The Indonesian Killings of 1965-1966. This project analyses the immediate and long-term causes of the killing of perhaps 500,000 communists and others in Indonesia between October 1965 and March 1966. The project examines newly available archival and memoir material, as well as conducting fresh interviews, to explain the respective roles of the Indonesian armed forces, military-sponsored and independent militias, and civilian viglantes in initiating and carrying out the killings. The project ....The Indonesian Killings of 1965-1966. This project analyses the immediate and long-term causes of the killing of perhaps 500,000 communists and others in Indonesia between October 1965 and March 1966. The project examines newly available archival and memoir material, as well as conducting fresh interviews, to explain the respective roles of the Indonesian armed forces, military-sponsored and independent militias, and civilian viglantes in initiating and carrying out the killings. The project sets this detailed examination in the context of the extreme political tension in Indonesia in the early 1960s and more-deeply rooted patterns of violence in Indonesian society.Read moreRead less
Cultural Politics in Victorian England: the Cowper-Temples and their circle. In an era of 'culture wars' across the English-speaking world (Australia included) the link between elite cultural attitudes and the formation of political agendas is a controversial one - easier to allege than to prove. This project aims to give a firm basis for exploration of interaction between cultural and political elites by going back to historical baseline. Taking the period of the coming of democracy in Victoria ....Cultural Politics in Victorian England: the Cowper-Temples and their circle. In an era of 'culture wars' across the English-speaking world (Australia included) the link between elite cultural attitudes and the formation of political agendas is a controversial one - easier to allege than to prove. This project aims to give a firm basis for exploration of interaction between cultural and political elites by going back to historical baseline. Taking the period of the coming of democracy in Victorian England as this baseline, it investigates the ways in which political insiders in that pioneering society grappled with the possibilities of harnessing cultural issues to shape political agendas.Read moreRead less
Warriors, Patriots, Traitors and Opportunists: Chinese Women and War. This project furthers our knowledge of the workings of the political, military and security scene in one of our most strategically important neighbours, the PRC. The better we understand the PRC and how it responds in times of military disruption the more likely we are to be able to further Australian interests within this large market and ensure continued national security. The project also enhances Australia's strong reputat ....Warriors, Patriots, Traitors and Opportunists: Chinese Women and War. This project furthers our knowledge of the workings of the political, military and security scene in one of our most strategically important neighbours, the PRC. The better we understand the PRC and how it responds in times of military disruption the more likely we are to be able to further Australian interests within this large market and ensure continued national security. The project also enhances Australia's strong reputation as leaders in scholarship in Chinese Studies by producing research publications of high impact that present new perspectives on old projects. This project will keep Australia at the forefront of research in Chinese Studies.Read moreRead less
Managing trust: a comparative historical study of political accountability in Australia. Some Australian political leaders have acknowledged a crisis in their trust relationship with voters and seek ways to fix it. By historicising the 'crisis of trust' thesis, and testing its assumptions, I expect to demonstrate that, far from being alienated from voters, representatives both reflect and shape society's notions of trustworthiness. This knowledge offers political leaders new ways of approaching ....Managing trust: a comparative historical study of political accountability in Australia. Some Australian political leaders have acknowledged a crisis in their trust relationship with voters and seek ways to fix it. By historicising the 'crisis of trust' thesis, and testing its assumptions, I expect to demonstrate that, far from being alienated from voters, representatives both reflect and shape society's notions of trustworthiness. This knowledge offers political leaders new ways of approaching their relationships with voters in order to redress the trust dilemma. It also provides fresh, more positive ways of conceptualising trust relations generally, offering a way forward from the present cynicism, for a variety of trust relationships to be made anew.Read moreRead less
State, War and Revolution in Vietnam, 1945-1954. The explosive experience of state formation, war and revolution combining together, thought by many to have vanished along with colonialism and the Cold War, now threatens to engulf the Middle East and/or Central Asia, much as it did Indochina fifty years ago. The largely untold story of Vietnam's 'Anti-French Resistance' in 1945-1954 offers plenty of policy warnings, if no prescriptions. Notably, those who argue that Australia's interests overs ....State, War and Revolution in Vietnam, 1945-1954. The explosive experience of state formation, war and revolution combining together, thought by many to have vanished along with colonialism and the Cold War, now threatens to engulf the Middle East and/or Central Asia, much as it did Indochina fifty years ago. The largely untold story of Vietnam's 'Anti-French Resistance' in 1945-1954 offers plenty of policy warnings, if no prescriptions. Notably, those who argue that Australia's interests overseas can be safeguarded by technology and big-power alliances, ignoring human grievances, contentious politics, mass movements and social upheavals, put future generations at risk.Read moreRead less
Islam and identity in Java: the violent culmination and subsequent decline of communal conflict, c. 1920- present. This project analyses for the first time the culmination of politicised and bloody conflict along lines of Islamic religious identity within Javanese society - today 100-million strong and Indonesia's largest ethnic group - and the subsequent decline and depoliticisation of those religiously defined categories, c. 1920-present. This process has left Javanese society more deeply Isla ....Islam and identity in Java: the violent culmination and subsequent decline of communal conflict, c. 1920- present. This project analyses for the first time the culmination of politicised and bloody conflict along lines of Islamic religious identity within Javanese society - today 100-million strong and Indonesia's largest ethnic group - and the subsequent decline and depoliticisation of those religiously defined categories, c. 1920-present. This process has left Javanese society more deeply Islamised than at any time in its history. But conflicting categories might, in theory, be repoliticised. The 2004 election campaign will be crucial for this analysis. The resultant book will be the last of three analysing the Islamisation of the Javanese from the 14th century to the present.
