Australian Centre for Cultural Environmental Research (AUSCCER)

The Australian Centre for Cultural Environmental Research (AUSCCER) is an exciting new research initiative commencing in 2009, funded by the University of Wollongong and the Australian Research Council (ARC). AUSCCER’s inaugural Director is Professor Lesley Head, Australian Laureate Fellow (2009-2014).

Background

Scientific research over the last several decades has demonstrated unambiguously that humans and their influences have become an integral component of environmental processes, seen most starkly in the human contribution to climate change. It is now well recognised by the scientific and governance communities that these problems require social and cultural as well as scientific solutions. Scientific leaders themselves now frequently call for a ‘culture change’ in our environmental positioning and policies. Human and physical sciences alike have reached a convergent point on recommending urgent research on the social/cultural dimensions of sustainability issues.

Yet two fundamental problems persist. First, academic specialisation has segmented the humanities and social sciences from the natural sciences, unhelpfully separating analysis of culture from the environment. Second, Australia is almost completely lacking in systematic investment in cultural environmental research. The aim of AUSCCER is to redress these problems through current and new research projects.

AUSCCER will:

• undertake in-depth cultural analysis of Australia’s highest priority environmental issues to make both intellectual and practical contributions to the pressing problems of environmental sustainability
• strengthen national humanities/social science research and research training capacity in the environmental field, with particular strengths in ethnographic and related social science methods
• drive theoretical and practical research frontiers on the cultural environment
• provide a basis for more effective multidisciplinary engagement with the natural and physical sciences
• contribute to the development of relevant local, state and federal policy
• build Australia’s international research presence in the cultural dimensions of environmental sustainability