News
NowHere: The Decisive Moment (Politics)
Wed, 15 May 2019 | 6.00pm | National Hotel, Fremantle | Get your ticket here
Can politics save us from ourselves?
Humanity is changing the Earth in ways never seen before. The oceans are acidifying, the climate is changing, and world is awash in plastic. Scientists are telling us that we have pushed the Earth into an entirely new state, one dominated by human activity.
Welcome to the Anthropocene: the era of humankind.
If we have the power to shape the deep future of the Earth and all living things upon it, then how should we think, act and feel in this decisive moment?
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Start with a climb through the Staircase Gallery. The photographic exhibition will take you on an aesthetic and scientific journey through the deep history of some the oldest landscapes on Earth, all the way to the rooftop of The National Hotel. Contemplate alone or with friends where we are now as a species and as a planet, with a drink from an elevated perspective. All prints for sale - make us an offer on the evening and help us to cover our costs!
Then drop a level for a panel discussion and Q&A exploring the role of politics in confronting human-caused environmental change. Here, listen to some of Western Australia's most respected and experienced political minds as they discuss the political challenge of delivering a more sustainable, desirable and just future for all in the Anthropocene. This is a must-see event three days out from the Federal Election!
SCHEDULE:
6.00-7.00pm: Photographic Exhibition @ the Staircase Gallery, National Hotel (entrance off High St.)
7.00-8.30pm: Panel Discussion and Q&A @ the National Hotel (first floor - entrance from Staircase Gallery)
• Dr. Brad Pettitt (Mayor City of Fremantle)
• Senator Jordon Steele-John (Senator for Western Australia [Greens] and McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the Year)
• Prof. Carmen Lawrence (former Western Australian Premier [ALP]; former federal parliamentarian [ALP]; current president Conservation Council of Western Australia)
• Dr. Martin Brueckner (Senior Lecturer and Co-Director of the Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability, Murdoch University)
Grab a drink+food, have a chat, and lets tackle our decisive moment.
GET YOUR FREE TICKET VIA EVENTBRITE
Join us for an evening discussion with Professor Robyn Alders AO: On gender equity and sustainable food systems
Fri, 10 May 2019 | 5.30pm - 6.30pm | Art Gallery Murdoch University, Level 1, Building 121, 90 South Street Murdoch WA 6150 | Register here
Professor Robyn Alders AO
Senior Scientific Advisor, Centre for Global Health Security
Director, Kyeema Foundation, Australia and Mozambique
Robyn Alders is a Senior Scientific Advisor with the Centre for Global Health Security within Chatham House, Director of the Kyeema Foundation and a Visiting Fellow with the Development Policy Centre within the Australian National University.
For over 25 years, she has worked closely with family farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, SE Asia and Australia and as a veterinarian, researcher and colleague, with an emphasis on the development of sustainable infectious disease control in animals in rural areas in support of food and nutrition security.
Robyn’s current research and development interests include domestic and global food and nutrition security/systems, One Health/Planetary Health, gender equity and Science Communication.
In May 2002, Robyn was the recipient of the Kesteven Medal, awarded by the Australian Veterinary Association and the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in recognition of distinguished contributions to international veterinary science in the field of technical and scientific assistance to developing countries. In January 2011, she was invested as an Officer of the Order of Australia by the Governor General of Australia for distinguished service to veterinary science as a researcher and educator, to the maintenance of food security in developing countries through livestock management and disease control programs. In February 2017, Robyn was the recipient of the Inaugural Mitchell Global Humanitarian Award which recognises Australians and others supported by Australian aid who have made an outstanding contribution to the cause of international development.
Register via Eventbrite by Fri 3rd May:
NowHere: The Decisive Moment (Arts and Culture)
Wed 17th April | Doors 6.00pm | National Hotel, Fremantle, WA
Welcome to the Anthropocene: the era of humankind.
If we have the power to shape the deep future of the Earth and all living things upon it, then how should we think, act and feel in this decisive moment?
*************
Come for an aesthetic and scientific journey through the deep history of some the oldest landscapes on Earth, all the way to the rooftop of The National Hotel. Contemplate alone or with friends where we are now as a species and as a planet, with a drink from an elevated perspective.
