Images of Chinese in Australia, NZ and SE Asia, 1850-1950. This project combines historical analysis and database software to review all accessible extant images of Chinese in Australia & NZ for the period (and a selection of images from Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore), to (a) develop a sophisticated research tool for historians, which combines detailed annotations of content and context of images with means for cross referencing these against a framework of people, organisations, places, eve ....Images of Chinese in Australia, NZ and SE Asia, 1850-1950. This project combines historical analysis and database software to review all accessible extant images of Chinese in Australia & NZ for the period (and a selection of images from Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore), to (a) develop a sophisticated research tool for historians, which combines detailed annotations of content and context of images with means for cross referencing these against a framework of people, organisations, places, events, dates and concepts; (b) utilise this research tool, and visual discourse analysis, to investigate, for Australia and Asia: (i) how Chinese chose to represent themselves, and (ii) how Chinese were represented by Europeans.Read moreRead less
Analysing Testimonies of Jewish Holocaust Survivors. This project utilises Australia's largest collection of Holocaust videotestimonies, held in Melbourne's Jewish Holocaust Centre (JHC), to examine how socio-cultural factors shaped the widely different experiences of Nazi persecution among Holocaust Jewish migrants to Australia, and how video mediates these experiences. Significant conceptual advances will be made in the study of memory, Holocaust and immigration history, class and identity deb ....Analysing Testimonies of Jewish Holocaust Survivors. This project utilises Australia's largest collection of Holocaust videotestimonies, held in Melbourne's Jewish Holocaust Centre (JHC), to examine how socio-cultural factors shaped the widely different experiences of Nazi persecution among Holocaust Jewish migrants to Australia, and how video mediates these experiences. Significant conceptual advances will be made in the study of memory, Holocaust and immigration history, class and identity debates, gender analysis, oral and video history and the theory of testimony. A team of experienced CIs will analyse a broad sample of videos, while the APAI will concentrate on studying a single episode. The JHC will act as industry partner.
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Bronze Age textiles from Dong Son coffins in Vietnam. This multi-disciplinary project breaks new ground in Southeast Asian archaeology by incorporating excavation with the conservation and analysis of a unique assemblage of prehistoric textiles already located in Dong Son coffins in the Red River delta. In recognition of the cultural significance of the archaeological materials to Vietnam, conservators are involved in the excavation process to reduce physical damage and the loss of fragile mate ....Bronze Age textiles from Dong Son coffins in Vietnam. This multi-disciplinary project breaks new ground in Southeast Asian archaeology by incorporating excavation with the conservation and analysis of a unique assemblage of prehistoric textiles already located in Dong Son coffins in the Red River delta. In recognition of the cultural significance of the archaeological materials to Vietnam, conservators are involved in the excavation process to reduce physical damage and the loss of fragile materials during recovery. The research will also contribute to Southeast Asian (and Vietnamese) archaeology by providing some new insights into the cultural interaction between South China and Vietnam during the late
prehistoric period.Read moreRead less
Cultural change in its environmental context: exploring, interpreting, and managing archaeologically rich, large-scale cultural landscapes in the Mediterranean Basin. (1) Production of a Holocene climate history and evaluation of long-term human response to environmental change in Mediterranean to continental climate zones. (2) Development of relationships with international researchers, including leading scholars from Italy, Bulgaria, the United States, and the Netherlands. (3) Extension of Aus ....Cultural change in its environmental context: exploring, interpreting, and managing archaeologically rich, large-scale cultural landscapes in the Mediterranean Basin. (1) Production of a Holocene climate history and evaluation of long-term human response to environmental change in Mediterranean to continental climate zones. (2) Development of relationships with international researchers, including leading scholars from Italy, Bulgaria, the United States, and the Netherlands. (3) Extension of Australia's leadership in Mediterranean archaeology to the Balkans through building institutional relationships and initiating a presence in Bulgaria (arguably the most promising country in its region for archaeological research). (4) Development of innovative remote sensing methods for archaeological reconnaissance with wide applicability, including in Australian contexts and by other Australian research projects.Read moreRead less
Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Australia: researching and relating Australia's manuscript holdings to new technologies and new readers. Building on the productive partnership forged with the State Library of Victoria in the presentation of a recent large-scale manuscript exhibition, this project will research the Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in Australia with reference to the interests of scholars and the general public. National and community benefits include access online to t ....Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Australia: researching and relating Australia's manuscript holdings to new technologies and new readers. Building on the productive partnership forged with the State Library of Victoria in the presentation of a recent large-scale manuscript exhibition, this project will research the Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in Australia with reference to the interests of scholars and the general public. National and community benefits include access online to this precious heritage material and its global connections, and communication of research findings in publications and events designed for a variety of readers and audiences. The project will foster collaboration between curators, librarians and academic scholars and ensure Australia's timely participation in important international initiatives in this fieldRead moreRead less
