Edited by the Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology

New Research

Health impact assessment of the Northern Territory Emergency Response

18 March 2010This report raises serious concerns about the continued future wellbeing of Indigenous children and families under the Northern Territory Intervention. The report assesses the potential health impacts of the Intervention on all aspects of Indigenous health and wellbeing, not just physical health.

Cardiovascular medicines and primary health care: a regional analysis

18 March 2010People living in Australia’s regional areas access cardiovascular disease (CVD) medicines at higher rates than people in major cities or remote areas
Refugee resettlement, family separation and Australia's humanitarian program

Refugee resettlement, family separation and Australia's humanitarian program

17 March 2010This qualitative study interviewed refugees in Melbourne and explored how they perceived family, the impact of separation and the impact of the Australian government’s policy regarding family reunion on refugees living in Australia. Image: josiejose / flickr
Farming the future: the role of government in assisting Australian farmers to adapt to the impacts of climate change

Farming the future: the role of government in assisting Australian farmers to adapt to the impacts of climate change

17 March 2010Government should invest research funding in high priority areas such as soil carbon sequestration, according to this report.
Indonesia: radicalisation and dialogue in Papua

Indonesia: radicalisation and dialogue in Papua

17 March 2010A substantive dialogue between the Indonesian government and Papuan leaders could help stem political radicalisation in the country’s easternmost province, according to this report.

Mass localism: A way to help small communities solve big social challenges

17 March 2010  Localism presents a dilemma. Government has traditionally found it difficult to support genuine local solutions while achieving national impact and scale. This UK report offers a solution
More...

Creative Economy

Creative industries after the first decade of debate

Creative industries after the first decade of debate

17 March 2010Issues surrounding the nature of participatory media culture, the relationship between cultural production and economic innovation, and the future role of public cultural institutions can be developed from within a creative industries framework

The open book of social innovation

17 March 2010This volume describes the hundreds of methods and tools for innovation being used across the world, as a first step to developing a knowledge base.

Economics

The added worker effect and the discouraged worker effect for married women in Australia

17 March 2010This paper investigates both the added worker effect (the labour supply responses of women to their partners’ job losses) and the discouraged worker effect (workers withdrawing from the labour market because of failed searches) for married women in Australia, with the emphasis on the former.

Economic, civic and social contributions of refugees and humanitarian entrants: a literature review

17 March 2010This report highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and a strong commitment to education and volunteerism brought to Australia by the 740,000 refugee and humanitarian migrants settled since Federation.

Education

The political economy of intergenerational income mobility

17 March 2010International comparisons of intergenerational mobility must take into account differences in politico-economic institutions, according to this study.

VET E-portfolio privacy impact assessment research report

16 March 2010E-portfolios by nature contain a significant amount of personal information about learners, some of which may be quite sensitive and, if not managed well, can compromise learner privacy.

Health

International

Obama in his own words: On leadership, force, and rebuilding US primacy

Obama in his own words: On leadership, force, and rebuilding US primacy

15 March 2010For over sixty years Australia has done well out of a US-led world, according to this report. Our strategic interests would be well served by Obama’s successfully rebuilding US primacy.

Justice

Nuclear weapons: Arms control, proliferation and nuclear security

15 March 2010The nuclear arms control agenda currently enjoys a prominence that it has not had since the first half of the 1990s. 

Criminal courts, Australia, 2008-09

15 March 2010This publication presents nationally comparable statistics relating to the criminal jurisdiction of the Higher (Supreme and Intermediate), Magistrates' and Children's Courts across Australia for the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.

Social Policy

Commentary

Windschuttle, again

17 March 2010Keith Windschuttle brings the temperament of a barrister to his latest subject, the stolen generations, writes Dean Ashenden in Inside Story

Responding more effectively to chronic pain

17 March 2010The National Pain Summit took up the challenge of improving the way the system deals with pain, writes Maiy Azize

Danger in new trade agreement with the US

17 March 2010Why would any Australian government want another trade deal with the US, ask Ruth Townsend and Thomas Faunce in On Line Opinion
More...

