China’s changing internal migration: patterns, causes, policy implications. China’s massive internal migration is no longer simply rural–urban and circular but highly diversified. The project aims to unravel that transition: its patterns, causes, and effects. Using 2020 census data and major longitudinal datasets, a China variant of Zelinsky’s classic mobility transition theory will be developed and deployed to identify underlying mechanisms. Among expected outcomes are powerful methods for asse ....China’s changing internal migration: patterns, causes, policy implications. China’s massive internal migration is no longer simply rural–urban and circular but highly diversified. The project aims to unravel that transition: its patterns, causes, and effects. Using 2020 census data and major longitudinal datasets, a China variant of Zelinsky’s classic mobility transition theory will be developed and deployed to identify underlying mechanisms. Among expected outcomes are powerful methods for assessing spatio-temporal migration patterns and causes, applicable to many economies especially in the Asia–Pacific. Benefits should include a new evidence base for migration and related urban–rural policy in China; and for Australia, policy inputs to improve prosperity through better relations with our biggest trading partner.Read moreRead less
Adaptation to life in the dark: genomic analyses of blind beetles. This project aims to utilise a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. This project focuses on the evolution of Heat Shock protein (Hsp) genes that play critical roles in adaptation to environmental stress and the process of de-canalisation, the rel ....Adaptation to life in the dark: genomic analyses of blind beetles. This project aims to utilise a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. This project focuses on the evolution of Heat Shock protein (Hsp) genes that play critical roles in adaptation to environmental stress and the process of de-canalisation, the release of cryptic genetic variation that can allow novel morphologies to evolve in new environments. The project expects to provide further understanding of how species may potentially adapt to environmental stresses in the future, including climate change.Read moreRead less
Cartoon Nation: Australian Editorial Cartooning - Past, Present, and Future. This landmark study aims to facilitate a new scholarly and public appreciation of Australian editorial cartooning: something often celebrated, but seldom studied seriously. At a moment when the art-form is transitioning, the study will elucidate its enduring democratic and cultural significance, revealing diverse stories told through cartoons. Expected project outcomes include: pioneering new scholarship; the enhancemen ....Cartoon Nation: Australian Editorial Cartooning - Past, Present, and Future. This landmark study aims to facilitate a new scholarly and public appreciation of Australian editorial cartooning: something often celebrated, but seldom studied seriously. At a moment when the art-form is transitioning, the study will elucidate its enduring democratic and cultural significance, revealing diverse stories told through cartoons. Expected project outcomes include: pioneering new scholarship; the enhancement of cross-institutional networks; and improved capacity for collaboration between academia and industry (professional bodies and collecting institutions). The project will benefit the nation, providing a truer understanding of the defining Australian sense of humour, press, and political culture, across more than 200 years.Read moreRead less
Epigenetics and Indigenous Australia. This project aims to investigate how epigenetics is being received by Indigenous Australians, and to identify the potential risks and opportunities that narratives of biosocial damage entail. Epigenetics is a rapidly evolving science concerned with how life experiences, such as trauma or stress, can modify DNA and be passed on to negatively affect children's (and possibly grandchildren's) health and development. This project will offer an understanding of th ....Epigenetics and Indigenous Australia. This project aims to investigate how epigenetics is being received by Indigenous Australians, and to identify the potential risks and opportunities that narratives of biosocial damage entail. Epigenetics is a rapidly evolving science concerned with how life experiences, such as trauma or stress, can modify DNA and be passed on to negatively affect children's (and possibly grandchildren's) health and development. This project will offer an understanding of the relationships between Indigenous health and epigenetics that will help Indigenous researchers, policymakers, and government bodies make well-informed decisions about the application and direction of this new science. The research will make a significant contribution to understanding how the interplay of biology, race, and society unfold at the intersection of different knowledge systems and at the forefront of technological progress.Read moreRead less
Quandamooka Aboriginal women on the colonial frontier in the nineteenth century. This project aims to produce new insights about gender and race on the colonial frontier in Australia through revealing Aboriginal women's agency beyond the usual themes of labour and sexual exploitation. The historical record has too often represented Aboriginal women as victims, which has affected self-esteem and caused poor health and social alienation. This project will research how Aboriginal women resisted and ....Quandamooka Aboriginal women on the colonial frontier in the nineteenth century. This project aims to produce new insights about gender and race on the colonial frontier in Australia through revealing Aboriginal women's agency beyond the usual themes of labour and sexual exploitation. The historical record has too often represented Aboriginal women as victims, which has affected self-esteem and caused poor health and social alienation. This project will research how Aboriginal women resisted and negotiated with colonisation by examining the everyday and public performances of Quandamooka women on their own lands, Moreton Bay, Queensland, in the nineteenth century. The project aims to benefit the health and well-being of Aboriginal women.Read moreRead less
