Colonial Publishing and Literary Democracy in Australia: an analysis of the influences on Australian literature of British and Australian publishing. Colonial Publishing and Literary Democracy is concerned with the complex relationship between colonialism and nationalism within the context of Australia as a settler society and involves an exploration of the powerful but complicated interplay between literature, law and commerce as expressed through the production of the Australian novel. The pr ....Colonial Publishing and Literary Democracy in Australia: an analysis of the influences on Australian literature of British and Australian publishing. Colonial Publishing and Literary Democracy is concerned with the complex relationship between colonialism and nationalism within the context of Australia as a settler society and involves an exploration of the powerful but complicated interplay between literature, law and commerce as expressed through the production of the Australian novel. The project proceeds from an assumption that for much of the twentieth century literature was the flagship of national creativity in an industry worth around $1 billion pa at century's end. From that perspective, it engages directly with the cultural capital and heritage of the nation.Read moreRead less
Soybeans and socialism: agrarian transformation in Manchuria, 1935-1965. Throughout the early twentieth century, Manchuria was known for two things: its strategic importance and its soybeans. At the same time that the region was politically and militarily contested, Manchuria also experienced stellar economic growth, propelled in large part by the soy economy. This project aims to analyse the changing importance of soy as Manchuria transitioned from Japanese to Chinese rule. Each established mec ....Soybeans and socialism: agrarian transformation in Manchuria, 1935-1965. Throughout the early twentieth century, Manchuria was known for two things: its strategic importance and its soybeans. At the same time that the region was politically and militarily contested, Manchuria also experienced stellar economic growth, propelled in large part by the soy economy. This project aims to analyse the changing importance of soy as Manchuria transitioned from Japanese to Chinese rule. Each established mechanisms to control the soy economy, direct its proceeds to private wealth and regional development and increase production through development, reorganization or coercion. The Manchurian soy economy was a proving ground for rural policy elsewhere, and demonstrates both its potential and its limitations.Read moreRead less
Shop Talk: Department Stores, Shoppers and Consumer Capitalism, 1945-2025. This project aims to provide a deeper understanding of shopping and its significance in everyday Australian life by using oral history interviews with shoppers, workers and managers who have engaged with department stores since 1945. This project expects to produce the first history of the country’s post-war department stores. Expected outcomes include new, more nuanced perspectives of shopping and the challenges affectin ....Shop Talk: Department Stores, Shoppers and Consumer Capitalism, 1945-2025. This project aims to provide a deeper understanding of shopping and its significance in everyday Australian life by using oral history interviews with shoppers, workers and managers who have engaged with department stores since 1945. This project expects to produce the first history of the country’s post-war department stores. Expected outcomes include new, more nuanced perspectives of shopping and the challenges affecting the retail sector via a range of publications, international collaborations, and an archive of oral history recordings. This should provide significant benefits to researchers examining the retail sector, to Australians working in retail, and to ordinary Australians, whose stories will be placed on the historical record.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100922
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
An international environmental history of the 'world ocean', 1950s-2000s. This project aims to investigate the ways in which states, international organisations, and international communities have engaged with the ‘world ocean’ as a natural environment from the 1950s to the 2000s. In the context of current environmental and geopolitical challenges for the ocean, this project will analyse how these actors built institutions, communities, and territories in and for the ocean environment as a found ....An international environmental history of the 'world ocean', 1950s-2000s. This project aims to investigate the ways in which states, international organisations, and international communities have engaged with the ‘world ocean’ as a natural environment from the 1950s to the 2000s. In the context of current environmental and geopolitical challenges for the ocean, this project will analyse how these actors built institutions, communities, and territories in and for the ocean environment as a foundation for generating knowledge and claiming power, rights, and resources. By understanding the structures and origins of contemporary ocean ideas, spaces, and institutions, this project aims to benefit current efforts to create resilient ocean environments and communities at the international scale.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101236
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$389,201.00
Summary
Protected entry for asylum seekers in history and international refugee law. This project aims to investigate how States have permitted asylum seekers to safely cross international borders and access protection as refugees. Using rigorous qualitative historical research methods, and a refugee law-based analysis, the project intends to examine the history of protected entry procedures used by governments in Australia, the United States, Canada and Italy, with a view to clarifying the operations a ....Protected entry for asylum seekers in history and international refugee law. This project aims to investigate how States have permitted asylum seekers to safely cross international borders and access protection as refugees. Using rigorous qualitative historical research methods, and a refugee law-based analysis, the project intends to examine the history of protected entry procedures used by governments in Australia, the United States, Canada and Italy, with a view to clarifying the operations and outcomes of these procedures in relation to international refugee law obligations. In an era of record forced migration, this timely and original comparative history of safe access to asylum will advance scholarly knowledge about refugee law and policy.Read moreRead less
Chinese trade and diplomacy in South-East Asia from the 9th to 19th century common era. China’s trade in porcelain to South-East Asia over the past millennium provides the longest, continuous, market record for a product. The contrast between official Chinese control and what the archaeology reveals the traders really did, displays the limits of state power and the role of trade as another path in China’s diplomatic engagement with SE Asia.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100786
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Slow catastrophes: drought resilience amongst farmers and agricultural communities in south eastern Australia, 1880s-2000s. Drought is a profound shaper of rural society. This project will explore the way rural Australians have adapted to, and survived, drought in Australian history. Understanding human resilience in drought in the past will contribute to developing strategies for coping with drought and global climate change in the future.
The global history of organic farming. The first global history of the organic farming movement explains how organic farming changed land-use, government policy and consumer habits. Understanding how this scientific and cultural movement arose, where it succeeded and where it failed, helps to better formulate policy that promotes sustainable agriculture, human health and climate.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101523
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$308,747.00
Summary
Enterprising Chinese Australians and the diaspora networks, 1890-1949. From the late 19th century to the present, Chinese Australian businesses and merchants have played an important but under-acknowledged role in bilateral trade and investment. This project aims to provide the first systematic study of how Chinese Australian enterprises and diasporic networks were developed from the late 19th to the early 20th century. Historical insights will be enhanced through extensive use of bilingual arch ....Enterprising Chinese Australians and the diaspora networks, 1890-1949. From the late 19th century to the present, Chinese Australian businesses and merchants have played an important but under-acknowledged role in bilateral trade and investment. This project aims to provide the first systematic study of how Chinese Australian enterprises and diasporic networks were developed from the late 19th to the early 20th century. Historical insights will be enhanced through extensive use of bilingual archival sources. The proposition to be explored is that Chinese business culture in diaspora was not simply oriented to economic survival and money-making, it was also an important element of building a trans-local community with diasporic aspects in everyday life.Read moreRead less
Protecting non-citizens: An Australian legal and political history, 1945-89. This project seeks to investigate Australia’s contribution to international law relating to the protection of non-citizens, and the impact such law has on government policy and administrative practice. The protection needs of millions of people who are de jure or de facto stateless have presented a seemingly intractable global challenge for close to a century. This project aims to analyse Australia’s response to that ch ....Protecting non-citizens: An Australian legal and political history, 1945-89. This project seeks to investigate Australia’s contribution to international law relating to the protection of non-citizens, and the impact such law has on government policy and administrative practice. The protection needs of millions of people who are de jure or de facto stateless have presented a seemingly intractable global challenge for close to a century. This project aims to analyse Australia’s response to that challenge. Using legal and historical methodology, this project plans to investigate Australia's contribution to international discussions about the right and/or duty of states to provide surrogate protection to non-citizens. It also plans to analyse the impact of emerging international legal norms on Australian asylum seeker policy and practice, and the conflicting interests within government that informed policy decisions.Read moreRead less