Australia Pacific Observatory

The Australia-Pacific Observatory aims to explore and translate the concept of ‘caring for country’, a unique tradition of philosophical and practical ecology that has been espoused and practiced by Indigenous Australians and Islanders for centuries.

Caring for Country

In undertaking research into this time of accelerating transformation, we aim to explore the unique contribution that our region can offer to the emerging global field of environmental humanities by honoring the concept of ‘caring for country’ – a unique tradition of philosophical and practical ecology that has been espoused and practiced by Indigenous Australians and Islanders for centuries.

Main Hub

University of Sydney

2

Global Humanities Projects

36

Global Humanities Affiliates

12

Global Humanities Partners

Research Projects

Australia-Pacific Observatory Projects

Project

The Reef

Using the interdisciplinary methods and approaches of the environmental humanities, we are investigating the problems and futures of the Great Barrier Reef within the context of the broader oceanic issues impacting our globe including coral bleaching, species extinction, depletion of fish, declining health and changing chemistries of sea water, and loss of human habitats and cultures.

Project

The Underwater Worlds Project

The Realm Aquatic. Imagining, representing and understanding the Underwater World, c. 1740-2014. This project between Humanities, Arts, Ecology and Science scholars at the Universities of Sydney, Stanford and Vanderbilt commenced on a modest scale in 2013 and has already seen several joint conferences, colloquia and Great Barrier Reef research expeditions.