Then drop a level for panel presentations and a Q&A exploring the artistic and cultural responses to human-caused planetary change from some of Western Australia's most acclaimed cultural thinkers. Here, we ask how art and culture can be used to illuminate, confront, and ultimately combat unwanted environmental change, as well as the role of art and culture in delivering a better world for all.
Doors open: 6pm (The Staircase Gallery, National Hotel, entrance off High St.).
Panel presentations and Q&A: 7.00-8.30pm (First floor, the National Hotel, entrance off Market or High St).
• John Kinsella (Internationally acclaimed poet, novelist, essayist, critic and editor)
• Ionat Zurr (Award winning biological artist; curator, researcher and academic coordinator of SymbioticA)
• Gwenael Velge (Aerial photographer, artist, sociologist)
• *More speakers to be announced!
Grab a drink+food, have a chat, and lets tackle our decisive moment.
RSVPs essential: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/createinvite?eid=59264553876
NANGA SDGS WEEKEND
Connecting people and planet | Fri 26 - Sun 28 July 2019 | Dwellingup
Read more here.
NowHere: The Decisive Moment (Science Panel)
Wed, 6 March 2019 | 6.30pm - 8.30pm | The National Hotel, Fremantle, WA
Humanity is changing the Earth in ways never seen before. The oceans are acidifying, the climate is changing, and world is awash in plastic. Scientists are telling us that we have pushed the Earth into an entirely new state, one dominated by human activity.
Welcome to the Anthropocene: the era of humankind.
If we have the power to shape the deep future of the Earth and all living things upon it, then how should we think, act and feel in this decisive moment?
Read more and get your ticket here.
NowHere: The Decisive Moment (Opening Night)
Wed, 20 February 2019 | 6.00pm - 9.30pm | The National Hotel, Fremantle, WA
Welcome to 2019.
Time for change.
Humanity has pushed the earth into an entirely new geological epoch called the Anthropocene. If we are geological agents with the power to shape the evolution of all life on Earth for millions of years into the future, then how should we think, feel and act in this decisive moment?
Come travel through deep geological time, all the way to the rooftop.
Get a view of where we are at Now,
and a glimpse of where to from Here.
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Photographic exhibition and public lectures confronting the Anthropocene
by Gwenaël Velge & Dr. Neville Ellis
Opening guest speaker: Prof. Carmen Lawrence 7pm
Nibbles and finger food provided
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CRCS Summer Writing Retreat
11 - 14th February 2019
Each year the Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability hosts a summer Writing Retreat to foster a supportive culture of writing. The sequestered time allows us to engage more deeply with our emergent writing in ways that will sustain our writing and help to bring discrete writing projects to fruition. The purpose of the Retreat is to begin to produce or endeavour to complete a piece of work. This may be an article ready for publication, a chapter towards a PhD or book, a paper for a conference or whatever goal you set for your three nights away. Each evening after dinner, two people present their work-in-progress to obtain constructive feedback on their research ideas and writing.
Find out more and how to apply
Responsible Student Travel - Protecting Children and Communities
Wednesday 10th October, 9.30am - 3.15pm, John XXIII College - Mount Claremont
Hear from the government, child protection experts, advocates and travel organisations to understand what needs to change for schools and universities engaging with children and communities overseas.
Book launch of Participatory Development Practice: using traditional and contemporary frameworks (Practical Action Publications, 2018).
Friday 28th September, 2pm- 5pm, Murdoch University - The Loft (upstairs, Sir Walters Cafe)
We offer a 2-hour professional development training in community development followed by the book launch.
Building a New Economy for Western Australia - Two Day Symposium
Friday 24th and Saturday 25th August 2018
Tickets - $50 waged $25 concession
Western Australia is blessed with bountiful natural resources and a wealth of human talent. But the model on which our society is based is intrinsically unstable, resulting in booms and busts, degradation of natural resources, uncertainty of business and employment, and concerns about social justice. Time and time again, our faith is placed in the latest short-term 'silver bullet': a new resources boom, a new infrastructure project, a drive for more technological innovation. But too often such proposals come at an interconnected economic, social and environmental cost.
