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School of Social Sciences

School of Social Sciences

About us

We are a dynamic, interdisciplinary community of internationally recognised scholars, committed to creating positive community impact. Offering study and research across criminology, geography, social policy, social work, sustainability, indigenous studies, sociology, politics, and international studies, we collaborate with policymakers and the community to co-produce impactful evidence, ensuring our graduates become informed, compassionate leaders.

Our disciplines

Social Sciences & Advocacy

  • Criminology, Justice and Social Policy: Investigates the causes and contexts of crime, advocating for reform to create safer and more equitable communities by analysing legal systems, gender-based violence, and community-based solutions.
  • Geography and Sustainability: Explores the complex interactions between human societies and the environment, focusing on urgent challenges like climate change adaptation, urban transitions, and resource security.
  • Social Work: Equips students with the skills to address complex social issues, empowering individuals and communities to develop capacity and achieve positive, lasting change through policy analysis and community development strategies.

Study Social Sciences & Advocacy

Humanities & Social Inquiry

  • Politics and International Studies: Analyses political systems, institutions, and global relations, preparing students to understand and navigate complex governmental and international challenges and policy-making.
  • Indigenous Studies: Engages with Indigenous knowledges, cultures, and histories globally, striving to promote decolonisation in teaching, research, and service delivery through collaborative research with communities.
  • Sociology: Critically examines social structures, relationships, and human behavior within diverse cultural and institutional contexts, providing methods to analyse social inequalities and change dynamics in modern society.

Study Humanities & Social Inquiry

Our research

We are interdisciplinary and so is our research

Research in the UOW School of Social Sciences addresses the most complex and pressing issues facing humanity through a multidisciplinary lens. Our scholars, spanning diverse fields, are united by a commitment to critical inquiry and social justice. This broad, integrated approach informs effective policy, drives positive societal change, and provides evidence-based solutions to real-world social problems.

 

Our research in aging and society focuses on understanding the circumstances of older people in their social, cultural and environmental contexts. We work within the domains of civic, social and work participation, health and social care, lifestyle behaviours, outdoor spaces and environment and communication and technology.  Our research is interdisciplinary and also takes action, in collaboration with older people, and those who provide supports, build environments or make policy, to improve the social, health, material and environmental circumstances of older people. We have a particular focus on ageing well and ageing in place.

The burden of disease as a result of chronic conditions has significant personal and community costs. Our research into the prevention and management of chronic conditions and how they are addressed aims to encourage people to live healthy and fulfilling lives. Our interdisciplinary research team recognises the complexity of chronic conditions considering the impact of genetic, behavioural, social, occupational and environmental variables.

We take an interdisciplinary approach to studying violence, in collaboration with affected communities, to particularly understand the specific contexts in which it occurs and can be prevented.  Violence occurs in public and private settings – although the majority of violence takes place in people’s homes.  Our research merges public health, social policy, social work, worker health and safety, and criminology. We work in a variety of different settings in collaboration with local partners in innovative ways to prevent violence to help keep communities safe. 

We are committed to the meaningful inclusion of Indigenous knowledges globally. In our research, we strive to deconstruct dominant ways of knowing and doing, being and becoming to decolonise teaching and learning, research, and service delivery across society. We work collaboratively with communities to participate in and lead research on the design and delivery of appropriate health and social services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and political identity and decolonization in the Pacific.

Our broad research program investigates interactions of humans with their environments from macro to micro levels: work environment; organisational; industry; social and political context; and professional practice. We have a particular focus on collaborative research with industry partners, community agencies and other stakeholders to provide practical outcomes for risk reduction in the workplace and communities.

Our research centres

Latest news and thought leadership

Health and Medicine

Indigenous programs cost billions, but we know surprisingly little about what works

We still know too little about which Aboriginal health and wellbeing programs are effective
Arts and Culture

From Lahore to Sydney, a Muslim feminist’s debut novel rebels against the suffocation of safety

The genre of migrant autofiction, especially coming-of-age work, is blooming, but Raaza Jamshed’s book stands out.
Community, Research

Distinguished Professors share cutting-edge research at public showcase event

World-renowned researchers presented their latest innovations in cybersecurity, children’s health and electroceutical medical technology

Questions?

Contact the School of Social Sciences