Research publications and outcomes
Through its engaged, interdisciplinary research into transformations in culture and society, the Institute contributes to the understanding and shaping of contemporary local and global life.
Regularly published authored books, edited collections, refereed journals and reports share the knowledge needed to bring about positive change in the world. In addition to frequently publishing their research through these works, our members contribute to the sharing of knowledge as the editors of journals including Journal of Cultural Economy, Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space and Journal of Australian Studies.
Issues is a multilingual journal of short essays on topics of historical and contemporary relevance, housed at the Institute.
Featured
rīvus - A Glossary of Water
Edited by José Roca and Juan Francisco Salazar
A Glossary of Water is a substantial publication presented as an artist book, a scholarly reference and a beautiful object. Edited by José Roca and Juan Francisco Salazar, A Glossary of Water is a limited edition aquatic artefact, a companion to the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, titled rīvus. The principal working themes – weaving and rivers – naturally expand towards topics like rights of nature, sustainability, food security, consumption, pollution, biodiversity, extinction and ancestral technologies.
This publication sheds light on an important and urgent subject and highlights the deep connections that Australia has to its waterways and bodies of water. The book follows the logic of a glossary, using approximately 80 terms as headings and “definitions” such as creek, dam, estuary, flood, weave and weft. A Glossary of Water has been printed sustainably on excess paper stock of different types and weights from previous book projects, rather than recycled paper, giving the profile of the publication the look and feel of the sediment of the river. A Glossary of Water is available to order online. Orders can be delivered directly to your address or can be picked up from the Info Hub located at The Cutaway at Barangaroo.
Making Animals Public
By Gay Hawkins and Ben Dibley
Natural history television on the ABC has been one of the public broadcaster’s most popular formats. For many viewers, TV has been an important contact zone for engaging with animals they would never encounter in everyday life. These animals have also played a critical role in developing environmental awareness. But how did animals get to be on the small screen and what happened to them when they got there?
Making Animals Public: Inside the ABC’s Natural History Archive traces the cultural and political evolution of the natural history animal on the ABC. It explores different modes of capture from cages to cameras; what has come to count as a natural history animal over time; and the various sites they have inhabited – from nature, to the nation, to the environment, to the planet.
In early natural history programs audiences were invited to watch as sovereign humans there to learn or be entertained by animals that were exotic or aesthetic or scientifically interesting. Whatever the framing, these animals were resolutely other. In recent times, natural history animals have become more assertive. They are now posing uncomfortable questions to human viewers about exploitation, extinction and mutual implication in catastrophic whole earth processes like climate change.
Tales of South American Football: Passion, Revolution and Glory
By Jorge Knijnik
Jorge Knijnik's second work of non-fiction via Fair Play Publishing is a compelling contribution to sports literature: a Brazilian-born Australian humanities academic writing about his passion—football—in his homeland and the continent it belongs to.
Exquisitely researched and written, it captures the elegance of the star players and the visceral struggles in South American societies describing the social and political context of football on the content where jogo bonito is a force that both divides and unites people.
The backdrop of volatile politics, oppression and inequality in the continent is painted behind vignettes of football games, players, politicians and the sport itself.
Jorge Knijnik manages to capture the heat, both political and literal, in his descriptions of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, their beautiful games, and their beautiful players.
The Value of Housing Co-Operatives in Australia
By Louise Crabtree-Hayes, Liz Ayres, Neil Perry, Piret Veeroja, Emma R. Power, Sidsel Grimstad, Wendy Stone, Jeremy Niass, Nestor Guity
This report presents the findings of the ARC Linkage Project 'Articulating Value in Housing Co-operatives' undertaken in partnership with the Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance. It presents the first data set on affordable rental housing co-operatives across New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. Building on and amending previous cost-consequences frameworks, it demonstrates the extent of work that tenant-members contribute to their co-operatives, the benefits experienced by tenant-members, and connections between these. It highlights the role of co-operativism and participation in driving beneficial housing outcomes and the value of a diverse housing co-operative sector. The report builds on its findings to make recommendations for thriving co-operatives, identify limitations to its study, and suggest opportunities for future research.