Fortunately, there is a growing awareness across Australia and internationally that can see that 'more of the same' is not the answer. Unfortunately, more often than not, we still work in a siloed fashion, believing that our approach to creating new, diverse economies and better ways for our society to live, work, play and care for the environment is the best.
However there is a new movement emerging for a ‘New Economy’ working to transform Australia’s economic system so that achieving ecological health and social justice are the foundational principles and primary objectives. Many different movements have emerged around the world focused on the concept of a ‘New Economy’. Although they use different labels, such as the Social Economy, Solidarity Economy, Sharing Economy, Collaborative Economy, Steady State Economy and Community Economy, they all share two key goals: (i) to challenge the current dominant economic system, with its reliance on fossil fuels, large scale resource extraction and socially unjust structures and wealth distribution, and (ii) to create and strengthen economic systems that serve the needs of people in ways that are ecologically sustainable, socially just and culturally diverse.
Therefore the 2018 "Building a New Economy for Western Australia” Symposium is being developed with the following objectives:
1. Networking/Community building – Bring all the people and organisations working in this ‘New Economy’ space together to meet each other and develop strong relationships.
2. Connect the dots between existing initiatives - remember an economy is really about looking after the wellbeing of everyone; no initiative has all the answers, their approach is simply one of many. Rather than competing with business as usual and between ourselves we need to find common ground on how we approach our collective challenges.
3. A precursor to the 2019 national New Economy Conference – following on from events in Sydney (2016), Brisbane (2017), Melbourne (later in 2018) discussions are being held with NENA (see below) to run the 2019 instalment in Perth. As such this year’s event aims to build interest and act as a testbed for ideas.
Assisting local people in hosting the conference are the following national leaders in the New Economy movement who will be delivering keynote speeches:
● Dr. Michelle Maloney is a lawyer, activist and co-founder of the New Economy Network of Australia and co-founder/director of Australian Earth Laws Alliance. She is the former Chairperson of the Environmental Defenders Office Queensland and Executive Committee member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature. Michelle is passionate about building Earth centred law, governance and ethics and ensuring new economic initiatives are anchored to Earth centred values. Michelle holds degrees in law and politics from ANU and a PhD in law from Griffith University.
● Dr. José Ramos is a researcher of and advocate for commons based social change. His focus is on supporting anticipatory design and social innovation through his practice Action Foresight and through a number of high impact projects. He is senior consulting editor for the Journal of Future Studies, and writes widely on cultural, political and economic issues.
● Dr. Amanda Cahill is the CEO of The Next Economy. Originally trained in anthropology, she has spent over two decades working with communities across Australia, Asia and the Pacific to develop more equitable and sustainable local economies. Over the last few years she has been working with coal and gas affected communities in Australia to develop economic transition plans that will move Australia closer to zero emissions while strengthening local economies. Amanda has a PhD in Human Geography from the Australian National University, an Adjunct Lecturer position at the University of Queensland and was on the founding committee of the New Economy Network of Australia.
● Dr. Martin Brueckner is a senior lecturer at Murdoch University who over the last fourteen years has worked in a variety of teaching and research capacities across different disciplines and universities with a focus on sustainability with a social and natural justice lens. He is co-founder and co-director of the Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability - a multidisciplinary hub for teaching and research that endeavours to shape new thinking and practice on key aspects of responsible citizenship.
The format for the event is as follows (full programme TBA):
● Friday 24th August 6pm to 9pm at The Platform Perth, Adelaide Terrace, Perth
o Welcome to country
o Introduction to the New Economy Network of Australia from co-founder Dr Michelle Maloney
o Dinner, drinks, festivities, mingling
● Saturday 24th August
o 9am to 12pm - Kim Beazley Lecture Theatre - Murdoch University
▪ 2 Keynotes 2 X 30 mins - Dr Jose Ramos, Dr Amanda Cahill
▪ Workshops / Panels 1 – Local people and initiatives briefly present their model/initiatives reflecting on its strengths and weaknesses.
o 12pm-1pm - lunch break
o 1pm to 4pm - Learning Link Building - Murdoch University
▪ Workshops / Panels / Breakout presentations – finding synergies/crossovers between local New Economy initiatives.