Audio

Liberalism and Australian foreign policy

Listen to audio
15 March 2010From the Vietnam War to the Afghanistan War, from international law to the treatment of refugees, Mr Fraser discusses the meaning of liberalism in the global context.

Open government: the Information Commissioner

Listen to audio
12 March 2010Following on from the conversation last week on 'open government' this program hosts the head of the newly created Office of the Information Commissioner.

Environment

Video

Media watching: David Marr, Margaret Simons and Michael Gawenda

Listen to audio
05 March 2010David Marr hosts a discussion with Margaret Simons and Michael Gawenda about the current state of the media, in particular the print media, and the challenges presented by new online media outlets. Part one  

Realising our broadband future

Listen to audio
05 March 2010 Key speakers at this two-day conference held in December 2009 included NBN Co. CEO, Mike Quigley and Jeff Cole, Director USC Annenberg School, who outlined the potential of the NBN for Australia's digital economy. The forum was co-chaired by Dr Paul Twomey and participants included leaders from all parts of Australia. All sessions can be viewed as webcasts with audio or video provided here

Indigenous

Websites

Indigenous Vocational Education and Training

15 March 2010 The purpose of this resource is to provide a simple summary of NCVER's statistics and research on Indigenous Australians and vocational education and training (VET).

The Program

05 March 2010The Program is a nationwide what's on guide, providing the latest info on events, festivals, gigs, performances, theatre shows, exhibitions and loads more

Human Rights Act myth busters

02 March 2010Monash University's Castan Centre 'myth-busters' address claims made during the spirited debate following the 2009 National Human Rights Consultation Committee report recommending the adoption of an Australian Human Rights Act.

Politics

Beyond corporate responsibility: the 'spiritual turn' and the rise of conscious business

15 March 2010This paper asks whether the Corporate Responsibility movement can transform business practices enough to assist society address key human and environmental sustainability challenges.

Most viewed: This week

1
The open book of social innovation
2
The impact of a sustained gender wage gap on the Australian economy
3
State of Australian cities 2010
4
Mass localism: A way to help small communities solve big social challenges
5
Creative industries after the first decade of debate

Noticeboard

Rethinking the Rules Governing Australia
16 March 2010

Australian citizens are being asked to provide input into a nation-wide
discussion about how to improve the rules governing our country.

Rethink Australia spokesperson Rodger Hills, says the time has come to
review the way Australia is run. “As citizens, we have a responsibility to
plan for a brighter future and a more enlightened democratic process than
the one we have inherited from our fore bearers.”

Rethink Australia has released a public discussion paper today to provide
the basis for dialogue and deliberation amongst members of the public over

Secrecy law reforms strike a blow to old culture of government secrecy
12 March 2010

The Australian Law Reform Commission report into Commonwealth secrecy laws, Secrecy Laws and Open Government in Australia (ALRC Report 112) is the result of a 15 -month inquiry which identified 506 secrecy provisions in 176 pieces of Commonwealth legislation, including 358 criminal secrecy offences.

WANTED: Communications Projects (Melbourne)
16 February 2010

RMIT University in Melbourne runs a degree program where groups of
communication research‐trained students work on a communication research
project for a not‐for‐profit client.

Books

TV drama in China

  • Edited by Ying Zhu, Michael Keane, and Ruoydon Bai
  • University of Washington Press
This collection of essays brings together the first comprehensive study of TV drama in China. Examining in depth the production, distribution, and consumption of TV drama, an international team of experts demonstrate why it remains the pre-eminent media form in China. The collection explores industry dynamics, how TV dramas are marketed and consumed on DVD, and China's aspirations to export its television drama rights.
Outrageous! Moral panics in Australia

Outrageous! Moral panics in Australia

  • Edited by Scott Poynting and George Morgan
  • ACYS Publishing
In this detailed examination of case studies, a distinguished group of experts demystifies the social processes of moral panic in Australia.

Policy Guides

Arts for all: opening doors to people with a disability

This guide provides practical and long-term ways for artists and arts organisations to enhance their access, market their events to the disabled community and build new audiences.

15-02-10

Topics

APO