CAPPE - Research Grants
Current National and International Competitive Research Grants
Awarded To Centre Members
Prof SR Miller; Prof J O'Brien; Prof AJ MacIntyre; Mr F Galtung; Mr N Duncan; Prof CJ Sampford
ARC Linkage Grant
Corporate Governance, Regulation and Accountability: The Role of Multinational Corporations in Developing Commercial Advantage from Institutional Integrity
2008 : $38,954
2009 : $79,705
2010 : $77,682
2011 : $36,931
Total : $233,272
Collaborating/Partner Organisation: Tiri
Administering Institution: The Australian National University
Project Summary
The emerging market economies of India and China have become central to world economic growth. Despite a plethora of complex rules, regulatory reform agendas and industry‑designed codes of conduct, doing business in these markets remains exceptionally problematic. Working in partnership with some of the world's leading multinational corporations, the project will lead to important practical and conceptual advances in the design and implementation of institutional integrity systems. This work has significant advantages for the emerging market economies and those seeking to enter into or expand their operations there. Moreover, it will add significantly to the visibility and leverage of Australian research.
Dr J Moss; Dr KN White
ARC Linkage Grant
Health, Freedom and Independent Contracting
2007 : $25,225
2008 : $49,991
2009 : $46,991
2010 : $22,225
Collaborating/Partner Organisation: Kunexion $ 90,000
Total : $234,432
Administering Institution: The University of Melbourne
Project Summary
The project will offer significant insights into the effects of independent contracts on the key area of rural health. The project will be able to gauge whether independent contracts offer significant improvements to the health and well being of those who use them, as well as the advantages to industry. In addition, the project will also consider the important ethical issue of whether independent contracts enhance the freedom of individual workers and in what ways.
Prof TD Campbell
ARC Discovery Grant
An Australian alternative to Bills of Rights and the promotion of human rights responsibilities
2007 : $25,118
2008 : $25,118
2009 : $25,118
Administering Organisation: Charles Sturt University
Project Summary
It is important for Australia to have an effective strategy for domestic human rights protection. The project explores one such strategy involving the constitutional adoption of an Australian Charter of Rights that retains and develops exisiting democratic rights and responsibilities and provides incentives to the Parliament to enact comprehensive human rights legislation relating to political, social and economic power.
Dr JC Wolfendale; Prof CAJ Coady; Dr RJ Sparrow
ARC Discovery Grant
A study of Australia's ability to train soldiers to be effective and ethical
2007 : $200,000
2008 : $110,000
2009 : $130,000
Administering Organisation: The University of Melbourne
Project Summary
This project addresses the ARC's priority goals Protecting Australia from Terrorism and Crime and Transformational Defence Technologies. In the fight against terrorism and as defence technologies evolve it is crucial to uphold the Australian military's ethical commitments and international reputation. Australian soldiers must be responsive to rapidly changing threats in ways that maintain the military's core ethical commitments. By assessing current military practices in light of these commitments this project enhances the military's ability to train soldiers to be effective and ethical fighters. The internationally important outcomes of this project will also enhance Australia's high standing in the area of applied ethics.
Dr N Levy; Dr JM Kennett
ARC Discovery Grant
Neuroethics: The Practical and the Philosophical
2007 : $55,118
2008 : $65,118
2009 : $65,118
Administering Organisation: The University of Melbourne
Project Summary
The benefits of the project are twofold: practically, it will enable us to better regulate, personally and socially, the new technologies that the sciences of the mind are already producing; intellectually, it will enable us to better understand human agency in the light of the new knowledge generated by the sciences of the mind, and it will help to maintain Australia's reputation as an international leader in applied ethics and in philosophy of mind and agency.
Professor J Kleinig; Professor S Miller et al
National Science Foundation Grant
Security and Privacy: Global Standards for Ethical Identity Management in Contemporary Liberal Democratic States
2007-2008: US$234,000
Project Summary
This project is principally concerned with the analysis of the ethical dimensions of identity management technology, eg. electronic surveillance, data base integration and profiling, in the context of international crime and global terrorism. The reconciliation of the two basic values in conflict, namely security and privacy, in the form of a framework of global ethical standards, can be deployed in the design of specific institutional mechanisms and identity management tools.