▪ Wrap up and next steps
o 4pm to 7pm - Drinks and snacks
o After 7pm - Party! (details TBA)
The New Economy Network Australia (NENA) - an emerging network of individuals and organisations working to transform Australia’s economic system so that achieving ecological health and social justice are the foundational principles and primary objectives of the economic system.
Enkel - creating a new generation of changemakers in Western Australia.
Friends of the Earth Perth - local member group of Friends of the Earth Australia (FoE) working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future.
Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability (Murdoch University) - a multidisciplinary hub for teaching and research that endeavours to shape new thinking and practice around three core streams: capacity development, sustainability, nonprofit management and leadership.
Contact:
Karun Cowper - karun.cowper@foe.org.au
Andy Thomson - andrew.thomson@enkel.co
Adam Jorlen - adam.jorlen@gmail.com
Influencing Community Behaviours: Insights from the Field II
In this information-packed seminar, you’ll hear examples of how behaviour change tools and techniques including social marketing, behavioural design, behavioural theory and digital have been used to address health and social challenges facing governments and civil society.
A great line-up of speakers will share their unique insights, tools and advice on how best to influence community behaviours to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and society. Read more
Call for papers: The Future of Environmental Activism
Interdisciplinary Research Workshop
Murdoch University, 27-29 September 2018
This workshop brings together researchers from a variety of disciplines (Law, Philosophy, Public Policy, Science, Education, Cultural Studies, and Architecture) and environmental activists to reflect on the historical and contemporary practice of environmental activism as well as envisaging future forms of civic engagement. ‘Environment’ is not understood narrowly as meaning ‘natural landscapes, animals and plants’, but is seen to include the constructed or human-made environment, too.
Topics include (but are not restricted to) the following:
• What can we learn about successful environmental activism from the past?
• Do new technologies change the way we (ought to) engage politically?
• What do the new anti-protest laws in Australia mean for environmental activism?
• Can the private sector ever be a true pioneer of environmentalism?
• When is civil disobedience justified or even ethically required?
The aim of the workshop is to rethink civic engagement and environmentalism through genuine interdisciplinary collaboration. On the first day of the workshop, participants will introduce their respective topics of enquiry in a series of short public presentations (10-20min). On the second and third workshop days, participants will get together in small teams of 2-3 people from different disciplines and develop a joint interdisciplinary research paper. The resulting research papers will form part of a proposal for a special issue of an interdisciplinary academic journal on the topic of the workshop. Participants are expected to attend on all three workshop days. The workshop will be fully catered.
Confirmed invited speakers include (in alphabetical order):
• Dr Catherine Baudains, Environmental Education (Murdoch)
• Dr Martin Brueckner, Sustainability and Public Policy (Murdoch)
• Prof Marnie Campbell, Environmental Science (Murdoch)
• Declan Doherty (Environmental Defender’s Office WA)
• Dr Jo Goodie, Law (Murdoch)
• Dr Nin Kirkham, Philosophy (UWA)
• Prof Toby Miller, Cultural Studies (Loughborough, Universidad del Norte, Murdoch, University of California Riverside)
• Dr Anne Schwenkenbecher, Philosophy (Murdoch)
• Prof Bill Taylor, Architecture (UWA)
The workshop is hosted by The Centre of Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability at Murdoch University in collaboration with the School of Business and Governance, the School of Arts, and the School of Law.
Please submit your paper proposals (500-word abstract and title) by 31 July 2018 to A.Schwenkenbecher@murdoch.edu.au. Notification of acceptance will be given by 10 August 2018.
For more information, please get in touch with one of the organisers:
A.Schwenkenbecher@murdoch.edu.au
J.Goodie@murdoch.edu.au
M.Brueckner@murdoch.edu.au
Call for papers
Responsible education – responsible managers? How can education contribute to fulfilling the SDGs?
