Research
Research concentrations
The Department of Sociology at Flinders University has an international reputation for its theoretically and empirically based research across a wide range of substantive areas. The high quality research by individual staff is concentrated in various key research areas:
- Work, Organisations and Professions
- Nationality and Ethnicity
- Social Theory and Cultural Analysis
- Gender, Emotions and the Body
- Environmentalism and Climate Change
1. Work, Organisations and Professions
The Department has expertise in analysing the changing nature of work in
relation to broad shifts in economic and social organisation. There is interest
in both individual and corporate decision-making processes and their intersection
with societal risks. Research projects in recent years have been undertaken
in the areas of management careers, criminal justice system, health system
and business practice in foreign contexts.
2. Nationality, Ethnicity and Globalisation
Research in the Department has focussed on the significant transformations
that have occurred in nationality, ethnicity and global identities over
recent decades. These include global conflict, cultural change in the Muslim
world, ethnic nationalism in Eastern Europe, post-colonial Diasporas, civic
nationalism and imagined community. Related research has concentrated on
identity studies in relation to the globalisation debate.
3. Social Theory and Cultural Analysis
Members of the Department have an international reputation for their writings
in the fields of social theory and cultural sociology. Areas of expertise
include classical sociology, collective memory, psychoanalytic theory, globalisation
and the sociology of emotions.
4.Gender, Emotions and the Body
There is a strong body of work within the Department dealing with the effects
of social change on gender relations, especially focussed on emotional and
embodied life. Academic staff members have undertaken investigations into
mothering, emotional labour, distance and other migratory relationships,
health and reproductive issues, caring and politics.
5. Environmentalism and Climate Change
The Department has an intellectual concern with key institutional dimensions
of environmental problems and climate change. Research has been undertaken
into water provision and attitudes to water recycling, the impact of climate
change and the social framework for constructing environmental problems.
Related research has analysed the identity-politics and theories of subjectivity
associated with environmentalism.