Professor J Moor (Dartmouth College); Professor J Weckert; Dr F Allhoff
National Science Foundation Grant
Nanotechnology and Human Enhancement
2007-2009: US$250,000
Project Summary
This project focuses on the ethical and related philosophical issues that arise in the application of nanoscale technologies to human enhancement. Currently, most discussions of enhancement are in terms of genetics, drugs and various medical procedures, and more recently in neuroscience. However, while nanotechnology is not the only technology involved in human enhancement, it will be a core technology that drives other convergent technologies, such as information technology, biotechnology and cognitive science.
Prof T Campbell; A Alexandra; Associate Professor J Shearmur et al
EU/Australia Cooperation in Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training Grant
Network of Undergraduate Degrees in Ethics, Human Rights and Institutions
June 2006 - June 2009: $424,847 (for Australian component of the project)
Lead Australian Institution: Charles Sturt University
Australian Partner Institutions: University of Melbourne, The Australian National University, University of Adelaide
Lead EU Institution: Lancaster University
EU Partner Institutions: Luiss University, University of Helsinki, Universität Bielefeld
Project Summary
In a rapidly globalising world there is a growing need to equip professionals, public policy makers and public debate more generally with an understanding of the international and trans-cultural aspects of important ethical and human rights issues and the institutional frameworks within which they arise. This project provides a unique opportunity to meet this need by bringing together and building upon over-lapping and complementary research-led undergraduate educational programs in ethics, human rights and institutions. The project establishes a collaboration between such programs based at eight different universities (four in Australia; four in the EU) in order to offer a first-rate integrated network of eight undergraduate degrees in ethics, human rights and institutions. Chief activities include: stock take of existing academic content of the partner universities’ undergraduate degrees in philosophy and political science with a view to establishing a strand or area in each under the umbrella theme of ethics, human rights and institutions; ensure coherence of each of these strands with one another; re-shaping and extending the existing undergraduate degrees, eg, with the inclusion of relevant governance and other subjects; promoting the research-teaching nexus with infusion of academic content, including research, from participants; administrative work re credit for subjects, study abroad program, etc. Student mobility within the network will allow access to relevant expertise and promote cross-cultural understanding of ethical and human rights issues and the institutional context within which they arise.
Prof TW Pogge; Prof JA Whitworth
ARC Discovery Grant
Just Rules for Incentivizing Pharmaceutical Research and for Disseminating its Benefits
2006 : $136,000
2007 : $116,000
2008 : $106,000
Administering Institution: The Australian National University
Project Summary
Intelligent reform of the rules for incentivizing pharmaceutical research and for disseminating its benefits can cost effectively decimate the global disease burden. Australians would benefit directly, through lower drug prices, enhanced pharmaceutical research employment, and improved public health, as well as indirectly, through reduced threats from foreign diseases and better relations with the developing countries.
Dr KJ Horton
ARC Discovery Grant Collective Obligations and Partial Compliance
2006 : $74,340
2007 : $74,340
2008 : $74,340
Administering Institution: Charles Sturt University
Project Summary
The research I would conduct is likely to have considerable impact at both the national and international level. Despite the lack of systematic work on the issues my projects tackles, the importance of those issues is now widely recognized, and so work on them is likely to be widely noted and discussed. In addition, the research will have important implications for a number of the most prominent issues in contemporary life in Australia, such as issues concerning refugees, relations with the aboriginal community, and international aid.
Dr MN Guillemin; Dr LH Gillam; Prof DA Rosenthal
ARC Discovery Grant Hamstrung by ethics creep? Investigating human research ethics in practice
2006 : $60,000
2007 : $30,000
2008 : $55,000
Administering Institution: The University of Melbourne
Project Summary
This project will benefit national ethics review processes and ethical research practice. It will provide the community, funding bodies, researchers, participants and ethics committee members with confidence in both the ethics review process and day to day practice of health research. As health research becomes increasingly complex, it is vital that the conceptual bases used in ethical deliberations and their relationship to research practice are made explicit. By making known the ways that ethics committee members and health researchers make decisions about research ethics and how this influences the conduct of their practice, we can be assured that health research in the future is being conducted in the most effective and ethical way.
