Current Research Projects

My current research includes the following:

Subjectivity and Social Change: following on from my doctoral studies I am attempting to rework and expand my PhD into a book form focusing on the relationship between subjectivity and social change within a postmodern feminist perspective.

Subjectivity in War and Civil Conflict: in this research I am exploring the relevance of themes from my doctoral thesis for situations of war and civil conflict. This has involved research in Northern Ireland, Israel and Palestine. I am particularly interested in how situations of civil violence influence the development of subjectivity and how this in turn influences the perpetuation, or discontinuation, of violence.

Critical and Reflective Social Work Practice: as a social worker I am concerned with the possibility that the profession of social work is increasingly returning to its conservative roots. I am advocating for the promotion of a form of social work practice, based on feminist social work and other forms of structural social work, that provides an alternative perspective on the mission of social work as a force acting for human rights and justice.

Childhood Trauma and Effective Responses: the majority of my practice has involved work with adolescent and adult survivors of childhood trauma. I believe that many responses to these people do not reflect a thorough knowledge of the impact of trauma on the developing child and appropriate therapeutic strategies. I am currently working with two other professionals in the development of a model for work with young people who are survivors of childhood trauma.

The Changing Context of the Community Sector in Australia: the majority of my practice experience has been with the community sector and as a consultant I work nearly solely in the community sector with non-Government organisations. With the increasing levels of conservatism in society the NGO sector has been significantly wound back and small independent community organisations are being replaced by large ones, often with different visions and mandates to the traditional community based service. My interest in this area comes from a passion for the community sector and a belief in its ability to deliver high quality services in relationship to the broader community. I am particularly interested in how NGOs can influence the political agenda and new and strategic responses to the current social context.