5th Responsible Management Education Research Conference “Leadership Development for Advancing the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”, November 12, 2018, Cologne
Chairs: Prof. Dr Ingvill C. Mochmann, Cologne Business School, Dr. Martin Brueckner, Murdoch University, Prof. Dr. Silke Bustamante, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht
Abstract
In September 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. In total, there are 17 goals, each with its specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. These goals cover a wide variety of different but often interrelated fields ranging from water and energy to inequality and infrastructures. One of the challenges will be the measurement of the extent to which the world has managed to fulfil the SDGs in 2030.
In this context, managers play a significant role in implementing and executing processes that serve the aims of the SDGs. But how do we know which processes work and which ones do not? What do we know about their (real) sustainability? How do we measure their impact on the SDGs? And how can education (at all levels) be developed to train new generations of managers to implement sustainability?
Papers that address these and other questions related to the role of education in the context of developing sustainable managers are welcome. The papers should be based on qualitative and/or quantitative analysis including case studies, comparative and longitudinal analysis, etc.
Please send an abstract of 500 words by August 15 2018 to Responsible_education@cbs.de. Successful applicants will be informed by August 31, 2018. Authors are expected to present their papers at the PRME 5th Responsible Management Education Research Conference “Leadership Development for Advancing the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”, Cologne, November 12, 2018. For further information about the conference and registration see https://www.international-csr.org/prme-research-conference/.
The publication of select papers is envisaged.
Pedagody in Practice: how we teach in Development Studies
Murdoch University, Friday 23 – Sunday 25 June 2018
Until the lion tells her own story, the hunter will always have the best part of the story
African proverb
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
Building on the success of the inaugural Rethinking Development Symposium at JCU that focused on ‘what’ we teach in Development Studies, the second symposium seeks to explore ‘how’ we teach Development Studies. 
Keynote
Sisonke Msimang – Storytelling and action
The acts of storytelling and listening are key modalities in the oral history tradition for imparting knowledge. Storytelling is a universal human experience. Sharing stories can ignite possibilities, strengthen connections between people and give voice to the marginalised. Storytelling and listening are power tools for people to work collaboratively and inspire people to take action against social injustice. Sisonke is Program Director at the Centre for Stories.
Presentations
You are invited to submit an abstract (word limit 500 words) for a 20-minute presentation that focuses on one or more of the three themes below. We especially encourage presentations that speak to teaching practices and or teaching for practice. Abstracts due April 13th, 2018.
1. Teaching practices in relation to experiential and practice-based learning. For example:
o How do we encourage our students’ in-class learning from their own life and work experiences, especially our students from developing countries?
o How do we encourage ‘place-based learning’ and what is its value?
o How do we best assist our students to obtain worthwhile, ethical ‘practical experience’ in development?
2. Alternative paradigms and cross-learnings: voice and knowledges. How do we use alternative or new paradigms in development teaching (planetary boundaries, doughnut economics, Southern theory, decolonising development curricula, etc.)? How do we bring the affective into our development curricula? How can Indigenous and Development Studies learn from each other?
3. The changing development landscape – how do we teach students to be adaptive and flexible practitioners to confront contemporary development challenges
o What does the changing global development landscape mean for how we teach?
o Given the rapid changing development landscape, how might we draw on one another’s specialisations to fill the gaps in our own development studies curricula?
Planned Panels:
• Teaching for Practice: Big employers speak. Our students want jobs, but do we know what big employers want? What the implications are for how we teach? What are the pathways into a career in international development?
• Teaching in Practice: International postgraduate students speak. What have our international students hoped for in their studies? What have been their experiences (honestly) and what did they value most?
• ACFID Information Panel
Planned Roundtables:
• Creating a community of teaching practice. For example, how might we share teaching resources and components across institutions, in Australia and into developing countries?
• FOR code for development studies, the development of an Antipodean Development Studies Association.
• Responding to the Teaching for Practice panels: is there a gap between what the development employers are seeking from development studies graduates and what the students are looking for in their degrees?
