The influence of Contemporary Japanese architecture: its meanings and its miss-readings. Contemporary architecture and urbanism in Australia has generally been concerned with addressing 'modernity' while little concerned with specific culture or place, and with little discernable ideology. Consequently, the City of Sydney is much used by international film-makers as an undifferentiated generic metropolis backdrop. In contrast, Japan's contemporary architects have developed a politically-charged ....The influence of Contemporary Japanese architecture: its meanings and its miss-readings. Contemporary architecture and urbanism in Australia has generally been concerned with addressing 'modernity' while little concerned with specific culture or place, and with little discernable ideology. Consequently, the City of Sydney is much used by international film-makers as an undifferentiated generic metropolis backdrop. In contrast, Japan's contemporary architects have developed a politically-charged architecture which registers the complexity of their national identity while turning its back on nationalism. This project will contrast the ideologies of leading contemporary architects in Japan and Australia and will serve as a benchmark against which contemporary Australian architecture can be assessed.Read moreRead less
Alternative Public Spheres: Alexander Kluge's Film and Television Experiments. This project will make a significant contribution to the emphasis on 'Promoting an Innovation Culture and Economy' outlined in Research Priority 3 through its analysis of the important role film and television producers can play in the establishment of alternative public spheres. Taking Alexander Kluge's groundbreaking work as a case study, it will highlight the integral relationship between an active public sphere an ....Alternative Public Spheres: Alexander Kluge's Film and Television Experiments. This project will make a significant contribution to the emphasis on 'Promoting an Innovation Culture and Economy' outlined in Research Priority 3 through its analysis of the important role film and television producers can play in the establishment of alternative public spheres. Taking Alexander Kluge's groundbreaking work as a case study, it will highlight the integral relationship between an active public sphere and the sustenance of an innovative and democratic culture in which the capacity to think 'outside the square' is fostered, supported, and appreciated. In doing so, it will internationalise Australia's knowledge base in the field, and place Australia at the forefront of international debates in Screen Studies.Read moreRead less
The Cultivation of Middle-Class Taste: Reading, Tourism and Education Choices in Urban China. In urban China, high-income professionals and consumers have enormous influence on the development of élite education, travel, and cultural pursuits, but also on the stability of the Party-State. Their choices will materially affect Australian economic strategy, and will impact the socio-political character of the entire region. This project works to support Australian understanding of the tastes, aspir ....The Cultivation of Middle-Class Taste: Reading, Tourism and Education Choices in Urban China. In urban China, high-income professionals and consumers have enormous influence on the development of élite education, travel, and cultural pursuits, but also on the stability of the Party-State. Their choices will materially affect Australian economic strategy, and will impact the socio-political character of the entire region. This project works to support Australian understanding of the tastes, aspirations and national priorities of this new formation: the Chinese middle class. The approach and outcomes of the research will enhance Australia's global position in innovative, relevant Asian scholarship, support good economic strategy, and provide an accurate socio-cultural lens through which to engage with Chinese and regional futures.Read moreRead less
Contact zones: activism, art and media in Italy, 1994-2006. This project will generate knowledge about recent activism, social change and contemporary art practices in Italy; it will add to Australia's international reputation as a centre of research on contemporary Italy; it will assist in facilitating cultural relations between Australia and Italy as already established in cultural and scientific bilateral agreements.
