A constructive critique of the political approach to the philosophy of human rights. This project explores the many uses of human rights discourse in contemporary politics. It focuses on an increasingly popular 'political' approach that identifies human rights as grounds for action against states which violate these rights. This project has implications for how the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 should be implemented.
Clarifying transparency: Chinese aid and trade in Latin America. Consensual understandings of transparency and good governance are crucial to the international accommodation of China's economic rise. Through a quantitative survey and qualitative case studies, this project aims to clarify how these terms generate misunderstandings and hinder potential for dialogue between key U.S., Latin American and Chinese actors.
Islam, Nationalism and Secession in Aceh, Indonesia. This project will produce the first in-depth analysis of the secessionist movement in Aceh, Indonesia, and of attempts to resolve the long-running violent conflict in that territory. By doing so, it will contribute to our understanding of processes of national disintegration and reintegration in Indonesia. The project will also contribute to broader theoretical debates in political science and related disciplines about the genesis and developm ....Islam, Nationalism and Secession in Aceh, Indonesia. This project will produce the first in-depth analysis of the secessionist movement in Aceh, Indonesia, and of attempts to resolve the long-running violent conflict in that territory. By doing so, it will contribute to our understanding of processes of national disintegration and reintegration in Indonesia. The project will also contribute to broader theoretical debates in political science and related disciplines about the genesis and development of nationalism, especially in Islamic societies, and on how national identity and violent separatist conflicts may be transformed by peace processes and autonomy arrangements.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100300
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The politicised child in postcolonial community: a political ontology of childhood and memory examined through cases in Australia and Canada. The project investigates the meaning and use of childhood in recent political and social movements, such as the 'Stolen Generations' in Australia and sterilised children in Canada. This research will contribute to current debates about the need for reconciliation, and to Australia's international profile in the field of political philosophy.
Can saying something make it so? Sedition, speech act theory and the status of freedom of speech in Australia. A good grasp of the conceptual underpinnings of sedition laws and conceptual clarity is an essential precursor to law reform in this area. By applying theories of the relation between speech and action drawn from philosophy of language to the assessment of sedition laws, the project will enhance Australia's research skills in political philosophy and clarify a grey and contested area of ....Can saying something make it so? Sedition, speech act theory and the status of freedom of speech in Australia. A good grasp of the conceptual underpinnings of sedition laws and conceptual clarity is an essential precursor to law reform in this area. By applying theories of the relation between speech and action drawn from philosophy of language to the assessment of sedition laws, the project will enhance Australia's research skills in political philosophy and clarify a grey and contested area of law. Any number of groups in Australian society, including writers, journalists, artists, academics, politicians and political activists, could be affected by these laws. Consequently, a clarification of this area is both urgent and vital for national interests.Read moreRead less
Rethinking climate justice in an age of adaptation: capabilities, local variation, and public deliberation. This project aims to produce recommendations, designed by citizens and stakeholders, for climate adaptation policies in three regions of Australia. These recommendations will be based on a definition of climate justice that incorporates basic needs and resources to be protected, as identified by potentially impacted communities.
Democratic Resilience: The Public Sphere and Extremist Attacks. The project aims to explain responses to extremist attacks intended to sow division, and why some democracies prove fragile, succumbing to polarisation or exclusion of key groups, while others prove resilient by sustaining integrative, tolerant discourse. The project develops new knowledge through an innovative synthesis of cultural sociology and deliberative democracy to analyse nine cases of responses in the public realm to attack ....Democratic Resilience: The Public Sphere and Extremist Attacks. The project aims to explain responses to extremist attacks intended to sow division, and why some democracies prove fragile, succumbing to polarisation or exclusion of key groups, while others prove resilient by sustaining integrative, tolerant discourse. The project develops new knowledge through an innovative synthesis of cultural sociology and deliberative democracy to analyse nine cases of responses in the public realm to attacks. Expected outcomes include a new account of the democratic public sphere, and identification of how meaningful, civil communication whose health is vital to democracy, especially in a multicultural society, can be maintained. Benefits include identification of measures to counter extremist political disruption.Read moreRead less
The Foundation, Role, and Design of Democracy. Democracy now reigns unchallenged as the master ideal in contemporary societies, western and non-western, developed and developing. But what is democracy, what is its essential role, and by what institutions can that role be best played in the changing circumstances of local, national and international life? This project develops a unified theory of the foundation, role and design of democratic institutions. By establishing a permanent international ....The Foundation, Role, and Design of Democracy. Democracy now reigns unchallenged as the master ideal in contemporary societies, western and non-western, developed and developing. But what is democracy, what is its essential role, and by what institutions can that role be best played in the changing circumstances of local, national and international life? This project develops a unified theory of the foundation, role and design of democratic institutions. By establishing a permanent international research centre focused on these vital questions, it will address theoretical and practical issues of great importance to all contemporary communities, and give Australia a new and on-going voice in crucial international debates.Read moreRead less
The uneasy alliance between democracy and justice. This project will make a significant contribution to the understanding of our commitment to democratic values and practices, and what it entails for our local, regional and international obligations. It will directly address the challenge of maintaining social cohesion in an era of rapid social, economic and political change. And it will offer a fresh perspective on important public debates to do with Australian national identity and the relatio ....The uneasy alliance between democracy and justice. This project will make a significant contribution to the understanding of our commitment to democratic values and practices, and what it entails for our local, regional and international obligations. It will directly address the challenge of maintaining social cohesion in an era of rapid social, economic and political change. And it will offer a fresh perspective on important public debates to do with Australian national identity and the relation between democratic rights and individual responsibility. The project will also contribute to helping maintain and develop Australian research excellence and innovation in the field of political philosophy.Read moreRead less
The New Environmentalism of Everyday Life: Sustainability, Material Flows, and the Evolution of Environmental Movements. In recent years, a whole range of environmental groups have developed with a focus not on environmental policy at the state or national level, but instead on the development of new and more sustainable practices relating to food, energy, transport, and a range of other basic needs. This project will examine the array of newly developing practices, movements, and institutions; ....The New Environmentalism of Everyday Life: Sustainability, Material Flows, and the Evolution of Environmental Movements. In recent years, a whole range of environmental groups have developed with a focus not on environmental policy at the state or national level, but instead on the development of new and more sustainable practices relating to food, energy, transport, and a range of other basic needs. This project will examine the array of newly developing practices, movements, and institutions; draw connections between a seemingly disparate set of foci and movement groups; and design and apply a new, broad analytical framework to explain such developments in environmental action and practice. Significantly, the goal is a major new theory about the structure, foci, and strategies of a range of new environmental movements.Read moreRead less