Academy of Social Sciences in Australia
President's Report
Professor Leon Mann
The Academy's commitment to outreach and partnership, noted in my 2001 Report, has continued this year.
Two major roles of the Academy - stated in the Academy's set of objectives - are to act as consultant and adviser in regard to the social sciences; and to comment on national needs and priorities in the area of the social sciences.
Download the Annual Report [PDF:
767.06 kB]
The Academy has cordial working relationships with Dr Brendan Nelson, Minister for Education, Science and Training, Mr Peter McGauran, Minister for Science, Senator Amanda Vanstone, Minister for Family and Community Services, and with other Ministers. In January the President met with Mr McGauran to discuss the contribution of the social sciences to science, technology and innovation. In February, members of the Executive Standing Committee met with Dr Nelson to propose ideas of how ASSA can assist in development of government policy options and provision of expertise. In June Senator Vanstone launched the special edition of 'A hundred years of women's politics' for the Academy.
Dr John Beaton, our Executive Director, together with Professor Iain McCalman, was appointed to membership of the reference group for the Higher Education Review conducted by Dr Brendan Nelson. They have made an important contribution in providing their advice on the many issues pertaining to structure and support for Australian universities and for the protection of standards in university education and research.
During 2002 the government again turned its attention to the question of determining national research priorities in order to focus the national research effort on areas of greatest significance and urgency. Mr Peter McGauran appointed me to the National Research Priorities Consultative Panel, which in a series of public meetings held across Australia solicited submissions regarding a national research priorities framework. Following the Consultative Panel's report in August, I was appointed to the National Research Priorities Expert Advisory Committee which was tasked to evaluate submissions and recommend a short list of national research priorities to Prime Minister and Cabinet in October for implementation in 2003. The government's policy is to determine national research priorities in the areas of science, engineering and technology to take effect in 2003 and then next year determine national research priorities in the areas of social sciences and humanities for implementation in 2004.
It is gratifying to note that in every one of the public meetings I attended as a member of the National Research Priorities Consultative Panel, almost always the first comment from audience members was surprise at the artificial and indefensible separation of priority areas into science, engineering, technology on the one side and social sciences and humanities on the other. Again, almost always the comment was made by scientists and technologists who argued that all of the major areas urgently in need of additional, focused research effort - such as protecting and recovering the natural environment, healthy population, regional and rural sustainability, energy conservation and renewal, population, and immigration - had to be tackled with social sciences involvement and partnership. I am pleased to write that the Report of the National Research Priorities Panel makes this point.
ASSA submissions to government bodies, committees and task forces in 2002 included a submission to the Chief Scientist's Review of external earnings targets policy applying to CSIRO, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), a submission to the Higher Education Review calling for greater government support for Indigenous postgraduate research students, and a submission to the National Research Priorities Expert Advisory Committee recommending 'Ageing of the Australian population' and 'Sustainability of Australian rural communities' as national research priorities. I am grateful to John Beaton and to a group of dedicated Fellows who put forward ideas for inclusion in the submission. Of course, the Academy will be front and centre stage in 2003 when social sciences and humanities research priority setting is on the government agenda.
In last year's Report I commented on non-inclusion of direct social sciences representation on the peak advisory group Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) which gives advice to Prime Minister and Cabinet in the area of research and innovation policy and provides briefings on key research areas. I regret I have no good news to report in regard to social sciences membership of PMSEIC. It remains on my wish list for 2003.
The joint Symposium with the Academy of Humanities (AAH) at the November meetings was a great success, bringing together about 200 Fellows from the two Academies for a lively and interesting program of activities centred on the theme 'Alternative Australias'. Many Fellows expressed interest in holding joint annual symposia with the Humanities Academy in the future and this suggestion will be considered. ASSA and AAH collaborated again this year in co-signing an Agreement on academic cooperation with the British Academy. The scheme, which provides funding for joint research projects involving Australian and British scholars, will be implemented in 2003. Professor Iain McCalman and I represented AAH and ASSA respectively at the Centenary celebrations of the British Academy in London.
The Academy's initiative in mounting a residential summer workshop for Indigenous postgraduate students, held at Ormond College, University of Melbourne, 4-8 February 2002 was a considerable success. The workshop was co-directed by Professor Marcia Langton and myself with a faculty drawn from senior Indigenous scholars, Professor Larissa Behrendt and Professor Martin Nakata, and Academy Fellows Fay Gale, Lenore Manderson, Nancy Williams, and Bob Tonkinson, who gave their time and knowledge generously to lead sessions on research design and methodology, research ethics, researching in Indigenous communities, strategies for writing, publishing and winning grants, the student-supervisor relationship, and other topics. The workshop was supported by a start-up grant of $26000 from the Colonial Foundation. The Academy's initiative has generated a very positive response from the Indigenous students, their supervisors and senior scholars. It is planned to establish the summer workshop as an annual event and also extend the Academy's work with Indigenous researchers by introducing a mentoring program drawing on the skills and knowledge of Academy Fellows. To this end, the Pratt family have generously agreed to make 'Raheen', their Melbourne home, available for a fund-raising dinner in 2003 to help establish an ASSA Foundation to support workshops and mentoring programs for Indigenous post-graduate research students.