CONVENORS
Dr Rochelle Spencer, Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability, Murdoch University
Dr Jane Hutchison, Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University
Submissions due: Friday, 13 April 2018
Submissions to: Rochelle.Spencer@murdoch.edu.au
Registration: Details to be announced
More information: https://rdinetwork.org.au/events/
SUSTAINABLE VILLAGES SEMINAR
On Saturday 3rd March between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. a Seminar will be held in the School of Business & Governance, Room 513 to discuss the background, existing challenges and emerging benefits of the tiny houses (on wheels) "THOW" social movement. Currently, tiny house enthusiasts face the dual challenges of lawfully staying put and legally building and locating tiny houses permanently on plots of land, as well as not being able to access loans or mortgages for tiny houses. Importantly, this movement seems likely to grow and may become a significant disruptive and transformational influence on Australia’s housing status quo – if not also contribute to re-generative sustainable communities in villages seeking alternatives to existing ways of life, lifestyles and livelihoods. More broadly, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030) and related initiatives suggest connections could be made to attempted closures and re-settlement of WA’s small Aboriginal settlements as well as addressing the impending needs of small island states (such as Pacific and Indian Ocean countries) to re-locate populations as sea levels rise or more severe weather events impact their housing and ability to sustain conditions on their small islands.
Key issues being discussed in Seminar Workshops, after the initial presentation by Brent McKenna, will be:
1. Should laws, land access and loans regimes be challenged to create more affordable, accessible & sustainable housing?
2. Could all forms of support be improved and broadened by way of a "Sustainable (Tiny Homes) Villages Expo"?
3. How do we best organise around enthusiasms driving this Movement toward challenging the housing status quo?
MUSTies (Murdoch University Sustainability Team members) will be Workshop Leaders who will facilitate conversations, record details and report back to the whole seminar. You are encouraged to consider participating in this emerging enterprise aligned with general trends in higher education seeking to improve industry connections (e.g. via Expos) and create new enterprise initiatives (e.g. via NEIS) beyond the PhD “Apprenticeship Model” (as teaching and/or more higher research). If you wish to volunteer as a Workshop Leader (to be briefed 1 hour in advance of the Seminar), please contact the MUST President – Rosie via the MUST Facebook page; otherwise your attendance will be charged as a $2 entry fee (consistent with NEIS guidelines as an Australian Government Initiative) on Sat. 3rd March starting at 4:00 p.m.
Refreshments Sponsored by Murdoch University’s Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability
Responsible Leadership in Times of Transformation - The 8th International Conference on Sustainability & Responsibility
Cologne, Germany
14-16th November 2018
Organisers: The Center for Advanced Sustainable Management at Cologne Business School (Lead), Humboldt University of Berlin, Hamburg School of Business Administration
Free public engagement forum: ‘African youth gangs’ in Australia? A critical analysis'
University of Western Australia, Perth
15 March 2018
Organisers: UWA, Organisation of African Communities in WA, and African Think Tank
We welcome your active participation in a free public forum on the so-called #AfricanGangs debate: the recent high-profile national political and media characterisation of crime and violence by youth in Victoria, where a community-led task force has been created. The interactive discussion will feature a panel of experts from Victoria and WA to discuss a range of issues including youth engagement, social integration, community leadership, policing, racism towards African-Australians, political agendas and media coverage.
Read more and register here.
7th BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ECOLOGY AND HEALTH: ECOHEALTH 2018
Cali, Colombia
15-18 August 2018
We are pleased to inform you that the 7th International Conference of the Association of Ecology and Health, EcoHealth 2018, will be hosted by our colleagues at the University of Valle, Cali, Colombia. The overall theme of the Congress is “Environmental and Health Equity: Connecting local alternatives in a global World”. This theme emphasizes the need to connect local initiatives in a world with global drivers that threaten healthy ecosystems and populations, and makes a call to tackle these forces and pursue justice.
The call for abstracts has been announced and we encourage members to submit abstracts for consideration via this link below. The deadline for abstracts is January 31, 2018.
We also highly encourage members to attend this conference as this year the Association Board has been working on a new constitution for the organization which will be presented at the Conference for ratification. Thus, this will be a critical event for the International Association of Ecology and Health and an important opportunity for you to have an influence on the future direction of the Association.
More information about the Conference can be found here. Please visit the link regularly for updates.
