What's On at UWA

This paper looks at Singapore’s rapid industrialisation between 1965 and 1994 with a particular emphasis on the rising number of industrial accidents and how this was dealt with by the Singapore State. Its looks at the shipbuilding and repair industry as one of the most dangerous workplaces in Singapore and questions the effectiveness of the states largely top down approach in efforts to curb the number of accidents and deaths. It suggests that the lack of a truly independent union movement (along with other factors) in Singapore hampered efforts to curb the number of injuries and fatalities in the sector. Bio Stephen Dobbs is associate professor in the School of Social Sciences at UWA.

Be transported from the everyday by our free lunchtime concert series, featuring the best musical talent from with the UWA Conservatorium of Music and around the country.

In a lunchtime concert sure to delight, this week our students take the stage to perform works for wind and piano by Luciano Berio, Francis Poulenc, Frank Martin, and James Ra.

Free entry, no bookings required.

India’s frontier state of Sikkim is a ‘sensitive space’ (Dunn and Cons 2014) sharing borders with Bhutan, China and Nepal. As distinctions between urban and rural dissolve across the Himalaya, attention to concrete narrates the transformation of these landscapes and the assemblages that hold them together. In Sikkim, tourism is a key development strategy that is built around mountain landscapes, organic agriculture and concrete structures. Religious theme parks, Hindu temple complexes, gigantic statues of Lord Buddha and other religious figures are crucial components of this concrete landscape. The success of these attractions has led to public demands for more concrete. Concrete is now imbued with hopes of transforming villages and towns into popular and economically prosperous tourist destinations. On the other hand, large-scale hydropower projects which also promise economic development for the state and its citizens are being built across the river Teesta and its tributaries in Sikkim. Concrete, therefore has become the focal point of the state’s development initiatives; the tangible representation of hope and prosperity for citizens whilst simultaneously being used for resource extraction by private hydropower companies. Based on ethnographic research in Sikkim, the paper focuses firstly on the development narrative and visions of modernity which is based on the construction of concrete structures; concrete foregrounds the ways aspirations are materialised in the built environment of a ‘remote’, yet geopolitically significant territory. Secondly, the paper offers a critical reading of the ways landscape is imagined, reproduced and politicised through this development narrative of environmental destruction and cultural distractions ; and thirdly the paper discusses how concrete heralds the collusion of the state and private finance leading to the social and spatial transformation of Sikkim, producing a loyal border state out of a recently independent polity.

Dr Mona Chettri is UWA Australia-India Institute New Generation Network Scholar. She is the author of Constructing Democracy: Ethnicity and Democracy in the eastern Himalaya (Amsterdam University Press, 2017). Her current research focuses on resource frontiers, urbanisation, gender and development in the eastern Himalaya, India.

Vandoren Paris and the UWA Conservatorium of Music offer you the opportunity to attend a masterclass with saxophonist Martin Trillaud.

Martin Trillaud obtained his Master degree in performance in 2014 in the class of Claude Delangle and is continuing his studies with David Walter at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris with the Yendo Quartet. He has won several first prizes at international competitions in France and abroad, and performs regularly with several orchestras such as the Orchestre des Lauréats du Conservatoire, la Musique principale de l'Armée de l'air and l’Ensemble Orchestral des Jeunes de Paris. Passionate about his instrument, he has worked with composers of his generation, notably at IRCAM, and also performs a repertoire of transcriptions from solo to orchestral works through to chamber music.

Please join Martin and representatives from Vandoren from 4.30pm - 6pm in the Tunley Lecture Theatre to try out the new PROFILE mouthpieces from Vandoren before the Masterclass begins at 6pm.

Perth Upmarket is Perth’s original and best design market, featuring more than 180 of Perth's most talented artists, designers, craftsmen and foodies all at The University of Western Australia's Winthrop Hall.

There is something for everyone, including a Junior Upmarket section in Hackett Hall which showcases all the best local designers for kids' clothing, toys, games and decor. Have a browse through the gourmet section to inspire your inner Masterchef, shop original locally designed homewares or find the perfect gift for someone special. Then enjoy a coffee or lunch relaxing on the beautiful lawns around Winthrop Hall.