Discussions began during the year with senior scientists from CSIRO interested in building links between the natural sciences and the social sciences to foster social-economic integration in CSIRO's flagship programs. Meetings were held in Canberra in July and in Melbourne in September. A third meeting is being planned for November to explore joint research projects. I am pleased to report that an application for Australian Research Council (ARC) funding for 2003 under the Learned Academies special project scheme has been successful. Professors Margot Prior and Sue Richardson, on behalf of the Academy, submitted a project proposal 'Building a Better Future for Our Children' and we congratulate them on winning an award of $102,000.
The Academy's Occasional Paper Series brings to a wider audience edited papers from the Annual Symposium and Cunningham Lectures and other material considered of significance in the social sciences. Occasional Paper 1/2002 is titled 'A hundred years of women's politics' edited by Marian Simms and has the words 'Special Edition' displayed on the cover. The volume marks the centenary of the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 through which Australia became the first country in the world where most women had the right to vote and stand for national parliament. It also contains a work-in-progress paper 'Women and electoral politics' by the late Paul Bourke (President of the Academy 1993-1997). The launch of the Special Edition by Amanda Vanstone, Minister for Family and Community Services, at Parliament House on 12 June was indeed a special occasion.
During the year, the Executive has been concerned with the Academy's budgetary situation. Professor Fay Gale in her year 2000 President's report wrote: 'It is clear that the very small government grant of a little over a quarter of a million dollars is quite inadequate for the Academy to meet its objectives. Only by seeking other sources of funding can we hope to promote the work of the social sciences for the benefit of our society'. I can only reinforce Professor Gale's opinion. The Executive Director, Dr John Beaton, has collected comparative data on the financial structure and condition of the four Australian Academies. It is very clear that ASSA is the poorest and is operating on a shoestring budget. Professor Fay Gale together with Dr John Beaton agreed to examine ways in which the Academy's program of activities and committee size and structure might be altered to cut expenditures.
Their report will be presented at the November Executive and recommendations taken to the November AGM. Meanwhile, as Fellows are aware, ASSA support for airfares to the AGM has been reduced to 75 per cent. Professor Gavin Jones and the Finance Committee have reviewed ways of finding additional sources of funding. In all Academies, donations and bequests by Fellows are a major source of additional income. Unfortunately, according to the Executive Director's comparative data, the other three Academies do better in this respect than ASSA. This year, Fellows were invited to add a donation to the Workshop budget as part of their annual subscription. I am pleased to report that some Fellows took the opportunity. The fund-raising dinner in 'Raheen' next year to establish an ASSA Foundation to support workshops and mentoring programs for Indigenous postgraduate research students will ensure that ASSA will be able to afford this important initiative. But there is a growing necessity for all Fellows who are able to contribute to offer their material support to help sustain and build ASSA's activities.
The Secretariat has again supported the activities of the Academy with a high level of professionalism. Admirably led by our Executive Director, Dr John Beaton, the Secretariat, which is the smallest of all four Academies, has carried out its work with energy and dedication. I gratefully acknowledge on behalf of the Academy the services of Dr John Beaton, Dr John Robertson, Ms Sue Rider, Mr Mark Pinoli, Ms Jennifer Fernance, Dr Peg Job and Mrs Pam Shepherd. During the year Pam, our Executive Assistant, retired from her position and was replaced by Mrs Shirley Chapman.
The lifeblood of an Academy is both the distinction and contribution of its Fellows who represent their areas of knowledge in the social sciences in the universities, institutes and other organisations where they work; in their publications; in their teaching, research, consulting and supervision of students; and in their gift of time and support for the many activities performed by a modern Academy. The Academy's standing committees are ably led by hard-working, dedicated Fellows who give of their time generously. On behalf of the Fellowship, I acknowledge Professor Sue Richardson, Research Projects Committee; Professor Peter Saunders, Workshop Committee; Professor Fay Gale, International Relations Committee; Professor Peter Spearritt, Public Affairs Committee; and our treasurer, Professor Gavin Jones. The reports of the many activities undertaken this year by the various Academy committees appear in the annual report. Also acknowledged are the Panel Chairs - Peter McDonald, Pat Grimshaw, David Andrich, and Peter Saunders, and their committees as well as the hardworking convenors of workshops, research projects, the annual symposium, and all others who give their time and effort on behalf of the Academy.
During the year the Academy mourned the loss of a number of its esteemed Fellows, including two of its most senior Fellows. The distinguished economist Sir Leslie Melville, who died at the age of 100 years on 30 April this year, was the Academy's oldest Fellow. A President of the Academy 1953-1958, when it existed as the Social Science Research Council, Sir Leslie had a profound influence on the direction of the Academy in its formative years. The Academy also mourned the passing on 22 May of the historian Professor Oliver MacDonagh, a former Executive Director of the Academy. (Obituaries can be found elsewhere in this volume). Nineteen new Fellows were elected in the September general ballot for Fellowship, bringing our membership to 382. The congratulations and best wishes of the entire Fellowship are extended to the new Fellows, and we look forward to welcoming them at the November AGM, the annual dinner and the induction breakfast.
Leon Mann
President, 2002
Last modified: 2 November 2009.