Dr CM Williamson; Dr JH McGregor; Prof JF Weckert; Dr YM Al Saggaf; Ms S Boyd
Generating knowledge and avoiding plagiarism: Smart information use by secondary students
2006 : $59,372
2007 : $50,000
Partner Organisations: Scotch College, Mater Christi College, Wesley College, Kooringal High School
Administering Institution: Charles Sturt University
Project Summary
Schools and tertiary institutions across Australia and the world are struggling to deal with the increasing problem of plagiarism. Public discussion tends to revolve around detection. By focusing on dealing with the roots of the problem through innovative teaching at the secondary level, the project supports recent school curriculum efforts in all Australian states, in International Baccalaureate schools and in the educational sector worldwide. The flow on effect at tertiary levels will contribute to the national benefits from the project. A toolkit that provides positive solutions to plagiarism will benefit any educator who is concerned about plagiarism and knowledge generation.
Dr GJ Marston; Dr J Moss
ARC Linkage Grant
Disability, Welfare and Work
2006 : $23,000
2007 : $45,500
2008 : $44,000
2009 : $21,500
Partner Organisation: ACE National
Administering Institution: The University of Queensland
Project Summary
The proposed project will offer significant insights into the experiences of people with a disability in the context of welfare to work policies. The project will be able to gauge the extent to which the significant amount of public funds invested in the new welfare to work measures is effective. In 2002/03 the Australian Government invested over 300 million dollars in Open Employment assistance. The applied research into conceptual questions such as the correct model of disability, the relation of obligation to our understanding of citizenship and associated ethical issues will assist in maintaining Australia at the cutting edge of applied philosophical and sociological research.
Prof SR Miller; Prof J Kleinig; A/Prof TJ Prenzler; Mr A Alexandra; Ms C Nixon; Mr GT Chilvers; Dr SP James; Mr D Bradley
An Integrity System for Victoria Police
2005 : $122,713
2006 : $167,494
2007 : $167,494
2008 : $100,000
Partner Organisation: Victoria Police
Administering Institution: Charles Sturt University
Project Summary
Through a critical examination of current integrity systems and sub-systems across a range of police forces, in depth empirical explorations at the primary research site (VicPol)and analyses of practical ethical problems, a high performance integrity system will be designed and tested. The significance of this project is its comprehensiveness, its use of a reliable theory of organisational ethical health, and of a methodology that allows for the full incorporation of practitioner views. Outcomes of the project will include data generating arrangements that provide evidence of achieved levels of compliance, integrity and performance.
Prof JF Weckert; Dr J Van den Hoven; Dr YM Al-Saggaf; Mr J Ridge
Ethics and Regulation in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Industry
2005 : $67,091
2006 : $68,810
2007 : $70,596
APA(I) Award(s): 1
Partner Organisation: Australian Computer Society
Administering Institution: Charles Sturt University
Project Summary
The broad aim of this project is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current integrity system of the ICT industry, that is, the ethical standards and goals, accountability and disciplinary mechanisms and preventative and promotional processes, eg. ethics training, reduced opportunity for inappropriate behaviour, and to define a new integrity system including standards of professional competency and ethical conduct, and a regulatory model applicable to the whole industry. As ICT becomes ever more ubiquitous, it is vital that a comprehensive and integrated system is developed that recognises the requirements of the ICT industry, the profession and business organisations
Dr J Moss; Dr RB Young
Reassessing Egalitarianism
2005 : $67,000
2006 : $50,000
2007 : $70,000
Administering Institution: The University of Melbourne
Project Summary
Ever since the French revolution the issues of equality and egalitarianism have had enormous significance for modern democracies. These topics are also particularly important in Australian life. Indeed, Australia is often described as an 'egalitarian society'. Clarifying contemporary accounts of egalitarianism and developing our own original account will be of major national significance. In addition, this project will focus on the important areas of health and unemployment, with specific consideration given to the role of individual responsibility in determining eligibility for unemployment and health benefits. The project will also help maintain Australia's place as a leader in the areas of political and social philosophy.
