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‘We must be quickly sailing’: Convict contributions to the economic development of Australia
Get PDFFor many, convict transportation was a nightmare; for some, it became an opportunity; for Australia, it is an enduring element in our national economic story. Convicts have been both reviled and revered in the Australian public consciousness—portrayed as criminal blights or as incarcerated innocents. This essay puts aside this discourse to argue that convicts played a crucial role in the development of the colonial Australian economy. Convicts both during their incarceration and after their emancipation were significant in supporting public development, private enterprise, and trade. Moreover, this essay argues that notions of economic ‘contributions’ ought to be reconsidered. It highlights the silences of historical and economic data, and how historiographical trends have marginalised both the contributions of female convicts and the impact that convicts had on Indigenous people in this economic story. This essay concludes by emphasising that convicts have made significant direct and indirect contributions to the economic development of Australia
Resisting change: Women and youth in a post-oil world: Analysing Saudi Arabia’s Vision2030 reforms
Get PDFIn this paper, I conduct a critical analysis of Saudi Arabia’s Vision2030 reforms. In 2016, the King of Saudi Arabia, Muhammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS), introduced economic reforms to diversify the economy away from oil dependency. I analyse Saudi Arabia’s historic experience as a ‘rentier state’, and examine how the country plans to expand its economy beyond oil production. In doing so, I explore the effects of the Vision2030 reforms on two key groups: women and youth. I find women and youth have historically been excluded from Saudi Arabia’s economy, and while the Vision2030 reforms acknowledge the economic deficits faced by these groups, the reforms do little to address the major structural problems preventing women and youth from full economic participation
The Impact of Ski Resort Disturbance on Bird Species Distribution in Kosciuszko National Park
Get PDFAs alpine tourism expands, the disturbance of natural habitat creates substantial changes in the composition of vegetation communities and their dependent bird populations. This investigation was conducted to determine if ski resorts are negatively impacting bird species abundance and distribution within Kosciuszko National Park. Species presence was measured along six 2km transects from highly disturbed ski resorts out to less disturbed habitat. Birds were categorized by known species weight, feeding preferences and habitat choice simplified to Boolean classes (large > 100g < small) and generalist category; combined sum of suitable food and habitat types (generalist > 4 < specialist). The conclusions of the study found that total bird abundance and species richness was higher in close proximity to ski resorts and that both generalist and larger bird species were favoured in high disturbance locations. This could imply that small specialist species are the most susceptible to the effects of environmental disturbance caused by ski resorts. Future studies may consider the negative impact that ski resort disturbance has on small specialist bird species and may include the impacts of indirect disturbances such as dieback events and global warming induced habitat fragmentation
What do you mean by ‘infeasible?’ An exploration of feasibility in policymaking
Get PDFWe often hear policy proposals dismissed on grounds of infeasibility, but what do we actually mean when we call something ‘infeasible?’ Is feasibility simply a matter of what’s possible? Should we consider policies as categorically feasible or infeasible, or rather more feasible and less feasible, relative to one another? Is it feasible for a nation to achieve economic stability by opening mines, which randomly strike an abundance of gold? In this essay, I aim to answer these questions, and provide a definitive framework of feasibility to be used in the assessment of government policies. Three main frameworks of feasibility will be explored—the PA (possibility account), SPA (simple probability account), and CPA (conditional probability account). I will conclude that the CPA is the strongest of these and should be put to use when deliberating policies. Furthermore, I will assert that instead of categorising actions and thus policies as simply ‘feasible’ or ‘infeasible’, they must be categorised as more or less ‘feasible’ in relation to one another
Rejecting the universality of neoliberalism: A study of capitalism in India and South Korea
Get PDFNeoliberalism has long been put forward by leading Western capitalist actors as a universally applicable model for economic development. This paper rejects this supposed ‘universality’ by studying the economic development and rise of capitalism in India and South Korea. India’s production, economy, and political institutions were decimated under British occupation. Since independence, India has struggled to build up its economy while establishing a stable government. Forced to turn to neoliberalism to secure loans and keep up with established economies, the cycle of poverty established in colonial times has only been reinforced. In contrast, South Korea has been able to establish a flourishing economy through following its own form of state-guided capitalism. In a similar economic position to India after suffering Japanese occupation and the Korean War, South Korea rejected neoliberal policy and built up their industries within the national economy before joining the global market. Thus, while neoliberal policy may be suited to the Western nations it was designed in and for, it is not necessarily suitable for the culture and economic realities of other nations. Ultimately, the failings of neoliberalism in India and the success of South Korea’s tailored capitalist system serve as evidence to reject the ‘universality’ of neoliberalism and encourage the establishment of localised socio-economic practice
Introduction
No full textThe ANU Undergraduate Research Journal (AURJ) sets out to exhibit some of the highest calibre of research and writing produced by Australian National University (ANU) undergraduates. The articles in the present volume range once again across a variety of disciplines, including diplomacy, political studies, law, linguistics, literature, history, archaeology, and film. This year’s selection of articles is also notable for being a fitting representation of the breadth of ANU research across time and space, from an analysis of the economic contributions of convicts in colonial Australia to a forward-looking critique of Saudi Arabia’s Vision2030 reforms. Perhaps most importantly, the 12 papers contained in the present volume showcase our students’ capacities for rigorous research, strong argumentation, and original thought. In the context of the rapid rise of generative AI and the justifiable concerns about what role it should play in the academic world, this feels especially pertinent. While the best response to and use of generative AI in research and education is still very much up for debate, it is more important than ever to celebrate the irreplaceable and imperative role of the individual in the research and writing process. The unique voices of students found in the articles in this volume attest to that.
