After the crisis: Nation-building challenges in East Timor. Given the substantial commitment of International Stabilisation Force intervention, nation and state building in East Timor remains a high priority for Australian policy makers. This project will examine three key nation-building agendas in post-crisis East Timor, focusing on the key areas of decentralisation of state authority, evolving relationships with traditional authorities, and post-crisis conflict resolution programs, over the p ....After the crisis: Nation-building challenges in East Timor. Given the substantial commitment of International Stabilisation Force intervention, nation and state building in East Timor remains a high priority for Australian policy makers. This project will examine three key nation-building agendas in post-crisis East Timor, focusing on the key areas of decentralisation of state authority, evolving relationships with traditional authorities, and post-crisis conflict resolution programs, over the period of 2009-11. In so doing, the project will contribute to a better understanding of antecedent factors to state failure, linking directly with recent Australian government policy concerns over 'fragile states', and their potential to destabilise the regional security environment.Read moreRead less
The Gender Politics of Global Economic Competitiveness in Southeast Asia. States such as Malaysia face similar economic challenges to Australia - for example maintaining economic competitiveness in the face of rising competition from low(er) wage labour countries (especially China), maintaining and enhancing a competitive ICT infrastructure and building successful and sustainable technology policies. Critically assessing the role that women and the family can play in Malaysia's attempts to trans ....The Gender Politics of Global Economic Competitiveness in Southeast Asia. States such as Malaysia face similar economic challenges to Australia - for example maintaining economic competitiveness in the face of rising competition from low(er) wage labour countries (especially China), maintaining and enhancing a competitive ICT infrastructure and building successful and sustainable technology policies. Critically assessing the role that women and the family can play in Malaysia's attempts to transition to a more knowledge intensive economy will invariably open up policy lessons for Australia.Read moreRead less
The Persona of State: Conceptualising the State in International Relations. This project will develop a comprehensive theoretical account of the State as a conceptual necessity in international relations. Despite universal acknowledgement of the State as central to the discipline, no comprehensive conceptualisation has been attempted from an international perspective. The State will be investigated as a persona, embodying various properties, necessary from a range of perspectives, in various for ....The Persona of State: Conceptualising the State in International Relations. This project will develop a comprehensive theoretical account of the State as a conceptual necessity in international relations. Despite universal acknowledgement of the State as central to the discipline, no comprehensive conceptualisation has been attempted from an international perspective. The State will be investigated as a persona, embodying various properties, necessary from a range of perspectives, in various forms in modern history. This should provide in a monograph and articles a multi-faceted but easily comprehensible theory of the state that is not only a powerful analytical tool, but will provide a solid basis for subsequent theorising about international relations.Read moreRead less
Humanitarian intervention and the conflict between national and international responsibility. The project will address the question of how the Australian government can maintain its reputation as a good global citizen without compromising its ethical standing with the Australian people. It will provide valuable insights into the privatization of military force and the increasingly common use of civilian contractors, and may provide information to the Australian Defence Force on the ethically app ....Humanitarian intervention and the conflict between national and international responsibility. The project will address the question of how the Australian government can maintain its reputation as a good global citizen without compromising its ethical standing with the Australian people. It will provide valuable insights into the privatization of military force and the increasingly common use of civilian contractors, and may provide information to the Australian Defence Force on the ethically appropriate level of force protection for future humanitarian and peace-keeping missions, in addition to motivating the more efficient use of ADF resources. Finally, the project will further Australia's reputation as the source of high quality innovative research in applied philosophy, and especially military ethics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101090
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The politics of megadeals in the extractive industries. This project aims to determine why some attempted large mergers and acquisitions in the oil and gas industry and mining industries succeed and others fail. It will identify and analyse key factors which have shaped the outcome of major attempted deals in the extractive industries over the past decade.
