Social justice is central to driving transformational policy change that benefits both people and planet, and is essential for ensuring inclusive and equitable outcomes on key eco-social issues in food systems, poverty alleviation and sustainability. With a strong focus on food justice, human rights and empowerment, research in this programme develops solutions to the interconnected problems of disempowerment, social marginalisation, exclusion, and unequal access to resources. By examining the complex social processes, laws, institutions, and practices that shape participation, wellbeing and opportunity, our work aims to strengthen policymaking and deliver fairer outcomes, particularly for communities facing disadvantage or systemic barriers.
To commission research or find out more, please contact Theme Lead Dr Kiah Smith.
Current & Recent Projects
- Legacy + Sustainability: Co-designing a regional food procurement strategy for Bris2032 Olympics and beyond
- Coastal Horticulture in Northeastern Australia (ARC Discovery)
- The Forgotten Children, Ten Years On (ARC Linkage)
- Activating employment futures through work integration social enterprise (ARC Linkage)
- Advancing equitable and non-discriminatory access to health services for First Nations peoples: A multidisciplinary Queensland Human Rights Act case study
- Conditional Welfare: A Comparative case study of Income Management Policies
- SDG-CSO Data Observatory for Queensland
- A Just Climate Transition: Developing a social justice framework for a just climate transition in rural Victoria (ARC Linkage)
- Investigating the role and performance of civil society organisations in achieving the SDGs in Germany and Australia
- Fair Food Futures (ARC DECRA)