MINI-RESEARCH PROJECTS FOR EXPLORING CONTEMPORARY IDENTITY-RELATED ISSUES

Focus on the way culture influences people's thinking, values and behaviour -- and consequently on their personal identity

What the mini-research projects are about
In these mini-research projects, students will investigate and report their findings on a wide range of identity-related issues.

Because RML is a non-ATAR course, the research projects will be small-scale and introductory, not requiring extensive time commitments. However, the research should still be thorough and systematic. The idea is to prepare a research report that can be presented to the class either in person or online which will give some perspective to the topic. The collective reports are likely to give significant insights into the development of personal identity and may well trigger further informed debate. The projects should help participants develop their own research skills and critical thinking. And it will also be useful opportunity to develop skill in the presentation of information and arguments.

Participants can report their research findings in a presentation through PowerPoint and/or with video, photographs and illustrations. Links to YouTube clips and other web links could be used effectively. Audio commentary could also be added or participants could talk briefly during their presentation. Extensive texts in the presentation are to be avoided. The aim would be to have presentations that go for about 10 minutes or so. They are introductory and are about informing peers about the key issues, facts and ideas for each topic.

The topics below have been chosen because they are not the common ones (like climate change or environmental crisis etc., not that these are unimportant -- they are crucially important today). They are topics that most of us may have given no thought to or about which we know little. It is precisely the investigative process into topics that we are not familiar with that is central to this overall investigation of identity-related issues. In some instances, these topics may be assigned randomly to students. When all the reports are in, it may show up new horizons for thinking about personal identity development in an influential cultural context.

Consider the report as an introduction to thinking about the issue to inform fellow students. Rather than give a lot of detail, it will 'signpost' key ideas and information. Because the production is a small educational exercise exclusively for the class, students can use anything they like from the Internet or other resources without any copyright concerns or need for any permissions. Productions have no market value. There is no need to acknowledge the source of any illustrations or photographs. But it may be helpful to note the web addresses of significant sources of information – like a reference. Participants are encouraged to be flexible and creative in the way they present their findings. There is no strict or required format to follow.

Topics for research/investigation

1.
Social Media: How it might condition or influence individuals' sense of self.		 The invention of the telephone at the beginning of the 20th century was hailed as a wonderful invention that enabled people to communicate across their own city, their nation and even across the world. With the great spread of the Internet since 1995, new forms of electronic communication emerged. Facebook was started in 2004 and open to anybody 13 years and older in 2006. Today, Facebook has 2.8 million subscribers of whom 1.8 million visit the site daily. Twitter was started in 2006 and Instagram in 2010. Social media have changed the way people communicate and have promoted an enormous amount of social interaction both beneficial and in some ways not beneficial. This topic provides an opportunity to look at the ways in which social media may be affecting the way people think and feel about life, and also about themselves. And in particular, there is the issue of the identities that people are projecting.

2.
Reality television: is so- called 'reality' more bizarre than fiction.

If we look at the "real" housewives of Melbourne, what would the "unreal" ones look like? To what extent are a number of the reality programs staged rather than spontaneous? If marriage or cohabitation is an important and serious commitment that people make to each other, is "Married at first sight" trivialising that relationship? Why is there so much competition and humiliation in reality television programs? Are people being deliberately chosen and set up to generate conflict and emotion? What could be more boring than watching boring people sitting on a sofa watching boring television? This study provides an opportunity to look into a range of the "real" issues related to reality television.
3.
Slow food and slow towns – especially as developed in Italy. 		Do you live in the "fast lane"? Do you eat a lot of "fast food"? So what on earth is the slow food/slow towns movement? When was it founded and what was its purposes? Has it had any impact in Australia? This is a topic that needs to provide basic information about what has happened with this movement since it first appeared in 1986 in Italy. It may be raising significant questions about the relatively unquestioned assumptions we make about modern life. It may be an interesting opportunity to "stop and think". So the word "slow" might not always need to have a negative connotation. It might give new meaning to the idea of "slow schools" and even "slow learning", although the latter seems to be very stigmatised.
4.
Animal rights		 We have all heard of the United Nations Charter of human rights. A lot has been said about children's rights. But what about animal rights? If humans are stewards for everything on the planet, then do they need to recognise that other living, sensory beings have rights that need to be respected? If a chicken or a pig is going to end up being a source of food for us, does it deserve or even have a right to the opportunity to live a pain free and relatively happy life until its life is taken to sustain us? Shouldn't they be able to feel the sunshine and the grass under their feet as we take for granted for ourselves? This topic can help provide interesting information about what is current thinking and practice about the rights of animals. It might show where animal rights fit in the greater scheme of human care for and responsibility for the environment.
5.
The use and misuse of cosmetic surgery 		After World War II, and ever since, reconstructive surgery has made wonderful contributions to the lives of people who were injured or deformed in any way. But it has also opened the way for people to improve their looks. And this ranges all the way from getting rid of a distracting mole on the face to many significant bodily interventions and surgeries. What might be the criteria for judging whether various cosmetic surgeries are appropriate, necessary, discretionary, advisable or a waste of time? Can people get addicted to cosmetic surgery? In Korea, a number of parents are scheduling cosmetic surgery for their teenagers as a sort of standard practice. Some have considered that particular cosmetic surgery is the equivalent of "changing your race". This topic provides an opportunity to identify and look into issues related to both the healthy use and the problematic misuse of cosmetic surgery.
6.
Ricardo Semler and his revolutionary 'community' approach to business practice 		Who on earth is Ricardo Semler? Should we know who he is? He re-founded the Semco group of companies in Brazil in the 1980s on very different lines from the way companies usually operate – especially with respect to the involvement of the workers. Some called his approach "industrial democracy". His democratic approach is not likely to win lots of followers in the cutthroat world of business in most Western countries. But it surely is an interesting example to look at to see what the alternatives are. This is a topic that needs to provide basic information about who Semler is and what was so distinctive about the way runs his company, and why this proved so popular with the workers who were falling over themselves to work for Samco.

