Learning catalysts: improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged children. This project will identify what works to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged young people. In so doing, this project will contribute to Australia's prosperity and social well-being, and help address problems such as unemployment and homelessness, that arise when a large proportion of young Australians is denied an effective education.
Global arenas of knowledge: centre/periphery relations and change in knowledge production on a world scale. This research will increase our understanding of the production and exchange of organised knowledge in the global context. Combining ethnographic fieldwork, quantitative analysis and new social theory, it will provide sociological input into higher education policy and establish a new research trajectory in this emerging international field.
Knowledge integration for Torres Strait sustainability. This project aims to investigate how Torres Strait Islanders use context-specific local knowledge and research evidence to address environmental sustainability challenges. The Torres Strait is experiencing significant threats to its environment and there is a need to use research to identify strategies that can meet these challenges. However, at present significiant barriers exist in the translation of current research knowledge to the Torr ....Knowledge integration for Torres Strait sustainability. This project aims to investigate how Torres Strait Islanders use context-specific local knowledge and research evidence to address environmental sustainability challenges. The Torres Strait is experiencing significant threats to its environment and there is a need to use research to identify strategies that can meet these challenges. However, at present significiant barriers exist in the translation of current research knowledge to the Torres Strait context. The project will examine how knowledge is constructed (culturally) and develop new methods to allow research findings to be integrated into Torres Strait knowledge. This project will support the empowerment of Torres Strait Islander people to seek the research information that is most useful for their decision-making.Read moreRead less
Young people shaping livelihoods across three generations. This proposal for a third cohort to the Life Patterns longitudinal study aims to investigate how in a context of technological and structural change a new generation of young Australians builds livelihood-resilience, keeping the focus on those elements that have proven to be enabling for previous generations. The project aims to generate new knowledge about the influences of education, work, housing, relationships, wellbeing on positive ....Young people shaping livelihoods across three generations. This proposal for a third cohort to the Life Patterns longitudinal study aims to investigate how in a context of technological and structural change a new generation of young Australians builds livelihood-resilience, keeping the focus on those elements that have proven to be enabling for previous generations. The project aims to generate new knowledge about the influences of education, work, housing, relationships, wellbeing on positive trajectories. Expected outcomes of this project include systematic evidence and a new holistic livelihood-resilience framework for analysing youth trajectories. This project should provide significant benefits to the national response supporting positive youth transitions through education and work.Read moreRead less
Educational and career aspirations in the middle years of schooling: understanding complexity for increased equity. This project examines the complex relationships among factors that shape the career and educational aspirations of students in the middle years of schooling across three New South Wales regions. The study will inform interventions designed to achieve greater participation in schooling and higher education for students from low socio-economic status backgrounds.
Technologies of performance, technologies of governance: the bane, benefits, ethics and future of performance measurement in government. This study examines governments' increasing use of performance management and the complex ways this is transforming schools, universities, health and welfare services. It aims to improve service performance by identifying problems areas and engaging wider public perspectives.
The re-emergence of political labour in Indonesia. This project examines trade unions' attempts to encourage Indonesian political parties to think less about charismatic leadership and money politics and more about policy. The project will document and analyse unionists' strategies for the upcoming local and national elections and assess their efficacy and impact on the outcomes of those elections.
The experience of precarious housing among international students. This project aims to investigate the housing circumstances of international students in the private rental sector of Sydney and Melbourne. Using a mixed methods approach and a new measure of precarious housing, the project intends to generate new knowledge on students’ housing circumstances, the extent of precariousness and the impacts on their wellbeing and academic experience. Expected outcomes include enhanced understanding of ....The experience of precarious housing among international students. This project aims to investigate the housing circumstances of international students in the private rental sector of Sydney and Melbourne. Using a mixed methods approach and a new measure of precarious housing, the project intends to generate new knowledge on students’ housing circumstances, the extent of precariousness and the impacts on their wellbeing and academic experience. Expected outcomes include enhanced understanding of the housing experiences of international students across the three key post-secondary education sectors and their housing risks in a super diverse environment. This project should provide significant benefits as the high quality evidence produced should help policymakers reduce precarious housing among international students.Read moreRead less
Building connections: schools as community hubs. This project aims to support school systems and planning authorities enhance engagement between schools and local communities. The key objective is to advance the cost-effective development of the infrastructure required to deliver community programs and services from school sites, in addition to education programs for school-aged students. The project expects to generate new knowledge about how best to plan, design, govern and manage facilities a ....Building connections: schools as community hubs. This project aims to support school systems and planning authorities enhance engagement between schools and local communities. The key objective is to advance the cost-effective development of the infrastructure required to deliver community programs and services from school sites, in addition to education programs for school-aged students. The project expects to generate new knowledge about how best to plan, design, govern and manage facilities and infrastructure to enable schools to operate successfully as more than a school, encouraging the development of resilient and connected communities. The outcomes are expected to include a development framework for maximising schools as community hubs.Read moreRead less
Aftercare for young people: A sociological study of resource opportunities. This project aims to understand the resourcing opportunities and needs of young people in the first year after exiting alcohol and drug (AOD) treatment. AOD treatment is successful for many people, yet it is also common for people to ‘relapse’ or return to treatment and to experience multiple periods of engagement, drop-out and re-engagement. Drawing on sociological concepts, and using a longitudinal qualitative design, ....Aftercare for young people: A sociological study of resource opportunities. This project aims to understand the resourcing opportunities and needs of young people in the first year after exiting alcohol and drug (AOD) treatment. AOD treatment is successful for many people, yet it is also common for people to ‘relapse’ or return to treatment and to experience multiple periods of engagement, drop-out and re-engagement. Drawing on sociological concepts, and using a longitudinal qualitative design, this project aims to provide new evidence about the resourcing needs of young people – their perceptions of the resources available to them, and how they use these to maintain their AOD treatment outcomes. This will support the design of continuing care services that are responsive and relevant to young people’s needs.Read moreRead less