead less
Borders and Empires: A Historical Atlas of Northeast Asia, 1636 - 2006. This historical atlas brings insights into the continuing tensions in Northeast Asia, both in the Korean Peninsula, and between China and Russia, where old antagonisms have repeatedly led to armed conflict and where border friction today is exacerbated by economic disparities, population movements and rival nationalist rhetorics. Our research deepens the understanding of decision-makers and of the Australian public concernin ....Borders and Empires: A Historical Atlas of Northeast Asia, 1636 - 2006. This historical atlas brings insights into the continuing tensions in Northeast Asia, both in the Korean Peninsula, and between China and Russia, where old antagonisms have repeatedly led to armed conflict and where border friction today is exacerbated by economic disparities, population movements and rival nationalist rhetorics. Our research deepens the understanding of decision-makers and of the Australian public concerning these issues. The project contributes important insights into the flexibility of borders at a time when they under new challenge. Our study of settler politics in Northeast Asia and the settler relations with indigenous political forces is also relevant to Australia's history and present. Read moreRead less
The rule of law in history and memory: Australian and Canadian settler frontiers. This study is inspired by current 'History Wars' debates in Australia and Canada, which in raising questions about 'what happened' in the colonial past have demonstrated that the shape of the nation's historical memory is of vital present day importance. These debates have shown that more detailed historical research is required into how the frontiers of European settlement evolved in practice, and how Indigenous p ....The rule of law in history and memory: Australian and Canadian settler frontiers. This study is inspired by current 'History Wars' debates in Australia and Canada, which in raising questions about 'what happened' in the colonial past have demonstrated that the shape of the nation's historical memory is of vital present day importance. These debates have shown that more detailed historical research is required into how the frontiers of European settlement evolved in practice, and how Indigenous populations were made subject to colonial legal authority. As a project of comparative history, the study is of international as well as national significance. It has the potential to generate improved understanding of current conditions by highlighting differences and similarities between Australian and Canadian experiences.Read moreRead less
Captivity Remembered: Slavery, Islam and Identity Formation in the Sulu Zone, 1768-1898. This project will promote collaborative and comparative research on slavery and other forms of unfree labour, Islam and cultural hybridity. It will provide knowledge to governments, educators and religious leaders concerned with ending Muslim-Christian conflict in the Philippines, about the more socially inclusive nature of Islam and the process by which Muslim states and societies changed the ethnic identit ....Captivity Remembered: Slavery, Islam and Identity Formation in the Sulu Zone, 1768-1898. This project will promote collaborative and comparative research on slavery and other forms of unfree labour, Islam and cultural hybridity. It will provide knowledge to governments, educators and religious leaders concerned with ending Muslim-Christian conflict in the Philippines, about the more socially inclusive nature of Islam and the process by which Muslim states and societies changed the ethnic identities and spiritual beliefs of captives. It will also reveal the paradoxes of the historically conditioned response to the trauma and difference caused by Muslim slavery in the Sulu Zone that has governed the thinking and social practise of the Philippine community and other nations. Read moreRead less
Community and identity in post-war European philosophy. This project will evaluate the political notions of community and identity in post-war European philosophy. Recent developments in international political relations have challenged accepted Western understandings of politics as the business of nation states. This project contends that there is much to be learnt in this regard from post-war European political philosophy. A notion of community has been developed that is irreducible to a polit ....Community and identity in post-war European philosophy. This project will evaluate the political notions of community and identity in post-war European philosophy. Recent developments in international political relations have challenged accepted Western understandings of politics as the business of nation states. This project contends that there is much to be learnt in this regard from post-war European political philosophy. A notion of community has been developed that is irreducible to a politics of identity and the anonymity of the global. In exploring this notion, the project aims to expand the intellectual instruments available to academic and public discussion in Australia.Read moreRead less
The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual tra ....The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual traditions and cultural identity. A commitment to understanding what Chinese philosophy means to China's educated elite also demonstrates a willingness to foster dialogue and communication that is sensitive to the intellectual and cultural traditions which are a source of pride and identity for several of our major regional partners. Read moreRead less
Becoming Australians, or Unbecoming Colonials? Australians in British Journalism, 1892-1902. This project will analyse the influence of Australian writers in British journalistic representations/discussions of Australia in the years which produced a federated Australia, and the British Commonwealth. Through detailed study of several 'Australian' journalists working in London, and their social and institutional contexts, it will trace some of the forces at work to define and represent relations ....Becoming Australians, or Unbecoming Colonials? Australians in British Journalism, 1892-1902. This project will analyse the influence of Australian writers in British journalistic representations/discussions of Australia in the years which produced a federated Australia, and the British Commonwealth. Through detailed study of several 'Australian' journalists working in London, and their social and institutional contexts, it will trace some of the forces at work to define and represent relations between Britain and AustraliaRead moreRead less