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Settler colonialism: a global history. Australia is usually defined as a 'settler society', but this term, while often being politically charged, is vaguely defined. This project seeks to place the Australian experience in its international context. In doing this, it will offer new insights into the past and future development of Australian political institutions and traditions. It will promote an appreciation of how Australian history fits within global developments and how a comparative and gl ....Settler colonialism: a global history. Australia is usually defined as a 'settler society', but this term, while often being politically charged, is vaguely defined. This project seeks to place the Australian experience in its international context. In doing this, it will offer new insights into the past and future development of Australian political institutions and traditions. It will promote an appreciation of how Australian history fits within global developments and how a comparative and global perspective generates new possibilities and insights for the writing, reading and teaching of Australian history. It will also stress Australia's important role in the development of this globally significant phenomenon.Read moreRead less
Gough Whitlam: People, Party, Politics. This project will be the first contemporary, definitive, biographical study of Gough Whitlam. The biography is part of a broader multimedia platform proposed by the project, enabling access to a range of archival materials on Whitlam, family and colleagues, drawing on its unprecedented access to manuscripts, archival material and the subject himself, together with the creation of an extensive Oral History collection. This project provides a unique opportu ....Gough Whitlam: People, Party, Politics. This project will be the first contemporary, definitive, biographical study of Gough Whitlam. The biography is part of a broader multimedia platform proposed by the project, enabling access to a range of archival materials on Whitlam, family and colleagues, drawing on its unprecedented access to manuscripts, archival material and the subject himself, together with the creation of an extensive Oral History collection. This project provides a unique opportunity to examine Australian political and cultural developments in the twentieth century through the life of one of its most significant public figures.Read moreRead less
The Post-Mao Transition in China: From the Ashes of Revolution toward Reform, 1976-1978. The project contributes to national benefit by deepening understanding of a regional powerhouse, the People's Republic of China. While the study is historical, it has relevance for Australia's contemporary dealings with China since key aspects of Chinese leadership politics such as the tension between formal and informal authority derive from the period under examination. As such it furthers the national res ....The Post-Mao Transition in China: From the Ashes of Revolution toward Reform, 1976-1978. The project contributes to national benefit by deepening understanding of a regional powerhouse, the People's Republic of China. While the study is historical, it has relevance for Australia's contemporary dealings with China since key aspects of Chinese leadership politics such as the tension between formal and informal authority derive from the period under examination. As such it furthers the national research priority of 'Understanding our region and the world'. In addition, the study will further enhance the reputation of Australian scholarship on China, thus sustaining its world standing as second only to that of the United States. Read moreRead less
Australia's post-Second World War reconstruction reassessed, 1941-1949. The project will provide a better understanding of a major phase of Australian history. While there is substantial awareness of the national effort in the Second World War, the magnitude of the commitment to apply the same spirit to secure peace and redeem sacrifice is less widely recognised. This project will assess the substantial innovation in national government to meet augmented expectations and explore the domestic and ....Australia's post-Second World War reconstruction reassessed, 1941-1949. The project will provide a better understanding of a major phase of Australian history. While there is substantial awareness of the national effort in the Second World War, the magnitude of the commitment to apply the same spirit to secure peace and redeem sacrifice is less widely recognised. This project will assess the substantial innovation in national government to meet augmented expectations and explore the domestic and international context of such actions. It will thus enhance awareness of mid-century social, political and cultural transitions, particularly as they relate to issues that continue to shape our national and international experience.Read moreRead less