The sociology of antibiotics and the antimicrobial resistance crisis. This project aims to investigate the sociological dimensions of antibiotics consumption by examining the views and experiences of clinicians, decision-makers, and members of the general population. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the social aspects of antibiotics use and consumer-provider interactions. Expected outcomes of this project include stronger consumer-provider collaborations about antibiotic use a ....The sociology of antibiotics and the antimicrobial resistance crisis. This project aims to investigate the sociological dimensions of antibiotics consumption by examining the views and experiences of clinicians, decision-makers, and members of the general population. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the social aspects of antibiotics use and consumer-provider interactions. Expected outcomes of this project include stronger consumer-provider collaborations about antibiotic use and a new evidence-base to guide policy decisions. This project should provide significant benefits for the national response to antimicrobial resistance, including enhanced public education and public policy.Read moreRead less
Lived experiences of treatment for hepatitis C in Australia. This project aims to support uptake of new hepatitis C treatments. With the introduction of new treatments in 2016, the Australian Government adopted the WHO’s goal of eliminating the disease by 2030. While early treatment rates were high, they have since plateaued, with stigma and poor information considered key obstacles. This project will generate new knowledge on treatment decisions and experiences, using a proven qualitative metho ....Lived experiences of treatment for hepatitis C in Australia. This project aims to support uptake of new hepatitis C treatments. With the introduction of new treatments in 2016, the Australian Government adopted the WHO’s goal of eliminating the disease by 2030. While early treatment rates were high, they have since plateaued, with stigma and poor information considered key obstacles. This project will generate new knowledge on treatment decisions and experiences, using a proven qualitative methodology. In doing so, it will produce a website covering personal experiences of treatment, issues in treatment decision-making, and advice on enhancing life on treatment and after. It will tackle hepatitis C-related stigma, and inform and benefit potential treatment users, families and relevant professionals.
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Epigenetics and Indigenous Australia. This project aims to investigate how epigenetics is being received by Indigenous Australians, and to identify the potential risks and opportunities that narratives of biosocial damage entail. Epigenetics is a rapidly evolving science concerned with how life experiences, such as trauma or stress, can modify DNA and be passed on to negatively affect children's (and possibly grandchildren's) health and development. This project will offer an understanding of th ....Epigenetics and Indigenous Australia. This project aims to investigate how epigenetics is being received by Indigenous Australians, and to identify the potential risks and opportunities that narratives of biosocial damage entail. Epigenetics is a rapidly evolving science concerned with how life experiences, such as trauma or stress, can modify DNA and be passed on to negatively affect children's (and possibly grandchildren's) health and development. This project will offer an understanding of the relationships between Indigenous health and epigenetics that will help Indigenous researchers, policymakers, and government bodies make well-informed decisions about the application and direction of this new science. The research will make a significant contribution to understanding how the interplay of biology, race, and society unfold at the intersection of different knowledge systems and at the forefront of technological progress.Read moreRead less
Analysing gender in research and policy on alcohol-related violence. This project aims to provide insights into gendered aspects of research and policy on alcohol-related violence among young people. It will produce knowledge through a comparative approach encompassing key alcohol policy contexts in Australia, Canada and Sweden. Project outcomes will improve the capacity of health and policy practitioners to understand the relationships between gender, alcohol and violence; reconceptualise resp ....Analysing gender in research and policy on alcohol-related violence. This project aims to provide insights into gendered aspects of research and policy on alcohol-related violence among young people. It will produce knowledge through a comparative approach encompassing key alcohol policy contexts in Australia, Canada and Sweden. Project outcomes will improve the capacity of health and policy practitioners to understand the relationships between gender, alcohol and violence; reconceptualise responses to alcohol-related problems; inform the development of future alcohol research and policy; increase the capacity to respond more effectively to alcohol use; and reduce alcohol-related harm.Read moreRead less
Mitigating the Influence of Social Bots in Heterogeneous Social Networks. This project aims to mitigate the influence of social bots in dynamic and constantly changing social networks. Social bots can spread misinformation, manipulate public opinion, and compromise privacy and security. This project will use advanced algorithms to detect and neutralize the impact of social bots, improving the integrity and accuracy of information on social media. The expected outcomes include the development of ....Mitigating the Influence of Social Bots in Heterogeneous Social Networks. This project aims to mitigate the influence of social bots in dynamic and constantly changing social networks. Social bots can spread misinformation, manipulate public opinion, and compromise privacy and security. This project will use advanced algorithms to detect and neutralize the impact of social bots, improving the integrity and accuracy of information on social media. The expected outcomes include the development of a robust system for identifying and mitigating social bot influence, and the reduction of harmful content and misinformation on social media. The benefits of this project include a more trustworthy and secure social media environment, protection of individuals and organizations from malicious activities.Read moreRead less
Investigating Conversational AI: Development, Usage and Governance. The project aims to provide new and powerful understandings of the consequences of chatbot technologies in terms of economy, society and governance. In doing so it will enable an integrated approach to understanding the ecosystem of developers, users and regulators of conversational AI in the retail and services sector. Expected outcomes and benefits include breakthrough theory, publications, and significant contributions to aca ....Investigating Conversational AI: Development, Usage and Governance. The project aims to provide new and powerful understandings of the consequences of chatbot technologies in terms of economy, society and governance. In doing so it will enable an integrated approach to understanding the ecosystem of developers, users and regulators of conversational AI in the retail and services sector. Expected outcomes and benefits include breakthrough theory, publications, and significant contributions to academic research and policy discussions across science, government, and industry. This should also place Australia at the forefront of the international scientific community and policy regulation in a fast-emerging area of technological development.
