School of Social and Political Sciences - Research Publications
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ItemApplying Mixed Methods Research to Participatory Development Projects and Local Conflict Mediation: A Case Study from Indonesia(Sage Publications, 2009)An enduring lesson of social theory is that periods of institutional and political change are often associated with conflict. It is less well understood, however, whether and how development projects help, hinder or are incidental to these processes of change. This paper summarizes the methodological strategies underpinning a study designed to assess the ways in which a large participatory development project in rural Indonesia influenced trajectories of local conflict. Drawing upon a range of coherently integrated qualitative and quantitative research methods, it shows how, where and in what order these methods were combined to yield an innovative array of empirical data on which to base assessments regarding the nature and extent of the project’s impact on prevailing local conflicts. We conclude by offering some lessons from our study, and suggestions for others contemplating large-scale mixed methods research on complex issues.
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ItemBare-chested politics in central Sulawesi: The dynamics of local elections in a post-conflict region(ISEAS Publishing, 2009)The 2005 pilkada (pilihan kepala daerah, or local head election) for the positions of bupati (regent) and wakil bupati (deputy regent) in the troubled Indonesian district of Poso were of vital importance for the future stability of the region and the reconciliation processes under way. Given the instrumental role of political and electoral mobilization as one of the features underpinning violence in the post-Soeharto period, there were many fears that the elections could see a return to violence. From a social scientific perspective, the elections were also important as they allow us a snapshot of the status and dynamics of the broad peace that has endured since 2001 despite many incidences of provocation. Using a two-level conceptualization of peace at the elite and the grassroots level, this paper examines how far the pilkada elections are indicative of a move towards a more «positive" peace at the elite and grass-roots level. Examining various formal and informal interventions in the campaigning for the election, we argue that at the elite level, a strong negative peace is in place to prevent a return to conflict, but with little positive engagement co address some of the underlying problems or construct a mutual vision for the future for all groups involved. At the grass-roots level, we argue that voting patterns suggest a similar lack of positive peace at this level and an even weaker form of negative peace.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableIntroduction to the Review(University of Chicago Press, 2007-01-01)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableIs early retirement history?(Peter Lang Publishing, 2011)
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ItemNo Preview AvailablePromoting worker resilience over the lifecourse(Springer, 2011)In Australia, as in most other industrialized economies, there is growing concern about the work capacity of older workers and their retention in the workforce against a background of population aging and efforts to prolong working lives. It is widely recognized that working later will be promoted by equipping industry and workers with instruments that can gauge working potential. Although policy makers in most industrialized nations now consider an extension of working lives as the basis of sustaining welfare systems and offsetting decline in the number of young labor market entrants, globalization and the competition this fosters present as a strong countervailing force for both government and employers. Certain groups, including older workers with few or outdated skills, and those with declining health may be particularly affected by job insecurity and long-term unemployment. Reconciling these seemingly countervailing tensions is a problem now facing a number of industrialized economies. A resilient older worker whose skills and capabilities can easily adjust as the requirements of the market shift would help maintain labor productivity growth even as populations age (Hagemann and Nicoletti 1989).
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ItemNo Preview AvailablePlanning for an ageing workforce(Tampere University Press, 2011)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableAge Equality in Education and Training(Elsevier, 2010)The issue of age and work has come to prominence in recent years, particularly among European Union countries, as policymakers have grown concerned with the stability of social welfare systems and labor supply due to population aging. Critical to the prolongation of working lives is the maintenance and development of skills and competences. However, older workers' participation in learning activities is rather lower than among younger ones. While this issue is being addressed by policy reforms in a number of countries, the response overall could be described as fragmented, although much is now known about what works for older learners.
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ItemNo Preview AvailablePopulation ageing in a globalizing labour market: implications for older workers(Shandong University, 2009)