Dr AW Schaap
Fragility and Security: Human Rights, State Wrongs and Democratic Solidarity
2005 : $50,621
2006 : $55,000
2007 : $50,621
2008 : $50,621
Administering Institution: The University of Melbourne
Project Summary
This project will contribute to understanding our region and the world by providing a normative framework from which to judge the democratic value of security and human rights. In doing so, it will inform contemporary debates about border protection and clarify the role that Australian citizens should play in determining the nation's security interests and defending human rights. Moreover, an account of democratic solidarity will be developed, which would strengthen the bonds between citizens and non-citizens from different cultures thereby enhancing Australia's reputation as a tolerant, multicultural society. The implications of the findings for contemporary debates about the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia will be considered
Governance Research Network
CAPPE is a major partner in a new Governance Research Network for which the Australian Government announced funding on 25 August, 2004. The network, GovNet, is one of 24 new research networks to be funded by the Government.
Details of GovNet and its funding are:
The Governance Research Network (GovNet)
Network Convenor: Sampford, C
Admin Organisation: Griffith University
Total Indicative Funding (for 5 years): $1,500,000
Indicative Funding per Year (2004-05 to 2008-09): $300,000
Project Abstract
Institutions and their governance are frequently part of our most pressing problems - not least in our national research priorities. Hence, institutions are invariably a key part of the solutions. GovNet unites the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, the Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, two existing networks (RegNet, ANZSOG) and several other dynamic centres to create an interdisciplinary network of ethicists, lawyers, political scientists, economists and historians. It will tackle issues of institutional governance, from small firms to global institutions recognising both common governance issues and radically differing contexts. Together with APSEG and government agencies, it will apply cutting edge cross-disciplinary, theory-driven, evidence-based research to governance issues in the region.
Previous National Competitive Research Grants Awarded To Centre Members
Dr JM Kennett Dr P Gerrans. 2006-2006, The Structure of Moral Reasoning: Hume, Kant and the Evidence from Psychopathology and Neuroscience
Dr SC Matthews Dr JM Kennett. 2004-2005, The Normative Value of Unified Agency
ProfCA Coady A/Prof I Primoratz. 2004-2006, Contemporary Terrorism: Ethical and Conceptual Perspectives
Prof TD Campbell, MrBC Marden, Mr A Alexandra, Ms M Coady, Dr DG Cocking, Dr KN White. 2004-2005, Ethics, Regulation and the Professionalisation of Occupations
Dr TJ Bayne Dr N Levy. 2004-2006, Moral Responsibility and Cognitive Science: Agency, Empathy and Theory of Mind
Dr DG Cocking, A/Prof JF Weckert, Dr EV Rooksby, Prof Dr J van den Hoven, Prof Dr J de Mul. 2001-2003, ARC International Linkage Grant, On-Line Identity, Interpersonal Relationships And Society
Prof T Campbell, Prof J Goldsworthy, Ms A Stone, Prof L Alexander, Dr J Allan, Prof D Dyzenhaus, Prof C Gearty, Prof F Schauer, 2001-2003, ARC Large Grant, Legislative, Judicial and Popular Participation in the Protection of Human Rights in Australia
Prof S Miller, et al. 2002-2004: Australian Research Council Large Linkage Grant, Conceiving and Implementing National Integrity Systems Assessments
Alexandra, A., et al. 1999-2001: Australian Research Council Large Grant Innovation, Exclusion and Commodification of Plant Types: A Social And Philosophical Investigation of Plant Variety Rights in Australia.
Prof S Miller, et al. 2000-2001: Australian Research Council Strategic Partnerships with Industry for Research and Training (SPIRT) Grant (with Internal Affairs, NSW Police Service), Police Internal Affairs Investigations into Drug Related Crimes.
Prof C.A.J., Coady, Prof S Miller, M., et al. 1998-2000: Australian Research Council Large Grant, Business and Professional Ethics: Western and Chinese Perspectives.
Prof C.A.J., Coady, Prof S Miller, Prof H Shue 1997-1999: Australian Research Council Large Grant, Ethics of Armed Intervention.
Dr J Moss 1999: Research Grant from the Australia Institute, The Concept of Mutual Obligation and Implications for Policy.
Prof L Skene et al. 1999-2001: Australian Research Council, Commercialisation of Genetic Technology.
Prof L Skene, et al. 1998-1999: National Health and Medical Research Council, Preparation of Ethics Manual for Ethics Committees throughout Australia
Dr J Thompson 1999-2000: Australian Research Council Large Grant, Historical Obligation.