The School of Political Science and International Studies has won funding for two separate research projects in the UWA-UQ Bilateral Research Collaboration Awards.
The joint funding scheme supports projects between the University of Western Australia (UWA) and The University of Queensland (UQ) - with the aim of enhancing existing partnerships and supporting new collaborations.
UQ Professor Tim Dunne and UWA Professor Diane Stone will head a team investigating the way in which new policy ideas and standards are institutionalized.
Professor Dunne said the goal is to understand how Australia’s human rights policies are changing through new networks and norms (Responsibility to Protect), as well as non-traditional security issues such as piracy and illegal migration.
“I am very excited about this award,” Professor Dunne said.
“Professor Diane Stone has an international reputation for research on policy networks. On UQ’s side there is a very strong team of researchers interested in different dimensions of human security including Dr Melissa Curley, Dr Phil Orchard and Ms Sarah Teitt.”
The School also received funding for research into the politics of climate change in the Australian context.
Led by UQ’s Dr Matt McDonald and UWA Professor Mark Beeson, the ultimate aim is to develop an integrated assessment of the political challenges facing climate change in Australia, with a view to identifying how progressive change might be enabled.
“Despite an international scientific consensus about the impact of climate change and initial public support for mitigation measures, policy implementation has proved difficult and contentious and public opinion has shifted significantly,” Dr McDonald said.
“This project will identify and explain the impact of the political obstacles confronting climate change policy in Australia and their role in changing public perceptions about the merits of mitigation.”
These awards are the latest in a series of successes for the school. In the recent Faculty Teaching Awards three of the School’s academic staff were recognised.
Mr Kamil Shah received the Faculty Award for Tutors, Dr Sebastian Kaempf was awarded a Faculty Commendation for Early Career Teaching Excellence and Associate Professor Andrew Hindmoor won the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award.
Head of the School of Political Science and International Studies, Professor Gillian Whitehouse said it was great to be able to circulate such a collection of excellent outcomes.
“It is testament to the continued hard work of our academics in research and teaching excellence,” Professor Whitehouse said.
