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

New Research

Cyber crime 2.0 versus the Twittering classes

Cyber crime 2.0 versus the Twittering classes

06 March 2010This paper contends that the hype surrounding the steep rise of social media networking website use has tended to mask the reality of a corresponding growth in online fraud and crime.
More than bums on seats: Australian participation in the arts

More than bums on seats: Australian participation in the arts

03 March 2010This research identifies the key factors which will impact Australians’ future participation in the arts. It also identifies barriers and incentives which impact our participation.

Social media and young adults

19 February 2010A US study finds younger internet users are losing interest in blogging and prefer shorter and more mobile forms of communication.
Sport on television: to siphon or not to siphon?

Sport on television: to siphon or not to siphon?

15 February 2010This paper traces the history and arguments concerning the practice used by pay television broadcasters by which they appropriate, or 'siphon off' certain events that have been traditionally shown on free-to-air television in Australia.
The Australian National Classification Scheme should include an R18+ classification category for computer games

The Australian National Classification Scheme should include an R18+ classification category for computer games

08 February 2010This draft response to the public consultation on the introduction of an R18+ for computer games sets out the arguments in favour of including an adults only classification.

Report of the child pornography working party

27 January 2010This report recommends that NSW State laws be amended to ensure that if material is found to be child pornography, the fact that it is art cannot be used as a defence.
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Arts, music & design

Culture in small and rural communities

05 March 2010The Creative City Network of Canada commissioned a series of reports on developing and revitalizing rural communities through arts and creativity.

OK, computer: file sharing, the music industry, and why we need the pirate party

05 March 2010This essay examines the central issues raised by illegal file sharing and the future for record companies in an environment that increasingly demands flexibility.

Cultural policy & law

National broadband plan: connecting America

18 March 2010Broadband networks only create value to consumers and businesses when they are used in conjunction with broadband-capable devices to deliver useful applications and content. The plan seeks to ensure that the entire broadband ecosystem - networks, devices, content and applications - is healthy.

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

Commentary

Nowhere near Hollywood

14 January 2010 Louis Nowra watched nearly every Australian film released in 2009 to grasp the condition of our industry - which is poor, as he writes in The Monthly.

More corn, more hype, more Australiana

12 October 2009Lynden Barber has a solution to the malaise affecting the Australian film industry — and middle class arty types aren't gonna like it, he warns in New Matilda.

Is crowdsourcing killing the traditional design industry?

11 September 2009Increasingly, producers call on the crowd to both create and critique design writes Angelina Russo in Anthill.
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Audio

Does Australia need an R18+ rating for computer games?

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23 November 2009 Unlike other developed countries, Australia has no R rating for computer games. Supporters of the current system say this helps to keep us free of games with sexually depraved or extremely violent content. Gamers argue that Australia needs an R rating so that adult games can be restricted to adults.

Second Life's other life

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19 October 2009Second Life (the 3-D virtual world) is having a renaissance -- it's shaping up as an important research and educational tool.

Cultural institutions

Creative New Zealand review

12 March 2010The NZ Government's review of Creative New Zealand’s governance structure aims to improve efficiency and make the best investment of resources for the benefit of New Zealand artists and arts organisations.

Video

Alana Valentine on the role Australian stories in theatre

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07 September 2009More than any other artform, theatre preserves and recycles "classic" works. While there is certainly a place for this, does it come at the cost of new voices?

Ian Bogost at X-Media Lab: serious gaming

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25 June 2009Video games are usually viewed as a form of escapism: pure entertainment and shoot-em-up fantasy. But increasingly, games are being recognised as educational tools, or as deliverers of social or political messages.

Creative industries

Websites

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

Creative Business Benchmarker

26 November 2009Creative Business Benchmarker is a unique business tool that allows you to compare your performance to similar firms in Queensland.

ABC Arts

01 November 2009The ABC's new arts gateway includes reviews, blogs, video, news, program guides, feedback and more.

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The open book of social innovation
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Supporting culture when everyone's on YouTube

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.

Noticeboard

Online conservation game wins communicator awards
17 June 2009

Mission H2o, an online game themed around water conservation and developed by Swinburne University students and staff, has received two prestigious design awards.

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