Genetic Identity Testing and the Family: the articulation between biotechnology and family relationships, politics and policy. Genetic identity testing cuts to the very nature of the family itself. For the first time in human history, it is possible to identify paternity - and misattributed paternity - with reasonable certainty. Parentage testing has become a vehicle for the fathers? rights movement, and is influencing the management of child support policy. Governments are currently developing ....Genetic Identity Testing and the Family: the articulation between biotechnology and family relationships, politics and policy. Genetic identity testing cuts to the very nature of the family itself. For the first time in human history, it is possible to identify paternity - and misattributed paternity - with reasonable certainty. Parentage testing has become a vehicle for the fathers? rights movement, and is influencing the management of child support policy. Governments are currently developing broad policy frameworks on this issue. Yet there is almost no social research on parentage testing. This study will provide scope for Australian leadership in an area of study that will become progressively more important with the rapid development of DNA chip technology. Read moreRead less
Improving local government solid waste management practices through deliberative citizen decision-making and behaviour change communication strategies. This project aims to provide a democratic procedure (deliberative processes) to enhance local government's ability to deal with contentious economic, social, and environmental issues. Instead of top-down communication methods (education and edict), two processes are evaluated: commitment and feedback to people as local leaders, and the deliberati ....Improving local government solid waste management practices through deliberative citizen decision-making and behaviour change communication strategies. This project aims to provide a democratic procedure (deliberative processes) to enhance local government's ability to deal with contentious economic, social, and environmental issues. Instead of top-down communication methods (education and edict), two processes are evaluated: commitment and feedback to people as local leaders, and the deliberation of a citizen jury with access to expert knowledge. These processes will be simultaneously tested in
a mature (Ipswich) and emerging (Springfield) community with different demographic profiles. The expected outcome is greatly enhanced recycling output based on the enhanced citizenship of those involved, and the responsiveness of the service provider to 'bottom-up' deliberation and communication.Read moreRead less
Ageing Baby Boomers in Australia (ABBA): Informing Actions For Better Retirement. The research will improve understanding of baby boomers & inform action to achieve positive outcomes individually & for an ageing Australia. It will: 1)inform baby boomers of ways in which their actions in late middle age can increase the chance of having satisfying healthy lives in retirement; 2)inform employers & governments on key factors enabling people to work longer; 3)challenge stereotypes of baby boomers b ....Ageing Baby Boomers in Australia (ABBA): Informing Actions For Better Retirement. The research will improve understanding of baby boomers & inform action to achieve positive outcomes individually & for an ageing Australia. It will: 1)inform baby boomers of ways in which their actions in late middle age can increase the chance of having satisfying healthy lives in retirement; 2)inform employers & governments on key factors enabling people to work longer; 3)challenge stereotypes of baby boomers by showing their variability over the life course & in retirement; 4)provide four researchers with knowledge & expertise in applied, multi-disciplinary research on individual & population ageing; 5)identify baby boomers' expectations for themselves, governments, & the community to guide directions for Australia's response to ageing.Read moreRead less
Negotiating Transitions to Retirement. This project will track diverse pathways in work/retirement transitions, by analysing how the present policy mix accommodates shifts in labour markets, demographic shifts and shifts in households and income distributions. Focused on cohorts aged 45 to 64, it firstly analyses national data sets to track the impact of the current policy mix in terms of income security, industrial relations, housing, health, education and training and work/life. Secondly, i ....Negotiating Transitions to Retirement. This project will track diverse pathways in work/retirement transitions, by analysing how the present policy mix accommodates shifts in labour markets, demographic shifts and shifts in households and income distributions. Focused on cohorts aged 45 to 64, it firstly analyses national data sets to track the impact of the current policy mix in terms of income security, industrial relations, housing, health, education and training and work/life. Secondly, it draws on qualitative data to further examine how these transitions are played out. The research will develop a new policy matrix for older workers that addresses risk, social exclusion and social protection.Read moreRead less
Women Consider Retirement: A Critical Investigation of Attitudes Towards Work, Ageing and Retirement in Three Generations of Australian Women. The broad aim of this project is to investigate what work and retirement mean for women as they age and to consider the implications of these attitudes, intentions and experiences for government policy, especially given current concerns about workforce maintenance in view of population ageing.
The project will:
- develop a comprehensive understanding ....Women Consider Retirement: A Critical Investigation of Attitudes Towards Work, Ageing and Retirement in Three Generations of Australian Women. The broad aim of this project is to investigate what work and retirement mean for women as they age and to consider the implications of these attitudes, intentions and experiences for government policy, especially given current concerns about workforce maintenance in view of population ageing.