DETAILS:

Sunday 15th September 2019 Sunday 24th November 2019

Time: 10am-4pm Venue: The University of Western Australia’s Winthrop Hall Parking and entry free, venue is easily accessible, 3 ATMs on site 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley Website: www.perthupmarket.com.au Facebook.com/perthupmarket

Modern slavery remains one of the largest and most complex human rights issues. Few industries are untouched by it. The shirt on your back, the food you consume, the house you live in: the materials may have passed through the hands of slaves at some point.

The UWA Modern Slavery Research Cluster is offering an opportunity for academics, professionals, students and members of the public to learn more about and discuss the pressing issues surrounding modern slavery.

The Perspectives on Modern Slavery Symposium brings together academics from across Australia, the UK, India, and elsewhere, along with industry and government representatives. Topics include: • Child slavery • Slavery in Australia • Forced marriages • Business operations and supply chains • The fishing industry • Slavery in the UK, India, and Africa.

The keynote speaker is Professor Justine Nolan (UNSW), a leading expert on business and human rights.

All are welcome. Tickets are on sale now.

A free weekly seminar series, with presenters from within UWA and from the wider community.

Further information at music.uwa.edu.au

Join Concordia Vocalis - the UWA Conservatorium's premier vocal ensemble - as they perform masterpieces from the Renaissance madrigal repertoire.

Tickets from $10

trybooking.com/BASXH

In 2018, 63 students sat the Chinese Second Language WACE exam. Although Chinese had more candidates than other languages such as Indonesian, there has been a steady downward trend in students attempting the WACE over the last two years. The low retention rate is of concern to teachers of Chinese, with only 5% of each cohort of students who start to study Chinese continuing to year 12. Previous initiatives to increase the rate of students studying Chinese to year 12 level have failed to make any real progress to the situation. In order to understand what motivates students to study a language this study investigates the future language self of high school learners of Chinese following Dörnyei's L2 motivational self system framework to better understand how students envision themselves as speakers of a foreign language. Students in years 7-8 in WA were surveyed using Q methodology, a qualitative method, to individuate typologies of future language self. Results can be used to devise potentially motivating classroom activities based on future self vision.

Be transported from the everyday by our free lunchtime concert series, featuring the best musical talent from within the UWA Conservatorium of Music and around the country.

Join us this week for an exciting concert featuring our talented brass students. The program will include solo works by Messiaen, Wilder, Schumann and Mozart, before the UWA Brass Ensemble perform 'Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from Lohengrin' by Wagner and 'Little Suite for Brass No. 1 for Brass Band' by Malcolm Arnold.

Free entry, no bookings required.

The Indonesian Diaspora across the Celebes Sea: Citizenship, Negotiation and Identity

This research focuses on the dynamics of the Indonesian diaspora whose members have been living for generations in the southern Philippines. While previously considered as stateless, these people have been officially recognised as (new) Indonesian citizens since December 2017. This study’s importance stems from this being the first time that the Indonesian government granted citizenship to a subpopulation in its diaspora. Research will take place in Davao City, General Santos City and Balut Island in the Philippines as the main locations of the Indonesian diaspora. This study is a qualitative research project that uses in-depth interviews, participant observation, and focus group discussions (FGDs) for data collection, in addition to desktop research.

Amorisa Wiratri is a PhD candidate in Anthropology and Sociology.

Being international? –an ethnographic study of Chinese international students’ academic and social experiences in an Australian university

With the increasing number of international students seeking education abroad, student mobility has become one of the key drives toward internationalization in higher education. Accounting for one-third of total international students in Australia universities, Chinese international students play a crucial role in the economy of Australia and the financial sustainability of Australian universities. Therefore, this study will benefit universities seeking to maximize students’ experiences and governing bodies on developing policies towards international students. So far, universities are offering programs and opportunities for student support. However, the gap between international students’ needs and institutional provisions can be significant. This project intends to better understand experiences of international students and different ways international students seek support and improve self-efficacy in a foreign environment. This research will centre on the lived experiences of Chinese international students in The University of Western Australia (UWA), using qualitative research methods, including participant observation, interviews, focus group discussions, video recording, and research diary, as well as thematic analysis. I also want to question integration theory which tends to dominate popular accounts of international student life as it is viewed by universities as the most ideal and valuable model after 1970s when “pluralism” paid more attention to “ethnic maintenance” instead of “assimilation”. Mingxin Qu is a PhD student in the Anthropology and Sociology Discipline. Her research interests include student mobility, education and new media.

