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Breakthrough UK grant for Arts/Law

20 July 2005

The British Economic and Social Research Council has awarded Monash arts and law scholars, together with researchers from the University of London Institute of Commonwealth Studies, nearly $500,000.

The funding is a significant breakthrough for Monash's involvement in international social science research.

It comes under the umbrella and on the initiative of the Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements.

Institute director Professor John Nieuwenhuysen said five senior Monash researchers and three UK researchers would operate together to investigate non-government agencies working in traditionally government fields.

The project aims to develop an understanding of how policy-making for issues spanning mostly 'North-South' concerns -- generally meaning Europe-Africa and Europe-Asia -- can be made more effective, inclusive and responsive to the needs and interests of non-government organisations.

"Apart from the internationally-recognised importance of the topic, the project will forge valuable international as well as cross-faculty links," Professor Nieuwenhuysen said.

"This is a major breakthrough that enables Monash social scientists to be part of internationally-funded, cooperative and interdisciplinary research."

He said it was often difficult for the social sciences to attract funding for international projects, as research interests were more likely to be confined to individual countries and regions.

"But we have identified a way in which Australian scholars can be successful in applications for UK and European grants, which bodes well for the future -- and that is an especially exciting aspect of the grant," Professor Nieuwenhuysen said.

Those involved are Professor Graeme Hodge from the Faculty of Law, Professor James Walter, head of the School of Political and Social Inquiry, and his colleagues Professor Carla Lipsig-Mumme, Associate Professor Colleen Lewis and Dr Susan Blackburn.