Capacity building and social enterprise: Individual and organisational transformation in transitional labour market programs. This research will produce new knowledge about the sustainability of social enterprise based transitional labour market programs, and contribute to the development of such programs nationally and internationally. The study of the factors that shape the success, or otherwise, of the most vulnerable, marginalised young people's involvement in these programs will contribute ....Capacity building and social enterprise: Individual and organisational transformation in transitional labour market programs. This research will produce new knowledge about the sustainability of social enterprise based transitional labour market programs, and contribute to the development of such programs nationally and internationally. The study of the factors that shape the success, or otherwise, of the most vulnerable, marginalised young people's involvement in these programs will contribute new knowledge about young people's transitions into labour markets. Together, these innovative understandings of social enterprise, marginalisation and social inclusion/transition will make significant contributions to the National Research Priority goals strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric and promoting an innovation culture and economy.Read moreRead less
Social Futures & Life Pathways of Young People in Queensland: Waves 6 & 7. This project plans to extend a large longitudinal study of young people in Queensland to investigate the impact of social, political and economic changes on educational, workforce, partnering, family and housing transitions in early adulthood. The project is designed to combine large-scale survey research with in-depth qualitative interviewing to track stability and change in the values, aspirations, health and wellbeing ....Social Futures & Life Pathways of Young People in Queensland: Waves 6 & 7. This project plans to extend a large longitudinal study of young people in Queensland to investigate the impact of social, political and economic changes on educational, workforce, partnering, family and housing transitions in early adulthood. The project is designed to combine large-scale survey research with in-depth qualitative interviewing to track stability and change in the values, aspirations, health and wellbeing of a cohort of young people who were first surveyed as secondary school students a decade earlier. This aims to inform social policy by identifying factors that promote positive career, relationship, housing and health outcomes for young adults, and those which place young adults at risk of unemployment, tertiary non-completion, residential and relationship instability, and poorer mental and physical wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Getting a job: vocationalism, identity formation and schooling in communities at disadvantage. This research will use young people's stories to investigate the barriers and obstacles to getting a job, and from their vantage point, identify the educational, policy and practice contexts that need to be created and more widely sustained in order to assist their career aspirations and life chances.
Academic Curriculum and School Setting : How school subjects live different lives in different schools. What is it about some schools that enables success to occur even in the most unlikely settings? This project will investigate differences in how the senior school subjects of mathematics, English and chemistry are 'delivered' in particular settings, despite curricula that are centrally determined and examined. It will explore the impact of factors such as school organisation, teaching and asse ....Academic Curriculum and School Setting : How school subjects live different lives in different schools. What is it about some schools that enables success to occur even in the most unlikely settings? This project will investigate differences in how the senior school subjects of mathematics, English and chemistry are 'delivered' in particular settings, despite curricula that are centrally determined and examined. It will explore the impact of factors such as school organisation, teaching and assessment methods, teaching resources and student background characteristics on students' experience of, and success in, these subjects. This project will identify the changes in curricula, school organisation and teaching needed for more students to successfully complete their senior secondary education.Read moreRead less
A socio-cultural analysis of eating disorders among pre-teen boys and girls. This project tackles the tough question of why there has been a dramatic increase in eating disorders amongst very young boys and girls by examining the social conditions of children's lives in contemporary Australia. The findings will provide important information for policy makers, educators and clinicians working with children and families.
Unions and Regional Regeneration. Unions face many challenges in older industrial regions, where they previously have had a strong presence. Successful regeneration of such regions depends on the active involvement of unions and their members as well as business. In some places, however, unions have remained marginal to these processes. Not only does this project extend theory on union purpose, capacities and organisation in support of economic, political and environmental change towards sustain ....Unions and Regional Regeneration. Unions face many challenges in older industrial regions, where they previously have had a strong presence. Successful regeneration of such regions depends on the active involvement of unions and their members as well as business. In some places, however, unions have remained marginal to these processes. Not only does this project extend theory on union purpose, capacities and organisation in support of economic, political and environmental change towards sustainable futures, it applies a novel combination of methods. This application examines the consequences of involvement and non-involvement in these processes. The project seeks to extend theories of social change and social mobilisation.Read moreRead less
Participation versus performance: managing (dis)ability, gender and cultural diversity in junior sport. Playing sport can benefit young people but by its nature is competitive. This project will examine how well, if at all, junior sports clubs manage a need to be successful alongside providing an inclusive environment welcoming people of all backgrounds and abilities.
The invisible postmodern family: Investigating the interface between the private and public worlds of lesbian families. This study investigates family diversity and post-modern kinship through a study of lesbian parented families. These families are a recent and significant new family type and knowledge about them is crucial for understanding contemporary family life. We examine family structure including how family members define and describe their relationships, their roles and the social supp ....The invisible postmodern family: Investigating the interface between the private and public worlds of lesbian families. This study investigates family diversity and post-modern kinship through a study of lesbian parented families. These families are a recent and significant new family type and knowledge about them is crucial for understanding contemporary family life. We examine family structure including how family members define and describe their relationships, their roles and the social supports available to them. We examine the interface between the private lives of lesbian parented families and mainstream public institutions. The research will develop the field of family studies theoretically and empirically and will be of major significance to researchers, practitioners and social policy makers.Read moreRead less
Vocational Education and Training in Schools: Cultural Resistance and the Academic Tradition. This study seeks to relate how well different models of VET in Schools delivery (in different settings) work towards achieving the objectives of improved participation, more effective transitions and engagement of reluctant learners. It also seeks to assess how effectively the different ways of delivering VET are meeting governments' objectives to build Australia's skills base and provide young people w ....Vocational Education and Training in Schools: Cultural Resistance and the Academic Tradition. This study seeks to relate how well different models of VET in Schools delivery (in different settings) work towards achieving the objectives of improved participation, more effective transitions and engagement of reluctant learners. It also seeks to assess how effectively the different ways of delivering VET are meeting governments' objectives to build Australia's skills base and provide young people with effective pathways. This study will provide education and training systems with valuable data on the effectiveness of this major policy innovation for different student groups. It will do so by analysing three major school leaver data-bases, followed up by qualitative studies in 12 schools in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.Read moreRead less
Jean Martin and the Social Sciences in Australia. Jean Martin was a major founder of the social sciences in Australia, a pioneer in institution building and cultural traffic. She built institutions and networks by working Sociology and Anthropology together, combining intellectual cultures from Australia, America, Germany and Britain. A collectively authored book will establish the nature of Martin's contribution to social science and society, and uncover the nature of intellectual innovation, ....Jean Martin and the Social Sciences in Australia. Jean Martin was a major founder of the social sciences in Australia, a pioneer in institution building and cultural traffic. She built institutions and networks by working Sociology and Anthropology together, combining intellectual cultures from Australia, America, Germany and Britain. A collectively authored book will establish the nature of Martin's contribution to social science and society, and uncover the nature of intellectual innovation, networking and institution-building in social sciences in Australia and beyond. This project develops new perspectives on the culture of the social sciences, Australian nation-building and civil society in the twentieth century.Read moreRead less