CRCS Summer Writing Retreat Retreat 2018
Updated 24 December 2017
Each year the Centre hosts a summer Writing Retreat to foster a supportive culture of writing. The sequestered time allows us to engage more deeply with our emergent writing in ways that will sustain our writing and help to bring discrete writing projects to fruition. We will be subsidising 50% of the fee for 10 places this year bring the cost down to $172.50 for 3 nights including all meals. First in best dressed! The purpose of the Retreat is to begin to produce or endeavour to complete a piece of work. This may be an article ready for publication, a chapter towards a PhD or book, a paper for a conference or whatever goal you set for your three nights away. Each evening over a shared meal two people present work-in-progress to obtain constructive feedback on their research ideas and writing.
Retreat Dates:
12-15th February 2018
2.5 days of writing
(arrive 3pm Mon depart 1.30pm Thurs)
Registration Process
The CRCS summer writing retreats have been a great success. To secure your place on the Retreat complete the application form and email it to Rochelle Spencer rochelle.spencer@murdoch.edu.au by 20 January 2018.
‘Women in Leadership: Australia-Africa Trade and Investment Forum’
Dr Rochelle Spencer, co-Director Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability and Senior Lecturer of Development Studies at the Murdoch School of Business and Governance, has been invited to speak at the ‘Women in Leadership: Australia-Africa Trade and Investment Forum’ as part of Australia-Africa Week 2017. Drawing on her research in Africa (Agroenterprise Africa), her address will speak to the design and implementation of participatory processes and their application in developing greater Australian investment and trade with Africa. On 5th September, Rochelle has been invited to Chair a session of the Africa Australia Research Forum, “How education can harness the energy of youth and the power of women to make growth inclusive”. This panel will include the VC University of Ghana, VC University of Nairobi, Lee-Anne de Bruin CFO Resolute. This panel will consider the kind of educational structures required to be in place to prepare graduates to work in extractives and associated industries in Africa. It will discuss the role of entrepreneurship for the creation of employment opportunities and the indirect economic activity around mining, barriers to women in mining and local engagement and commitment to inclusive growth both in terms of skills gaps and pathways for young folk.
The opposition
The Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability at Murdoch University is hosting the West Australian film premiere of the powerful an
d important documentary film The Opposition in coordination with the 4th International Conference on CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance.
Tickets free with conference registration or for sale to the public here:
https://tickets.demand.film/event/1871
Date: Wednesday 26th July 2017
Where: Kim Beazley Lecture Theatre, Murdoch University (free parking, bus route 99 and 98, Murdoch train station)
Time: 8.30pm start with special introduction from the film producer Rebecca Barry
Cost: $15 (free to conference delegates)
TEDx Talk
Date: 1 May 2016
On April 2nd, Honorary Postdoctoral Associate and CRCS member, Neville Ellis, presented at TEDx Bunbury. The TEDx event was organised around the theme of ‘eudaimonia’, a term developed by Aristotle that broadly describes a state of ‘human flourishing’. Neville’s presentation entitled “How to Flourish on a Sick Planet” explored how our mental wellbeing is interconnected with the health and vigour of our home environments, as well as that of the planet as a whole. Drawing upon concepts such as ‘solastalgia’, ‘topophilia’ and ‘eutierria’, Neville introduces his audience to an emerging language that begins to give voice to the often overlooked but powerful emotional and psychological states produced by our interactions with our cherished home places. His talk can be viewed here:
Australian Aid and the new Global Goals - Being a Good Global Citizen
Date: 19 November 2015
Presenter: D’Arcy Lunn
I spend my time, energy and passion working towards a world without extreme poverty. I’m a teacher from Australia but for 15 years I have been a humanitarian, educator and mostly learner in over 80 countries.
From these experiences I have been absolutely privileged to learn from almost every kind of community and culture imaginable which has formed my never-ending thirst for sharing my experiences and offering opportunities to play an active role in equality, justice and global awareness.
It all began in 2000 when I was plucked early from university to go and teach in a remote Aboriginal school in the outback of Australia. Since then it has been my passion and quest to seek out the most different and diverse cultures in the world, learn from them and share my experiences, skills and perspectives.