The project will:
- develop a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics, attitudes and experiences of three generations of women in relation to work, ageing and retirement
- examine the extent and consequences of generational and geographic differences in attitudes and choices
- explore the complex social and cultural factors shaping these attitudes, choices and consequences.
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Impact of parents' employment on children's well-being: The influence of employment quality, time and activities with children, and parenting practices. Most Australian children now grow-up in families where both their mother and their father are employed. Using a new national dataset, this research examines how parents' working conditions are related to children's well-being. It is proposed that parents' availability, resources, and family functioning mediate between parental employment and chi ....Impact of parents' employment on children's well-being: The influence of employment quality, time and activities with children, and parenting practices. Most Australian children now grow-up in families where both their mother and their father are employed. Using a new national dataset, this research examines how parents' working conditions are related to children's well-being. It is proposed that parents' availability, resources, and family functioning mediate between parental employment and child outcomes. The Growing-Up in Australia study (available in 2005) surveys 10,000 children, combining measures of child well-being, existing validated measures of work conditions and family functioning, with a new child-focused diary that measures time and activities undertaken with children. New knowledge generated will inform future policy development.Read moreRead less
Negotiating the Life Course: Education, Work, Family and Lifestyle Behaviour in Australia. The Negotiating the Life Course Project is a leading Australian social science resource accessible to and widely used by university researchers and students, especially PhD students. Beyond its major academic contributions, its results have been extensively reported in the media and have greatly increased community understanding of Australian society. It has an important and on-going role in several areas ....Negotiating the Life Course: Education, Work, Family and Lifestyle Behaviour in Australia. The Negotiating the Life Course Project is a leading Australian social science resource accessible to and widely used by university researchers and students, especially PhD students. Beyond its major academic contributions, its results have been extensively reported in the media and have greatly increased community understanding of Australian society. It has an important and on-going role in several areas of policy formulation especially in the development of policies related to the balance of work and family. Its principals are leading social commentators in these policy areas because, in large part, they are able to draw upon this significant national resource. Read moreRead less
Engineering diversity: An investigation of gender, workplace culture and change. Workplaces are changing rapidly in restructuring economies, but equity and diversity remain elusive. The engineering profession continues to experience difficulty attracting and retaining women. Gender equity programs that focus on women's training, socialisation and non-traditional 'choices' overlook the centrality of workplace cultures. This study reframes the issue, problematising the work context, rather than wo ....Engineering diversity: An investigation of gender, workplace culture and change. Workplaces are changing rapidly in restructuring economies, but equity and diversity remain elusive. The engineering profession continues to experience difficulty attracting and retaining women. Gender equity programs that focus on women's training, socialisation and non-traditional 'choices' overlook the centrality of workplace cultures. This study reframes the issue, problematising the work context, rather than women themselves. A qualitative investigation of discourses and practices at a range of engineering sites will be conducted. As the first major study of the work place culture in Australian engineering the findings will provide a basis for change in engineering industry, policy, and education settings.Read moreRead less
Negotiating the Lifecourse: Longitudinal research into work and family transitions and trajectories. The Negotiating the Life Course Project is a leading Australian social science resource widely used by university researchers and students, especially PhD students. The research on life course pathways will see Australian researchers contribute to major advances that are being made in this field, particularly in Europe. Beyond its major academic contributions, results have been extensively report ....Negotiating the Lifecourse: Longitudinal research into work and family transitions and trajectories. The Negotiating the Life Course Project is a leading Australian social science resource widely used by university researchers and students, especially PhD students. The research on life course pathways will see Australian researchers contribute to major advances that are being made in this field, particularly in Europe. Beyond its major academic contributions, results have been extensively reported in the media and have increased community understanding of Australian society. It has an important role in several areas of policy formulation especially in work/family, housing and education. Its principals are leading social commentators in these policy areas partly because they are able to draw upon this significant national resource. Read moreRead less
Job quality and the mental health and well-being of working parents and their children. Maximizing workforce participation is a national priority, essential to support an ageing population. Also critical is the full development of children's capabilities; part of a healthy start to life. Jobs, parents, children and family life lie at the centre of these priorities. Although employment supports families financially, this may come at a cost if aspects of the job affect parent well-being, or strain ....Job quality and the mental health and well-being of working parents and their children. Maximizing workforce participation is a national priority, essential to support an ageing population. Also critical is the full development of children's capabilities; part of a healthy start to life. Jobs, parents, children and family life lie at the centre of these priorities. Although employment supports families financially, this may come at a cost if aspects of the job affect parent well-being, or strains family relationships, which are critical to children's development and well-being. As well as informing industrial relations changes, this project will benefit the twin economic and social policy goals of workforce participation while at the same time supporting the health and well-being of parents and their children.Read moreRead less