RESEARCH AIMS AND PLANS

AUSCCER started from the human geography node within GeoQuEST Research Centre and the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. AUSCCER brings together a uniquely strong combination of expertise in several relevant aspects of cultural environmental research, and aims to make significant conceptual, methodological and practical contributions to the field.

Our plans are organised into two parallel strands:

1. Conceptualising the cultural environment

• Pathbreaking theoretical work on the relationships between culture and nature

• Documenting through empirical work how cultures interact with ‘natural’ and human-built environments, including a special focus on the domestic environment of the household

• Applying cultural economy perspectives, i.e. bringing cultural theory to bear on questions of economy and environment, regarding how humans access nature, use cultural infrastructures, exchange ideas and value financial and material resources

2. Advancing cultural research for environmental sustainability

• Critical and historical analysis of what stands for common sense and normal environmental behaviour, and how it came to be.

• Understanding cultural diversity, in its fullest sense, as a substantial resource for envisaging alternatives.

• Identification of thresholds of change and resistance in different sectors of the community in relation to key environmental issues.

Across these two strands, we will advance methodological innovations:

Ø using innovative sampling strategies that seek to tap the existing diversity of attitude and practice

Ø documenting the cultural environment using historical, qualitative and digital spatial technologies (e.g. Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS))

Ø integrating methodologies in new ways: e.g. testing and deploying video and spatial technologies; developing interactive online portals to generate data and communicate research results