Transnational selves: French narratives of migration to Australia. This project aims to examine texts authored by French-speaking migrants to Australia in order to explore how migrating subjects write their identity, how migrants represent the self between nations and between languages, and how Australia is viewed through the prism of another language. Expected outcomes to this project include enhanced knowledge of Australian literature, of practices of migrant writing, and of the construction ....Transnational selves: French narratives of migration to Australia. This project aims to examine texts authored by French-speaking migrants to Australia in order to explore how migrating subjects write their identity, how migrants represent the self between nations and between languages, and how Australia is viewed through the prism of another language. Expected outcomes to this project include enhanced knowledge of Australian literature, of practices of migrant writing, and of the construction of Australian identity. This will provide significant benefits, such as a wider understanding of the diversity of Australian literature, an increased awareness of literature in Languages Other Than English in Australia, and a more nuanced appreciation of Australian identity.Read moreRead less
Investigating Conversational AI: Development, Usage and Governance. The project aims to provide new and powerful understandings of the consequences of chatbot technologies in terms of economy, society and governance. In doing so it will enable an integrated approach to understanding the ecosystem of developers, users and regulators of conversational AI in the retail and services sector. Expected outcomes and benefits include breakthrough theory, publications, and significant contributions to aca ....Investigating Conversational AI: Development, Usage and Governance. The project aims to provide new and powerful understandings of the consequences of chatbot technologies in terms of economy, society and governance. In doing so it will enable an integrated approach to understanding the ecosystem of developers, users and regulators of conversational AI in the retail and services sector. Expected outcomes and benefits include breakthrough theory, publications, and significant contributions to academic research and policy discussions across science, government, and industry. This should also place Australia at the forefront of the international scientific community and policy regulation in a fast-emerging area of technological development.
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Everything in its Place: Location, Persistence, and Change. This project aims to critically examine a number of accounts of how and if we may reconcile what we know about ordinary objects with the unexpected things science has taught us about space, time, and the fundamental building blocks of nature. The project anticipates generating new knowledge in metaphysics, exploiting the recent 'locative turn' to revitalise perennial questions about existence and change. Expected outcomes of this projec ....Everything in its Place: Location, Persistence, and Change. This project aims to critically examine a number of accounts of how and if we may reconcile what we know about ordinary objects with the unexpected things science has taught us about space, time, and the fundamental building blocks of nature. The project anticipates generating new knowledge in metaphysics, exploiting the recent 'locative turn' to revitalise perennial questions about existence and change. Expected outcomes of this project include publications and conference activities, the initiation of new international collaborations, and enhanced research capability in scientific metaphysics in Australia. Benefits include improved understanding of our place in the natural world and enhancing Australia's reputation and research skill base.Read moreRead less
Prerequisite conditions for Indigenous nation self-government. This project aims to produce new knowledge about Indigenous nation building (INB) processes. Based on research that self-governance increases Indigenous socioeconomic and community capacity, this project will collaborate with two Aboriginal communities to investigate factors that impact the transition from 'identifying' to 'organising' as political collectives to enable self-governance. Such knowledge has the potential to directly co ....Prerequisite conditions for Indigenous nation self-government. This project aims to produce new knowledge about Indigenous nation building (INB) processes. Based on research that self-governance increases Indigenous socioeconomic and community capacity, this project will collaborate with two Aboriginal communities to investigate factors that impact the transition from 'identifying' to 'organising' as political collectives to enable self-governance. Such knowledge has the potential to directly contribute to increased wellbeing for Indigenous communities as they define it. It aims to contribute to Australian and international Indigenous governance, political science and Indigenous methodologies literatures. The project could significantly benefit Indigenous peoples, the broader Australian community, Australian governments, and Australian and international INB researchers.Read moreRead less
Tackling Crystal Methamphetamine Supply in Rural and Regional Australia. This project tackles one of the leading drug policy and organised crime issues in Australia, namely the increased availability of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in rural and regional communities. The first study of its kind nationally, it will use an innovative combination of qualitative and quantitative methods across six communities in three states to uncover how ice infiltrates regional communities, the drivers and mechan ....Tackling Crystal Methamphetamine Supply in Rural and Regional Australia. This project tackles one of the leading drug policy and organised crime issues in Australia, namely the increased availability of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in rural and regional communities. The first study of its kind nationally, it will use an innovative combination of qualitative and quantitative methods across six communities in three states to uncover how ice infiltrates regional communities, the drivers and mechanisms and impacts thereof. Expected outcomes include a roadmap to reduce supply and harms, strengthened communities and enhanced international collaborations. With ice use and supply costing the Australian government $5 billion per year, the project stands to provide significant social, public health and economic benefits.Read moreRead less