Following Inclusion: A study of dyslexia, schools and policy enactment

Through the lens of inclusive education, this project will examine the educational experiences of dyslexic students and their families, asking questions about the levels of inclusion and exclusion they face. In Australia, inclusive education policies (IEP) mandate that mainstream schools must support the diverse needs of all students. Although extensive research has been carried out on inclusive education, no previous Australian study has investigated dyslexic students and their parents’ experiences in light of the emergence of IEP. The study will address the following set of questions:

1) How do dyslexic students experience their education, and what do the participants’ experiences reveal about A) How IEP are enacted in schools B) The potential of IEP to enhance the inclusion of dyslexics?

2) How have inclusive education policies developed in Australia?

In this project, I will follow a select group of up to 18 students diagnosed as dyslexic and their parents/guardians through the course of the 2020 school year. Postulating that students with a Higher Education Family Tradition (HEFT) are more likely to seek and gain support in accommodating their disability, the study aims at equal distribution of HEFT and non-HEFT students. I will also consider differences between metropolitan and rural students by recruiting up to 6 students from families living outside of Greater Perth. This study design will allow me to document and analyse the experiences of a variety of students in different school settings. Through this process, I will develop a clear sense of how certain schools across the state are responding to student needs. This project aims to contribute significantly to the small body of qualitative research on dyslexia by presenting an in-depth analysis of how dyslexics and their families, in different school contexts and from different educational backgrounds, experience and respond to the promise and the enactment of inclusive education policies.

Thom Nevill is a PhD candidate in Anthropology and Sociology.

Ordinary Meetings of Convocation are the general meetings of The University of Western Australia. These meetings of Convocation provide the opportunity to receive an update on the operations of your University and current issues in tertiary education from the Vice-Chancellor, the Warden of Convocation and the Guild President.

Special guest speaker Professor Peter Veth, Director, UWA Oceans Institute, will speak about A Deep History of Maritime Peoples from Western Australia.

A free weekly seminar series, with presenters from within UWA and from the wider community.

This week HDR students Megan Barbetti and Adam Lewin will present on their current research.

Megan Barbetti: Reviving the Ghost: A Method for Baroque Improvisation Modelled Through Telemann’s Twelve Fantasias for Flute without Bass (1727–28)

Adam Lewin: Bridging the Gap: The Performative Influence of the Artist, the Space and the Audience in Amanda Palmer’s Who Killed Amanda Palmer Tour

Free entry - no bookings required

Be transported from the everyday by our free lunchtime concert series, featuring the best musical talent from with the UWA Conservatorium of Music and around the country.

This week, young emerging artists from the UWA String Department will present this week's free Lunchtime Concert, featuring much loved repertoire for violin and piano.

Free entry, no bookings required.

Speaker: Alexander Bors (University of Western Australia)

Title: Automorphism orbits and element orders in finite groups

Time and place: 4pm Friday 27 Sep 2019, Weatherburn LT

Abstract: Joint with Michael Giudici and Cheryl E. Praeger.

In contrast to other kinds of structures (such as graphs), for groups G, the assumption that the automorphism group Aut(G) acts transitively on G is not interesting to study, as only the trivial group satisfies it. Various weakenings of this condition have been proposed and studied, though. For example, in a paper from 1992, Zhang extensively studied finite groups G with the property that for every element order o in G, the action of Aut(G) on order o elements in G is transitive. He called such finite groups AT-groups. Zhang’s ideas and methods also spurred some interest in the graph-theoretic community, due to a connection with CI-groups (groups G such that any two isomorphic Cayley graphs over G are “naturally isomorphic” via an automorphism of G).