Government, Religion and the Problem of Moral Order in Contemporary Papua New Guinea. Successful Australian international relations depend on understanding the popular culture within which neighbouring people formulate grievances and desires for change. PNG is physically close to Australia; it was an administered colony and today as a regional ally it receives much Australian aid. Many Australian organizations, companies and citizens reside in PNG. This project will provide accurate knowledge o ....Government, Religion and the Problem of Moral Order in Contemporary Papua New Guinea. Successful Australian international relations depend on understanding the popular culture within which neighbouring people formulate grievances and desires for change. PNG is physically close to Australia; it was an administered colony and today as a regional ally it receives much Australian aid. Many Australian organizations, companies and citizens reside in PNG. This project will provide accurate knowledge of how popular religious movements can provide a political language for voicing everyday expectations and grievances. Social and cultural changes can produce new perceptions of injustice that are voiced as a moral critique of present day government, where the future kingdom of God or of the dead is used as a point of ethical contrast.Read moreRead less
Understanding Indonesian: developing a machine-usable grammar, dictionary and corpus. Australia's relationship with Indonesia is of great significance. The need for good relationships founded on appreciation of the range of societies and views in modern Indonesia is widely acknowledged. A better knowledge of the languages is essential for this, and so are fast, efficient information gathering systems for processing multilingual sources (including Indonesian text), that can analyse large volumes ....Understanding Indonesian: developing a machine-usable grammar, dictionary and corpus. Australia's relationship with Indonesia is of great significance. The need for good relationships founded on appreciation of the range of societies and views in modern Indonesia is widely acknowledged. A better knowledge of the languages is essential for this, and so are fast, efficient information gathering systems for processing multilingual sources (including Indonesian text), that can analyse large volumes of text. The skills to build such systems exist internationally. Through collaboration with established international teams, we plan to transfer cutting-edge skills in the development of machine-useable grammars to Australian researchers, and to create the language resources essential for understanding Indonesian.Read moreRead less
Creative Misreadings of Christianity in Modern Japanese Literature and Popular Culture. The project will intensify understanding of Asian interpretations of Western culture, especially Christianity, and Western reception of Japanese culture. While Australian collective perceptions of Japan are often still informed by the experience of the Second World War, the increasing popularity of manga and anime is fostering a different relationship between the two countries. By studying Japan's popular cul ....Creative Misreadings of Christianity in Modern Japanese Literature and Popular Culture. The project will intensify understanding of Asian interpretations of Western culture, especially Christianity, and Western reception of Japanese culture. While Australian collective perceptions of Japan are often still informed by the experience of the Second World War, the increasing popularity of manga and anime is fostering a different relationship between the two countries. By studying Japan's popular culture and its history of cultural negotiation, the project will further our knowledge of Japan's position in the twentieth-century world. It thus accords with National Priority 4, Safeguarding Australia: Understanding Our Region and the World. Read moreRead less
Arabian Africans or African Arabs? The dynamics of Islamic African identity in the Arabian Peninsula. An understanding of the social and cultural background to current conflicts is a step towards resolving them and this project is a significant contribution to Australia's understanding of the world and of Muslims. It will explain how and why many non-Arab Muslims are drawn towards the Arab world, by virtue of what it can offer them and of what the alternatives are increasingly failing to offer, ....Arabian Africans or African Arabs? The dynamics of Islamic African identity in the Arabian Peninsula. An understanding of the social and cultural background to current conflicts is a step towards resolving them and this project is a significant contribution to Australia's understanding of the world and of Muslims. It will explain how and why many non-Arab Muslims are drawn towards the Arab world, by virtue of what it can offer them and of what the alternatives are increasingly failing to offer, both on a personal level and in a political sense. This is a study of African Muslims, but as a comparative study it has a direct relevance to Australia's relationship with the Islamic world, Arab, African or Asian. Ultimately, it will help to explain why contemporary events seem to have led to the clash of two civilisations, the West and Islam.Read moreRead less
Global/Local Intersections: History, Identity and Community in a Tokyo Subculture. The human rights of minorities are gaining increased attention in Australia and the region. It is important for our understanding of the region that we are informed about the development of minority gender identities in an Asian context from both human rights and health perspectives. The project will contribute to the national research priority of understanding Australia's place in the region through building link ....Global/Local Intersections: History, Identity and Community in a Tokyo Subculture. The human rights of minorities are gaining increased attention in Australia and the region. It is important for our understanding of the region that we are informed about the development of minority gender identities in an Asian context from both human rights and health perspectives. The project will contribute to the national research priority of understanding Australia's place in the region through building links between Australian and Asian researchers working on minority gender histories and cultures. It will also add to Australian understanding of Japan, an important social and economic partner in the region.Read moreRead less
ARC Asia-Pacific Futures Research Network. The ARC Asia Pacific Futures Network is an international vehicle for building research capacity in the national research system to enhance understanding of Australia, its region, and the world. The Network brings experienced researchers working in identified research areas and themes into dynamic collaboration with government and industry through structured programs, with a view to stimulating new research directions, partnerships and training opportuni ....ARC Asia-Pacific Futures Research Network. The ARC Asia Pacific Futures Network is an international vehicle for building research capacity in the national research system to enhance understanding of Australia, its region, and the world. The Network brings experienced researchers working in identified research areas and themes into dynamic collaboration with government and industry through structured programs, with a view to stimulating new research directions, partnerships and training opportunities. In its 5-year plan, the Network will focus on Governance and Security, Culture and Religion, Media and Communications, Health and Population, and Trade and Industry. APFN will also have the capacity to marshal expertise on pressing issues facing Australia and the region as a whole.Read moreRead less