Conciliation Narratives and the Historical Imagination in British Pacific Rim Settler Societies. This project deepens Australian understandings of the negotiated forms of conciliation that occurred between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the colonial period to present. By comparing these with conciliation events in New Zealand and British Columbia, the Australian experience is positioned within the global context of the Pacific Rim. The project's innovative approach unites historical an ....Conciliation Narratives and the Historical Imagination in British Pacific Rim Settler Societies. This project deepens Australian understandings of the negotiated forms of conciliation that occurred between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the colonial period to present. By comparing these with conciliation events in New Zealand and British Columbia, the Australian experience is positioned within the global context of the Pacific Rim. The project's innovative approach unites historical and legal research with material culture of extraordinary heritage significance held by three major national collecting institutions (partner organisations) and others. Among the outcomes are scholarly publications, international symposia, publicly assessable web-based and educational materials, a travelling exhibition, and professional training. Read moreRead less
An Archaeology of Institutional Confinement: the Hyde Park Barracks 1848-1886. This project has three benefits. First, it will help Australians understand more about the history of government care for the sick and the destitute, an issue that strongly resonates in the contemporary community. Second, by focusing on the archaeology of migration we can improve our understanding of its consequences. Third, the visitors to the Hyde Park Barracks Museum will be better able to understand the richness ....An Archaeology of Institutional Confinement: the Hyde Park Barracks 1848-1886. This project has three benefits. First, it will help Australians understand more about the history of government care for the sick and the destitute, an issue that strongly resonates in the contemporary community. Second, by focusing on the archaeology of migration we can improve our understanding of its consequences. Third, the visitors to the Hyde Park Barracks Museum will be better able to understand the richness and diversity of the archaeological and historical records of early Australian history. This will enhance the heritage value of archaeological assemblages that present significant challenges to those who seek to display or interpret them. Read moreRead less
The twentieth century in paint. The art market is a major contributor to the Australian economy worth over $500M per annum. However many modern works created with new materials introduced in the 20th century in Australia and Southeast Asia exhibit problems with deterioration, and there is little research on the use and effects of these materials. Without answers to material based preservation questions collectors, curators and conservators cannot make informed decisions. This project, with partn ....The twentieth century in paint. The art market is a major contributor to the Australian economy worth over $500M per annum. However many modern works created with new materials introduced in the 20th century in Australia and Southeast Asia exhibit problems with deterioration, and there is little research on the use and effects of these materials. Without answers to material based preservation questions collectors, curators and conservators cannot make informed decisions. This project, with partners in Australia, Asia, US and UK will provide fundamental information to assist in formulating management strategies, inform curatorship and develop innovative approaches to conservation and the manufacture of art materials.Read moreRead less
Rethinking Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia: A Case Study From the New Nation of Timor Leste. The project will contribute to the economic and socially sustainable conservation of cultural heritage in Timor Leste. Collaborative work between project personnel and Timor Leste communities and government agencies will promote good will, strengthen ties and enhance cross-cultural understanding between both countries, as will the training of Timor Leste nationals in techniques of heritage assessment ....Rethinking Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia: A Case Study From the New Nation of Timor Leste. The project will contribute to the economic and socially sustainable conservation of cultural heritage in Timor Leste. Collaborative work between project personnel and Timor Leste communities and government agencies will promote good will, strengthen ties and enhance cross-cultural understanding between both countries, as will the training of Timor Leste nationals in techniques of heritage assessment and management. Communication of the results of the project will also enhance Australia's understanding of social and cultural issues within Timor Leste and raise Australia's profile overseas. Read moreRead less
Anthropological and Aboriginal perspectives on the Donald Thomson Collection: material culture, collecting and identity. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to combine anthropological research, museum practice and Indigenous community participation to explore the Donald Thomson Arnhem Land Ethnographic Collection. This is the most comprehensive collection of material culture made from any group in Australia while people were still living independently in the bush. This Collection is no ....Anthropological and Aboriginal perspectives on the Donald Thomson Collection: material culture, collecting and identity. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to combine anthropological research, museum practice and Indigenous community participation to explore the Donald Thomson Arnhem Land Ethnographic Collection. This is the most comprehensive collection of material culture made from any group in Australia while people were still living independently in the bush. This Collection is now of major cultural significance for non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians and can yield important insights into past socio-cultural life, Yolngu ethnotechnological skills and knowledge and the nature of collecting. The project will benefit many sectors including the museum-going public and the Yolngu.Read moreRead less