ISSCI
The Institute of Social Change & Critical Inquiry
The Institute of Social Change & Critical Inquiry was established
in 1997 as a foundation Research Institute of the University.
It is the principal research unit for the Faculty of Arts
and one of six University Research Institutes.
ISCCI carries out internationally recognised research in
selected areas of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Our
work examines the meanings and locations of social responsibility
in social, cultural, communication and political contexts
at community, societal and international levels.
ISCCI aims to become a leading national research unit for
qualitative social and cultural research focusing on questions
of social justice and the complex interactions of freedom,
regulation and responsibility.
A key objective is to utilise our growing reputation and
expertise in critical policy and social impact research to
enhance the position of these areas of research and development,
making Wollongong a leading national centre for these specialisations.
The Institute encourages collaboration and interdisciplinary
work in its chosen areas and gives priority to developing
strategic alliances with both national and international research
bodies in these selected areas of recognised excellence.
The major programs and projects of ISCCI are built on inter-disciplinary
bases which draw together work in humanities, social sciences
and other policy oriented disciplines.
We will develop our objectives over the next triennium through:
- building on our thematic programs and projects, developing
further collaboration and encouraging new initiatives and
innovation;
- developing business plans, directed at acquiring external
funding, forging long term strategic alliances, increasing
and focusing regional, national and international research
links, and establishing an international reputation for
innovative work in both fundamental and applied research;
- attracting increasing numbers of high quality students
by directing ISCCI's research training into its areas of
strength, having clear and equitable management practices,
including infrastructure support and supervision, and providing
excellent career opportunities for our graduating scholars;
- supporting outcomes from our research which include the
normal indicators of publications, seminars, conferences
and scholarly exchanges, and emphasising applications in
policy advice, community relations, consultancies, the development
and implementation of targeted postgraduate courses, and
collaboration with government and industry in fundamental
research and policy development.
The Institute's research is organised through specific projects
and into thematic collaborative programs which bring together
recognised, experienced researchers, early career researchers
and doctoral candidates. Research is supported by University,
Australian Research Council and other external funding.
ISCCI currently has five thematic research programs and the
University Centre for Canadian Australian Studies:
Communication, Language and
Policy explores language and other cultural practices.
The group examines the way these practices, values, beliefs,
habits and systems of classification are inculcated in populations
and how they shape institutions and impact on policy. There
are currently two main lines of research.
- Gender, Communication and social change covers the large
ARC study of the impact of feminist activism on language,
communication and policy and the cultural studies research
of men's narratives relating to problems of addiction and
depression.
- Regulation and resistance in relation to new communication
technologies is the focus of research by a group with interests
in language, science and technology and cultural studies.
Identity and Cultural Difference
investigates social meanings constructed through textual representations.
This group focuses on meanings of identity configured in relation
to class, nation, gender, sexuality and postcoloniality.
- Performing post colonialisms is a multidimensional project
with seven collaborators investigating the intersections
of race, ethnicity, nationality and globalisation, with
a focus on textiles, trading, literary constructions of
nationhood and the international commodification of 'folk'
identity.
- Texts and Gender/Sexuality is a project in which the researchers
analyse historical and contemporary constructions of gender
and sexual identities as mediated through literary texts.
Labour and Society in the
Asia Pacific undertakes research from the perspective
of labour and workers, combining theoretical investigation
with empirical studies, and connecting global trends to specific
instances in Asia and the Pacific.
- Subjectivity, Production and Consumption investigates
how subjectivities expressed through the categories of class,
gender and ethnicity are related to representations and
experiences of production and consumption. This research
has major implications for understandings of globalisation,
by demonstrating the articulations between production and
consumption, and notions of modernity and society in the
Asia-Pacific region.
- The contest over labour in the Asia-Pacific looks at:
'legal' and 'illegal' unions and 'formal' and 'informal'.
The role of international political forces and multi-national
corporations are examined in the context of 'contestation'.
Policy and Ethics: Community
and Society studies issues of critical public policy
assessment from different disciplines linking issues from
the realms of social, legal, ethical and political theory
with a critical understanding of the implications of public
policies.
- Indigenous governmentality concerns the relations between
the wider, post-colonial state and indigenous nations or
communities at the level of state recognition, acknowledgment
of cultural pluralism, political autonomy, institutions
of indigenous/post-colonial regulation, welfare and negotiation.
Policy debates surrounding education, health and social
service provision are central to this area. The South East
Arnhem Land Collaborative Research Project is a three year
project funded by Rio Tinto Ltd. and supported by the local
Aboriginal community, to engage in a social impact study
prior to any development of mining interests in the region.
- State regulation and social welfare concerns the role
of the state and state institutions in the regulation of
civil society and the provision of social services. Work
focuses on the bases of the public demand for regulation
and/or public service provision, the understandings of citizenship,
civil life and state responsibility which underlie those
demands. Specific areas of research are issues of health;
educational policy; "third sector" service provision; court
policy and the role of "experts" in public policy development.
There are three externally funded research activities: two
large ARC projects: "Changing Roles of Community Sector
Peak Bodies" and "Citizenship and Reproductive Control -
The Ambiguous Status of Women in Ethical and Political Debate",
and a federally funded Operations Manual for Research Ethics
Committees for the Australian Health Ethics Committee.
War and State Development
studies the role of warfare and its accompanying effects as
a motor of social change at global, regional and local levels.
- The emphasis is on critical examination of the place of
warfare in human social development. The central concern
is the evaluation of arguments that war is a crucial motor
driving historical development and the shape of the State.
The Canadian Australian Studies Centre promotes a significant
regional orientation of ISCCI's research which occurs in most
of our thematic programs and enhances our existing international
collaborations. As a centre within ISCCI it help focus international
collaboration with Canada on our core research strengths.
ISCCI membership consists of the active researchers of the
University undertaking research and postgraduate training
in the core areas outlined above. There are currently 43 Members
drawn from four Faculties (Arts, Health and Behavioural Science,
Law, Science), though most are academics within the Faculty
of Arts. 91 postgraduate research students are supervised
by ISCCI members.
Research Student Training
ISCCI works in close cooperation with the Faculty of Arts
Research Committee, and the two have jointly prepared a Faculty
research student training policy.
The process of integrating research students into the program
areas of ISCCI commenced, in earnest, in 1998, through the
Faculty scholarship award recommendations and beginning to
incorporate research students more fully into ISCCI program
activities. This process is proceeding with some interesting
developments. There is a trend toward more scholarship holders,
more students working in areas directly related to ISCCI's
programs and more peer interaction across discipline boundaries.
These are early trends which will be increasingly apparent
as the emphasis on timely completion, increasing scholarship
opportunities and recruitment to ISCCI's research strengths
are apparent.
The research student management strategy is a joint development
of ISCCI and the Faculty of Arts. Comprehensive guidelines
have recently been produced for prospective and current postgraduate
research students which will standardise management practices
for research student training across the Faculty. These include:
- an updated information website coordinated with the University
Research Committee;
- development of an information kit to be supplied to all
beginning postgraduate students;
- provision of dedicated workspaces, common room and dedicated
computer equipment.
Specific activities developed for our research students include:
- a regular seminar series in which both research students
and visiting researchers present their work to postgraduates
and staff.
- dedicated postgraduate seminar days and plans for 'master
classes' for research students using distinguished visitors.
- establishing a pool of funds to supplement the existing
University postgraduate allowance, so that postgraduates
can realistically afford fieldwork and conference attendance.
- Acquiring industry sponsored scholarships and funding
matching scholarships for postgraduate research in areas
of research strength.
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