7.
The motivations behind terrorism including religious motivations and self martyrdom

 One of the common causes of a type of simmering and underlying anxiety for people today is the possibility of a terrorist attack. This topic provides an opportunity to get more systematic information about the causes and processes of terrorism. It can look into the motivations of terrorists. What are they trying to achieve? In some cases, they are so committed to a cause – whether it be religious or political – that they are prepared to kill themselves in the terrorist process.

8.
Screen violence: Violence in film and television – does it promote violence in real life

When there has been rather simple research done with the exposure of people to screen violence in a controlled experiment, the findings have been somewhat conflicting. Sometimes it seems to make them more aware of violence in real life and sometimes it seems to make them more insensitive to it. This is a topic that looks into the possible relationships between 'screen violent behaviour' (which is very common in film, television and computer games) and violence in real life.

9.
Computer games: Fun, more skill, distraction, addiction?

Investigation of this topic can look into a number of questions related to computer games. Why do people play them? Why are they so popular? Why are some 45 year old men spending hours every day playing computer games? The computer gaming industry is certainly a big one worth billions of dollars. What psychological effects might heavy involvement in computer games be having on individuals – both positive and negative?

10.
Life revolving around the smart phone

In Korea they have the problem of the DMZ - the De-Militarised Zone. But lots of countries have the SMZ problem – the Smartphone Zombies! This topic investigates how does the smart phone has become the centre of some individuals' lives and how does it may be having a shaping influence for better or for worse on personal identity development. How do they enhance life? How do they inhibit it – being in someone's company while also being thousands of kilometres away in cyberspace? Great communication and entertainment? Great distraction? Does it inhibit people's ability to converse face-to-face and read people's emotions?

11.
Raunch culture

This topic sets out to report on a cultural phenomenon. In 2005, Ariel Levy published the book Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture. It looked into what was called Raunch culture, and how it encouraged women to be totally free, even if this meant being as promiscuous as some men felt they could be promiscuous. Was this a valuable development in feminism, promoting female sexual liberation? Or did it to some extent play into a male fantasy of unlimited female availability?

12.
The sexualisation of children and adolescents -- especially through advertising

Sexualisation of children occurs when they are presented in advertising and magazines in ways that are modelled on adults who are clearly sexualised. This topic investigates a cultural phenomenon that can be damaging to children and adolescents.