In this talk, we present results on finite groups G that are “close to being AT- groups”, essentially showing that such groups are “almost soluble” (i.e., they have a soluble normal subgroup of bounded index). A finite group G is an AT-group if and only if the numbers of Aut(G)-orbits on G and of distinct element orders in G respectively are equal. Hence we measure the “closeness of G to being an AT-group” by comparing those two numbers, considering both their difference and quotient. Along the way, we obtain a curious quantitative characterisation of the Fischer-Griess Monster group M.

The cream of Perth's chamber music scene, Semra Lee-Smith, Zak Rowntree, Sally Boud and Jon Tooby, work closely with UWA String students in this side-by-side performance of the Dvorak's Bass Quintet.

Tickets from $10

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Since joining the Malaysian Philharmonic as Principal Piccolo in 2001, Sonia Croucher has performed over 2000 wide-ranging concerts featuring such artists as Lorin Maazel, Gennay Rozhdestvensky, Sir Neville Marriner, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Dame Kiri Takanamwa, Jose Carreras, Sir Willard White, Joshua Bell, Chris Botti, Andrea Bocelli and the Count Basie Orchestra.

Join Sonia for a free workshop at UWA, where we'll be exploring a wide range of orchestral piccolo excerpts.

Tertiary and High-School piccolo players welcome.

Contact [email protected] to register and receive the workshop materials

A former member of the Berlin Philharmonic, celebrated violist and composer Brett Dean sits down with friend and fellow composer James Ledger to discuss life as one of Australia’s most eminent composers, giving a unique insight into his works and the compositional process.

Free entry - RSVP to [email protected]

Refreshments served from 630pm

Talk starts 7pm

Don't miss Brett performing the World Premiere of James Ledger new Viola Concerto with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra at Perth Concert Hall on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October. Further details and bookings: https://www.waso.com.au/concerts-tickets/whats-on/concert/Symphonie-Fantastique

The Conservatorium is proud to support the 2019 ASME National Conference, with keynote speakers including Professor Margaret Barrett, Dr Anita Collins, Dr Clinton Bracknell and Dr Joan Pope.

Keynote Address by Emerita Professor Ann Curthoys, chaired by Wesfarmers Chair of Australian History, Professor Jane Lydon

In December 1960, Eslanda Robeson visited Perth with her famous husband, singer and actor Paul Robeson. She gave several press and radio interviews, and spoke to university students, a Peace Council reception, and to the Union of Australian women, including Aboriginal women. In these talks, she consistently emphasised the role of women in international struggles for racial equality and peace. Newspaper interviews often emphasised her appearance, contrasting her tiny physique with Paul's huge powerful figure, and portraying her as sparkling and dynamic. Although no-one in Australia knew it at the time, she was recovering from extensive radiotherapy for several cancers, and died from breast cancer in New York five years later. In the book Ann Curthoys is writing on the Robesons' visit to Australia in 1960, the Perth visit is the subject of the last chapter, bringing together issues of women’s rights; Aboriginal rights; health, illness and celebrity; and the meaning of peace in the Cold War.

Ann Curthoys is a historian who writes about Australian history in a transnational and imperial frame and about questions of history, theory, and writing. In addition to many essays and co-edited essay collections on topics ranging from women's historical writing to the 'Cold War, her books include For and Against Feminism' (1988); 'Freedom Ride: A Freedomrider Remembers' (2002); (with John Docker) 'Is History Fiction?' (2005); (with Ann Genovese and Alexander Reilly), 'Rights and Redemption: History, Law, and Indigenous People' (2008), and (with Ann McGrath), 'How to Write History that People Want to Read' (2009). Her latest book is (with Jessie Mitchell), 'Taking Liberty: Indigenous Rights and Settler Self-Government in the Australian Colonies, 1830 - 1890' (2018). She is an emeritus professor at ANU, and an honorary professor at The University of Western Australia and the University of Sydney.

This public event is part of the annual Australian Women's History Network symposium 'The Female Frame: Biopolitics and Wellbeing in Australian and Global Perspective’, being held at The University of Western Australia on 2nd October 2019. It is supported by the UWA School of Humanities, the UWA Institute of Advanced Studies, the UWA Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and the Australian Academy of the Humanities.