The political-economy of Australia-China relations. This project will analyse the bilateral economic relationship between Australia and China. The principal focus will be on how economic relations have been conditioned by distinctive patterns of economic and political organisation in each country. The approach will draw on and extend the Varieties of Capitalism literature to provide a detailed analysis of the institutional features of the Chinese and Australian economies, and how these instituti ....The political-economy of Australia-China relations. This project will analyse the bilateral economic relationship between Australia and China. The principal focus will be on how economic relations have been conditioned by distinctive patterns of economic and political organisation in each country. The approach will draw on and extend the Varieties of Capitalism literature to provide a detailed analysis of the institutional features of the Chinese and Australian economies, and how these institutions condition the economic relationship between the two. By analysing the different policymaking traditions and business structures the project aims to explain the challenges facing Australia-China economic ties, particularly over the minerals industry, foreign investment and free trade agreement negotiations.Read moreRead less
Democratizing the Middle East: implications of Washington's policies. Regime change has been justified by the coalition of willing as beneficial to the promotion of democracy and stable governance in the Middle East. It is, therefore, important to examine how effective this project has been. Australia's foreign policy towards the region resembles that of the United States, including military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. This involvement warrants an assessment of the way state building h ....Democratizing the Middle East: implications of Washington's policies. Regime change has been justified by the coalition of willing as beneficial to the promotion of democracy and stable governance in the Middle East. It is, therefore, important to examine how effective this project has been. Australia's foreign policy towards the region resembles that of the United States, including military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. This involvement warrants an assessment of the way state building has set these two societies on a democratic trajectory, and whether they are serving as beacons of democracy in their neighbourhood. It is in Australia's national interests to have a realistic assessment of its foreign policy impact in the Middle East and Central Asia. Read moreRead less
Governance in a Shrinking, Fragmenting World. 'The End of Sovereignty?' was a well received study in which the applicants examined the need to reconceptualize the 'sovereign state' in a rapidly globalizing world. Ten years later, this new study builds on that foundation. Through careful sifting of the empirical evidence, it examines both the challenge of globalization for governance, and institutional and normative responses to that challenge. In doing so, it aims to develop a clearer interpreta ....Governance in a Shrinking, Fragmenting World. 'The End of Sovereignty?' was a well received study in which the applicants examined the need to reconceptualize the 'sovereign state' in a rapidly globalizing world. Ten years later, this new study builds on that foundation. Through careful sifting of the empirical evidence, it examines both the challenge of globalization for governance, and institutional and normative responses to that challenge. In doing so, it aims to develop a clearer interpretation of the dynamics of global social change in relation to the national state, and a framework of analysis which, with whatever qualifications prove necessary, takes us beyond the sovereignty discourse.Read moreRead less
Internal and External Sources of Political Instability in East Timor. This project is of direct relevance to Australia through its bilateral and multilateral provision of police to assist in the maintenance of East Timor's law and order, through its training of and support for the East Timor Border Patrol Unit, and its training and support of the East Timor defence force, Falintil-FDTL. The project also goes to the core of Australia's concerns with regional state maintenance (or conversely, pote ....Internal and External Sources of Political Instability in East Timor. This project is of direct relevance to Australia through its bilateral and multilateral provision of police to assist in the maintenance of East Timor's law and order, through its training of and support for the East Timor Border Patrol Unit, and its training and support of the East Timor defence force, Falintil-FDTL. The project also goes to the core of Australia's concerns with regional state maintenance (or conversely, potential state failure), direct bilateral relations with both East Timor and Indonesia, and the triangular relationship between these three states. Read moreRead less
Agriculture, politics and trade: Understanding Japan's reform processes and prospects. Japan's continuing agricultural trade liberalisation is essential to Australia's future export prospects in Asia because Japan is Australia's largest export market for agricultural products. By assessing the nature and strength of key domestic factors encouraging reform of Japan's agricultural trade policy, the research will advance knowledge about an area of Japanese political economy that directly affects Au ....Agriculture, politics and trade: Understanding Japan's reform processes and prospects. Japan's continuing agricultural trade liberalisation is essential to Australia's future export prospects in Asia because Japan is Australia's largest export market for agricultural products. By assessing the nature and strength of key domestic factors encouraging reform of Japan's agricultural trade policy, the research will advance knowledge about an area of Japanese political economy that directly affects Australia's trade position and commercial policy. This knowledge will provide intellectual support to the design of current and future Australian multilateral and bilateral trade bargaining strategies at the World Trade Organization and in relation to the Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement respectively. Read moreRead less