13.
‘Binge' drinking in Australia – especially for teenagers

Binge drinking is the phenomenon that is readily observable in Australia. And there is evidence that it is occurring more frequently with younger and younger children. There is also evidence that it is occurring more frequently in countries which never had anything like this – as in Italy where drinking in family or social groups always regarded drunkenness very poorly. This topic can be useful for reporting the facts of binge drinking in Australia and the effects it may be having on teenagers.
14.
Poker machine addiction in Australia 		Australia has .3% of the world population. But it has18% of the world's poker machines. What does this say about gambling in Australia? This topic investigates the problem of poker machine addiction in this country. It can even look into the way that potential addiction is taken into account in poker machine design as far as format, colour, images and sounds are concerned. What has been done to address the problem so far? What about the financial matters related to poker machines – Is it a useful 'industry' to have? Are governments now too dependent on poker machine taxes as a source of revenue?
14.
The rise of online betting companies in Australia 		There has been a spectacular rise in the number and media presence of online betting companies working in Australia in recent years. This topic investigates how and why this has occurred. What are the positives and the negatives in this development? The qualifying caution, presumably having some litigation protection, "gamble responsibly!" may not fully exonerate the betting companies from responsibility for the potential and real damage done to people's and families' lives through over involvement and addiction related to online betting. Is this another example of the way that gambling may fit into the identity profile of some people?
16.
The 'death' of country towns in Australia 		The suburb, the village, the town provides the context in which people live their lives and it is a context within which they form their own personal identities. This topic investigates the problem known as the "death of country towns". It often starts with the closure of a bank, closure of a big supermarket, and the consequent drift of people from the small country towns to the cities. The school might then close as the numbers in the town dwindle. People find it difficult to sell their house if they want to move. And all of this translates into mental health problems for the people who are doing it tough in the bush and in regional towns -- not to mention the stress caused by drought, floods and bushfires. What might be done to address this significant problem for rural Australia? In France, special government attention is given to sustaining rural villages and townships because they are regarded as philosophically central to French culture. Is this an example that Australian governments need to follow to make things better for people in the country and to program in incentives to get people to go there and work even if it is for limited fixed periods.
17.
Bullying in schools and cyberbullying
The personal identity development of children and teenagers is sometimes influenced by the bullying that goes on at school. And when children go home, they don't always escape this because they can be followed up by online bullying. This is a topic that needs investigation with level of occurrence data reported. How can the problem be addressed by authorities? What can be done to help children and adolescents cope with it, and try to stop this from occurring? One might even wonder whether the prevalence of humiliation and making fun of others as the core humour generating process in many television sitcoms etc. is having an effect on the growth and apparent acceptability of bullying, even if the protagonists think it is just making fun of others.
18.
Branding: The buying and selling of teenagers 		Branding is a contemporary phenomenon in industry and marketing where much is done to promote the status and mystique of the brand, over and above the function of the actual item itself. For example: much clothing is no longer just functional but something which is intended to make a statement about the individual and his/her projected identity. And much is done to promote brand loyalty because this is a significant part of the financial base of the producer. It appears that branding, by creating status and mystique around the brand, is preying on the identity vulnerability of people generally and of children and teenagers in particular. This is a topic that is important to investigate and to report on.
19.
Arranged marriages 		Most Australians take it for granted that "you can marry or live with whoever you choose". But for some this is not the case. Some cultures have long been practising arranged marriages. How does this square with the laws in a country which uphold the rights of individual to choose who they will marry? This topic has the capacity to inform about where and how often this practice still occurs – even in this country. It may even note some extreme cases where families have murdered one of their members because he/she would not accept the requirement to marry someone against their own wishes. This is a topic like slavery, which most Australians tend to think is not likely to occur here. But it is still a problem even if the incidence is not as great or as prominent as it might be in some other countries.
20.
Homelessness in Australia 		What about the homeless in Australia? This topic can report the extent of homelessness in this country. How do the homeless understand their own situation and what is their sense of personal identity? What are the common causes of homelessness? What can be done to address this problem at both community and government levels?
21.
Sweat shop labour and profits for multinational companies		 Even children can understand that if you want to make money from consumer goods, then you are likely to make a good profit if you get your goods manufactured in countries where the labour is very very cheap while you can still sell your goods in relatively affluent countries – like Australia. This topic investigates this question and has the capacity to report data and issues. The role of the multinational companies can also be investigated.
22.
Domestic violence in Australia		 For many of us, going home from school or work means going to a place of security and affirmation where you can relax and get away from the stresses and the people you have been associating with during the day. This is the personal environment in which personal identity develops. It is your "safe place". But what if it is not safe? What if the occurrence of domestic violence either between spouses or on children creates the environment where you are fearful. You're not escaping anything when you go home to such a situation. This topic has the opportunity to report on data about domestic violence in Australia. And it can collect some information about the causes and effects of the problem.
23.
Who joins cults and why? 		This topic explores what personal characteristics would make people vulnerable to being recruited to a cult. Are they just naive? Is it a particular personality type? What are the characteristics of cults? Evidence suggests that cult members find the community and personal affirmation so strong that they can appear not to pay attention to the sometimes crazy beliefs that cult leaders propose for them. What is likely to incline people to leave a cult? Can an education which promotes critical thinking help young people resist being seduced into a cult?

24.
Does people's favourite source of news/current affairs insinuate a particular (biased?) worldview and your place in it?

(Perhaps a whole class project??)


Favourite news channel or online feed – it can do all your political thinking for you – if you let it.

In the USA Fox News with news and current affairs anchors such as Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Kayleigh McEnany and others present a particular point of view and interpretation of the meaning of the events they cover. This is quite different from the interpretations of the corresponding people on CNN (Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer, Chris Cuomo etc.) In Australia, there is what is called "Sky News after dark" where the tone and values are similar to those of Fox News USA (Cory Bernardi, Peta Credlin, Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt, Paul Murray, Chris Kenny etc.) Perhaps a whole class might look into this question of particular source bias. As part of a class investigation, Individual students could check what was occurring on the different channels and perhaps also on computer and social media feeds. They need to look for views of politics, who is regarded as the ‘enemy'. What are the key issues etc. and identify any bias and trends. And the reports on different channels could then be looked at. And what about other channels such as RT Russia Today, NHK Japan, Aljazeera Dohar/Qatar which also have world news coverage? How does this compare with other Australian free to air TV channels (ABC, channel 9, SBS, channels 7 and 10)? Can the 'flavour' or bias in particular channels affect people's thinking about politics and the world, and consequently can this affect sense of identity?

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