Increasing dominance by a native shrub effects plant-pollinator interactions but not pollen transfer
Get PDFClimate change is causing plant species to shift distributions, especially in alpine environments. These changes could potentially impact plant-pollinator interactions and pollen transfer. This study assessed how Nematolepis ovatifolia (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, a mass flowering shrub in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales, Australia, effected the pollination ecology of co-flowering. Visitation surveys in small plots with differing abundances of N. ovatifolia were conducted to construct plant-pollinator networks. A compound light microscope was used to count conspecific (CP) and N. ovatifolia pollen grains on plant stigmas. Bipartite networks and generalized linear mixed models were used to find patterns in the data. There was evidence for N. ovatifolia effecting visitation patterns at high densities. However, N. ovatifolia abundance was found not to significantly effect CP and N. ovatifolia pollen deposition onto the stigmas of other plants. CP deposition was significantly lower in Pimelea alpina F. Muell. ex Meisn. and N. ovatifolia pollen deposition was very low across all species. Visitation was not a good predictor for pollen transfer. Further studies should include more plant species over longer time periods and analyze seed set. These findings demonstrate that the effect of range shifting native plants on plant-pollinator networks may not be analogous to that of invasive species
Surviving rather than thriving: Indonesian language education in Australian high schools
Get PDFThis paper examines the current state of, and potential opportunities for promoting, Indonesian language education in Australian high schools and the long-term strategic applications of such investment. This paper is presented in two parts. The first examines the decline in the study of Indonesian language, placing this trend in the broader context of issues affecting the efficacy of language planning policy and the praxis of language other than English (LOTE) education in the Australian education system. This section addresses the key limitations of established approaches to the formulation of LOTE education policy and its implementation in Australian schools. The second part of this paper cross-references the findings of linguists, academics and practitioners, and political actors to demonstrate how embedding Indonesian language studiesinto the Australian education system can deliver a range of benefits for students, Australian society, and the national interest. The introduction of Bahasa Indonesia into the linguistic ecology of Australian schools is an agent of intellectual enrichment for young Australians and equips them for prosperous working lives in the internationalised work cycle of Asia Pacific. Furthermore, Indonesian language is of the utmost importance to achieving subregional security and development as well as culturally embedding Australia with its neighbours. Thus, the paper evaluates present approaches to promote Indonesian languages. The reinvigoration of Indonesian language study needs greater investment into a range of areas including Indonesian language teaching in the early childhood/primary years; increased rigour and access to suitable testing systems; deeper institutional linkages and study abroad; and increased investment in teaching materials and teacher training. Through this more systematic approach to bolstering the study of Bahasa Indonesia, policymakers can secure a more prosperous future for the citizens of both countries and help realise a greater stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region
What have we learned about climate change and interstate conflict in the last decade?
Get PDFA review of the extant literature reveals little consensus on the relationship between climate change and global conflict. A general model of the relationship between climate and conflict is discussed. It is argued that pathways from climate change to interstate conflict are difficult to identify due to multiple stressors resulting from climate change occurring simultaneously, with an array of possible interactions that are relevant in specific contexts. In particular, the literature on trans-state water scarcity and variability demonstrates tendencies towards both conflict and cooperation. Directions for future research are proposed to assist policymakers to anticipate international tensions caused by climate change and design targeted interventions to address the risks
Stories of power: A comparative analysis of judicial normativity in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong
Get PDFRobert Cover identifies that when deciding ‘hard cases’ about constitutional rights, judges construct narratives prioritising one normative universe (nomos) over others. This essay advances Cover’s claim, arguing that courts’ preferred nomos explains a power dynamic that is then weaponised to curtail or strengthen constitutional rights. I illustrate this judicial approach through a comparative analysis of three cases across Malaysia (Lina Joy v Federal Territory Islamic Council), Singapore (Lim Meng Suang v Attorney-General), and Hong Kong (Ng Ka Ling v Director of Immigration). This essay’s dismantling of the normative frames of judicial analysis in such ‘hard cases’ is significant because it illustrates that the court’s findings are not legally irrepressible but deconstructable and disputable. My analysis is unique in focusing on how normatively constructed power relations shape constitutional rights. I conclude by noting that judges should transparently accommodate this inevitable normativity and allow the scope of their intervention to be determined by the facts of the case.