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Addressing hepatitis C-related discrimination in a post-cure world. This project aims to address the legal and policy dimensions of hepatitis C discrimination. Hepatitis C is a major public health challenge linked to profound discrimination, including in law and policy. Treatments introduced in 2016 improved cure rates; optimism about disease elimination is high, but questions remain about discrimination faced by those who are cured. This interdisciplinary project’s goal is to generate new knowl ....Addressing hepatitis C-related discrimination in a post-cure world. This project aims to address the legal and policy dimensions of hepatitis C discrimination. Hepatitis C is a major public health challenge linked to profound discrimination, including in law and policy. Treatments introduced in 2016 improved cure rates; optimism about disease elimination is high, but questions remain about discrimination faced by those who are cured. This interdisciplinary project’s goal is to generate new knowledge about hepatitis C discrimination in a post-cure context, and identify opportunities for legal and policy reform. Expected outcomes of the project include better legal, social and policy outcomes for Australians cured of hepatitis C, significantly benefiting these individuals directly and society more broadly.Read moreRead less
The technological transformation of sex: improving Australia's response. This project aims to enhance knowledge and explore important implications of new digital, mechanical or medical technologies that are transforming the sexual lives of many Australians. Privacy breaches and online harassment are among the challenges posed by these new technologies. The project intends to identify potential solutions to emerging problems as well as areas of policy, legal or educational systems that might faci ....The technological transformation of sex: improving Australia's response. This project aims to enhance knowledge and explore important implications of new digital, mechanical or medical technologies that are transforming the sexual lives of many Australians. Privacy breaches and online harassment are among the challenges posed by these new technologies. The project intends to identify potential solutions to emerging problems as well as areas of policy, legal or educational systems that might facilitate or mitigate their implementation. Expected outcomes include new evidence regarding the use of technologies in the sexual lives of Australians. This project can directly benefit people requiring an evidence base for policy development, law and regulation (including consumer protection), cyber-security and sex-education.Read moreRead less
Emerging assisted reproduction markets in Southern Africa. This anthropological study aims to investigate the global networks and emerging markets for assisted reproduction in Southern Africa. It will focus upon the mobilities of patients to South Africa for assisted reproduction and mobility of ova providers, gametes, embryos and medical staff across Africa and to and from Australia. This ethnographic study includes an analysis of the development of the industry, surveys of the numbers of inte ....Emerging assisted reproduction markets in Southern Africa. This anthropological study aims to investigate the global networks and emerging markets for assisted reproduction in Southern Africa. It will focus upon the mobilities of patients to South Africa for assisted reproduction and mobility of ova providers, gametes, embryos and medical staff across Africa and to and from Australia. This ethnographic study includes an analysis of the development of the industry, surveys of the numbers of international patients travelling to clinics in South Africa and interviews with staff, patients, gamete donors, and facilitating agencies. This study is anticipated to provide theoretical insights on the social impacts of reproductive travel across national borders for improved public policy responses.
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Realising big data’s potential to address social and health inequities. The rapid uptake of big data is transforming disease prevention research, policy and practice. These changes could undermine work on health and social inequities, or they could enhance it. Informed by science and technology studies and social theory, this project will: investigate the current practices of Australian public health actors to realise big data’s potential to tackle health and social inequities; and interrogate t ....Realising big data’s potential to address social and health inequities. The rapid uptake of big data is transforming disease prevention research, policy and practice. These changes could undermine work on health and social inequities, or they could enhance it. Informed by science and technology studies and social theory, this project will: investigate the current practices of Australian public health actors to realise big data’s potential to tackle health and social inequities; and interrogate the factors that enable and constrain their practices. The research aims to identify how transformations in contemporary population regulation can be shaped to address social and health inequities; and to inform current work to develop Australian big health data expertise, infrastructure, and socially just regulation.Read moreRead less