I was born and raised in country Queensland in 1956 with no family background in tertiary education. Apart from expanding my career choices, my university education has profoundly shaped my sense of self and way I see and act in the world. In terms of paid work, with an arts degree in history and economics in the 1970s, I worked in trades relations in Canberra. With a degree in social work, I worked in community health and disability services and then commenced a 30-year career in State and Australian governments in policy, research and planning roles spanning housing, regional development, disability, aged care, Indigenous health and surrogacy law. I subsequently undertook a masters in applied social research to better equip myself in... Read more
About me
I was born and raised in country Queensland in 1956 with no family background in tertiary education. Apart from expanding my career choices, my university education has profoundly shaped my sense of self and way I see and act in the world. In terms of paid work, with an arts degree in history and economics in the 1970s, I worked in trades relations in Canberra. With a degree in social work, I worked in community health and disability services and then commenced a 30-year career in State and Australian governments in policy, research and planning roles spanning housing, regional development, disability, aged care, Indigenous health and surrogacy law. I subsequently undertook a masters in applied social research to better equip myself in this work in evaluating and commissioning research. Having recently completed my PhD, I reckon we are all capable of learning the research process and becoming competent researchers. It is just about putting our minds to it and building confidence.
My PhD thesis, Place, disadvantage and the project of the self: pursuing a better life in outer metropolitan Australia, offers a sociological explanation of the lived experience of an isolated, stigmatised outer Brisbane suburb. The study is based on in-depth interviews with 66 residents, two years of participant observation, documentary analysis on the study location and a review of literature on disadvantaged places and lifestyle migration. It offers lessons to service providers and policy makers in the way that people who are objectively disadvantaged see themselves as agents within their constraints making the most of what they see their place and other opportunities. Along with other researchers who have contributed to lifestyle migration literature, I have been recently asked to reflect on my thesis means in the context of COVID-19.
Living in Adelaide, I am actively involved in range of choral, environmental and history projects as a way of enhancing my own and others’ sense of belonging and place. Whilst ever a keen gardener and composter, during COVID, I have grown more vegetables and I developed a share care arrangement with chooks. Most happily, I have just had a delightful Christmas with my son who I have not seen for 18 months due to various COVID restrictions. I am feeling extremely blessed, given so many are unable to travel at present. The experience has left me reflecting on the mobile lifestyle I assumed for myself and which I observed in my recent research.
Teaching & student supervision