26 July 2010

Environment Minister Peter Garrett recently launched the Australian Centre for Cultural Environmental Research (AUSCCER) at the University of Wollongong recognizing its substantial role in delivering new environmental thinking in the 21st Century. AUSCCER is a research initiative funded by the University of Wollongong and the Australian Research Council (ARC). The ARC funding has come via an Australian Laureate Fellowship to Professor Lesley Head (2009-14) and a Future Fellowship to Professor Chris Gibson (2010-13).

Scientific research over the last few 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 recognized by the scientific and governance communities that these problems require social and cultural as well as scientific solutions.

Yet until now Australia has been almost completely lacking in systematic investment in cultural environmental research, partly because of the tradition of lone scholarship within the humanities and social sciences.

AUSCCER will help redress this problem through its coordinated program of research.

The fellowships include money for postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, project support and to equip a human geography laboratory. UOW has provided space, supplementary funding and teaching replacements (both of whom are also cultural researchers) for Head and Gibson. Together these resources help build critical mass in research, and research training, focused on cultural environmental research. Three new postdocs and eight new Higher Degree Research students will have commenced by the end of 2010.

What is 'cultural environmental research'?

Cultural environmental research is the scholarly exploration of how humans interact with and understand the environment. This exploration requires cultural research methods and concepts because the ways humans understand their surrounding environments and relate to them is a function of cultural attitudes, beliefs and backgrounds. Cultural environmental research draws on many disciplinary traditions; AUSCCER already includes people with backgrounds in human and physical geography, environmental history, cultural studies and political ecology.

What will AUSCCER do?

• undertake in-depth cultural analysis of Australia's highest priority environmental issues. For example, current projects focus on climate change understanding in the Illawarra; land-use in tree change areas; household sustainability behaviours; food production in the Murrumbidgee; and invasive plant management.
• strengthen national humanities/social science research and research training capacity in the environmental field. For example, two weeks ago Dr Emily O'Gorman hosted a national workshop of scholars working on cultural histories and geographies of rivers.
• drive methodological innovation. For example, Chris Gibson and Chris Brennan-Horley are internationally known for their application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to cultural research.
• use cultural diversity as a resource to imagine alternative management options. For example Rob Evitt is looking at the implications of climate change for Aboriginal use of fire on country.
• provide a basis for more effective engagement with the natural and physical sciences. For example, AUSCCER researchers are working with CSIRO energy engineer Dr Peter Osman on how people interact with their solar hot water systems, and how the technology can be improved.
• contribute to the development of relevant local, state and federal policy. For example, Christine Eriksen's work on gender differences in bushfire preparedness is being used by the NSW Rural Fire Service to improve their training and education programs.

Perhaps most importantly, AUSCCER aims to contribute innovative thinking to the wicked problems that Australia faces with regard to sustainability.

In the words of Innovation Minister Carr:

"My aim in innovation is not to flood the country with shiny gadgets, but to change the culture… we will… need new institutions, new forms of community – new ways of understanding ourselves and the world.¹"

Minister Garrett said:

"This is a mark of new environmental thinking in the 21st century and I think the contribution that [it] will make in terms of delivering research for us will be a substantial one. I wish this bold new research centre…every success as you embark on your journey."

Links: Launch  AUSCCER

Footnote

1. Carr, K. 2008 The Art of Innovation. Symposium. Newsletter of the Australian Academy of the Humanities 40, p. 8

 

For more information, please contact:

Executive Director

Council of the Humanties, Arts and Social Sciences

Phone: +61 2 6249 1995

director [at] chass.org.au