Welcome to the Centre for Social and Community Research

The Centre for Social & Community Research (CSCR) undertakes interdisciplinary research on social issues in local, regional, national and international communities. Key areas of interest include community health and safety; Indigenous and cross cultural issues; immigration and emerging ethnic communities; the life cycle; law, criminal justice systems, restorative justice and penal reform; community histories. In addition to specific research projects, CSCR promotes informed discussion on broad community issues through conferences, seminars and workshops.

In undertaking social research, CSCR demonstrates its continued commitment to community. Within CSCR, academics, researchers, postgraduates and undergraduates work in and with communities to extend existing knowledge in both practical and theoretical ways. Research projects, evaluations and consultations are developed and carried out at the Centre, providing recommendations, strategies and reports designed to provide immediate value and to add long-term benefit to the way we live.

The Centre for Social & Community Research is able to call on the expertise of academics from numerous disciplines including sociology, psychology, criminology, community development, philosophy, economics, law, history, and media.

CSCR's core areas of activity are:

Developing and conducting research projects for the benefit of local, national and international communities.
Community liaison.
Education and training.

CSCR Focus

The notion of 'community' informs CSCR's planning, operations and ongoing activities. CSCR projects are developed around areas of contemporary social relevance. These areas include but are not limited to community safety, social justice, community health, criminal justice systems, ethnicity, the life cycle and sustainability.

In addressing these areas, CSCR works with a range of professionals and community members who also have the community's best interests at heart. These people come from all levels of government, non-government organisations, local community groups and organisations, and private industry. In collaboration with these aforementioned groups, projects which draw on CSCR's broad academic base and extensive experience in applied research are developed and completed.

CSCR welcomes regular interaction with community members in providing advice or developing frameworks for the formation of any potential projects that fit within CSCR's ethos of promoting social justice, human rights and positive social change.

CSCR's social justice priorities for 2008 - 2012

In the period 2008 - 2012 CSCR aims to:

Assist in the development of a Western Australian model for a world's best practice prison based entirely on principles of restorative justice and community engagement. Coordinators: Dr Brian Steels & Dr Dot Goulding
Foster progress towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and, in particular, promote awareness of the need for a culturally appropriate commemoration of the deaths that occurred in the Rottnest Island Prison. Coordinator: Mr Len Collard.
Work towards the promotion and the implementation of ideas from the National Conference on Racism in a Global Context in partnership with the Australian Academy of Race Relations. Coordinator: Dr Casta Tungaraza.
Contribute to the empowerment of regional communities through the innovative use of information and communication technology. Coordinator: Professor Craig McGarty.
Contribute to efforts to have refugees feel included in Australian society. Coordinator: Dr Farida Tilbury Fozdar.
Promote awareness of the need for public ethics and corporate social responsibility. Coordinator: Dr Yvonne Haigh.
Promote the uptake of sustainable behaviours, particularly in communities that may not have a voice in current debates. Coordinator: Dr Tim Kurz.
Contribute to the knowledge base of how older Australians experience the ageing process and its implications for their social and emotional wellbeing. Coordinator: Dr Liz Schwaiger.
CSCR is currently managing an ARC funded Indigenous Discovery Project exploring cultural issues related to Rottnest Island. Associate Professor Glen Stasiuk is Chief Investigator on the project.

The aforementioned social justice priorities do not exclude work that we carry out in many other areas. Rather they serve to highlight the areas where we are committed to making a difference within a short timeframe. Our work on these social justice priorities involves colleagues across Murdoch University, especially in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, the School of Psychology, the School of Media, Culture and Communication and the Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy. We also engage closely with communities and the government, non-government and private sector organisations that work towards related goals.

Our work contributes to the achievement of social, environmental and economic sustainability. That said, as a research centre we focus in the first instance on the sustainability of the production of knowledge. Societies that fail to learn new things will fail to sustain themselves and our priority as academic researchers is to engage in that process of discovery.

Why do research?

Social research allows us to focus on the patterns of social, political and economic changes experienced in communities. It also allows us to understand their consequences. Rather than assume what is best for our community and society in general, CSCR works with community groups to explore and investigate issues and develop alternatives suited to their particular circumstances.

Types of research

CSCR's research teams include early career researchers as well as senior researchers who are national and international leaders in their respective fields. In addition to exploratory and investigative research, CSCR is strongly involved in action research, program evaluation, and professional and research training. CSCR researchers employ a wide range of methodologies including collecting oral histories, community surveys, in depth interviews, focus group discussions and program evaluations.

CSCR expertise

CSCR can provide professional research and management expertise from the initial generation of a research question, through to the preparation of grant proposals, community consultation, research and analysis, production of high quality reports and organising launches, conferences and seminars.

Through action research, focus groups, in depth interviews, literature reviews, case studies, research forums, and research training and evaluation, CSCR's experienced researchers can deploy effective methodologies and approaches in contemporary research.

Ongoing consultation within the community, and informative discussions with government, industry and community organisations, ensure valuable and effective contribution to the ongoing research and development of our communities.