Fast forward to 2015 I worked with UNICEF on polio eradication in South Sudan (Feb - June), similar to work in Pakistan and India (2012) and Uganda (2013), and Jul-Sept gave a worldwide Teaspoons of Change global awareness presentation tour and currently on an Australian tour.
CRCS to Host International CSR Conference in 2017
CRCS to Host International CSR Conference in 2017
Updated: 13 August 2015
The Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability has been successful in its bid to host the International CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance Conference under the auspices of the Global Corporate Governance Institute. The conference will cover aspects of CSR, sustainability, ethics and governance from across the field of business and beyond and will cater also for HDR students.
With the generous support from the Perth Convention Bureau Dr Martin Brueckner recently attended this year’s conference at Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, China. Beyond an academic paper presentation the visit served the purpose of promoting the Centre and thus the School and Murdoch University as conference host for the 2017 conference. The bid was supported by Prof Rene Schmidpeter from the Cologne Business School, who was a visiting fellow with the Centre in late July.
The Centre will also co-host the 2016 conference, which will be held at the Cologne Business School 1 - 3 August in 2016. Calls for papers will be sent out in due course.
CRCS Hosts Research Fellow
Updated: 19 June 2015
The Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability will host Prof Rene Schmidpeter from the Colog
ne Business School in July this year. Funding for the visiting research fellowship could be obtained under the School of Management and Governance Small Research Grant scheme. Prof Schmidpeter will speak at the School of Management and Governance Research Seminar, present guest lectures to students in units offered during Winter Term and collaborate with CRCS members on joint publications.
The visit by Prof Schmidpeter also serves the purpose of supporting the bid by the CRCS to host the International CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance Conference in 2017 (see Global Corporate Governance Institute). This annual conference will be held in Nanjing, China and Cologne, Germany in 2015 and 2016 respectively with the host country for 2017 yet to be decided.
Homeless Connect Perth Project
Updated: 17 June 2015
Homeless Connect Perth is a day held annually in Perth to reconnect individuals and families experiencing homelessness, as well as those at risk of homelessness, with government, non-profit and business services, personal care services and social opportunities. Now in its seventh year, a team from the Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability in the School of Management and Governance have recently conducted an exploratory investigation to consider the future of Homeless Connect Perth, and its potential for expansion or extension.
Sally Paulin and Megan Paull, who have conducted evaluations of HCP in recent years, this year teamed up with Jo Kestel to carry out a Delphi Study with a range of experts. Jointly funded by the organisers of HCP and the School of Management and Governance 2014 Small Grants Program, the project outcomes were presented by Jo and Megan at the City of Perth on June 5th and will form part of the report to funders from organisers. Jo, Sally and Megan will now work with organisers to consider implementation of some of the findings.
CRCS Joins National Climate Change Research Network
Updated: 8 April 2015
The Centre for Responsible Citizenship and Sustainability (CRCS) has become a member of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) network, focusing on the social, economic and institutional dimensions of climate change adaptation.
The network is funded by a $395,000 Commonwealth Government research grant over a period of two years and supported by a $100.000 top-up grant by USC. The network is convened by USC Sustainability Research Centre Director Professor Tim Smith.
In partnership with researchers from University of Sunshine Coast, University of Adelaide, University of Canberra, Murdoch University, Swinburne University of Technology and Girringun Aboriginal Corporation the network will maintain research in adaptation and strengthen the capacity of communities to use this research.
The network is divided into five themes with USC’s Dr Dana Thomsen leading the NGOs theme. Other theme leaders are: industry – Professor John Fien (Swinburne); government – Professor Barbara Norman (Canberra); Indigenous – Dr Melissa Nursey-Bray (Adelaide) and Phil Rist (Girringun Aboriginal Corporation); and governance integration – Dr Rochelle Spencer and Dr Martin Brueckner (Murdoch).
The consortium brings together representatives from the Regional Universities Network, Group of Eight, Innovative Research Universities, and Australian Technology Network, spanning Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Two of them, USC and Murdoch, are foundation partners in NCCARF.
The partners represent several fields of research that are relevant to the social, economic and institutional dimensions of climate change adaptation, including: human geography, planning, Indigenous studies, economics, business, social ecology, politics, anthropology, institutional analysis, and education.
