Migration and mobilities
Exploring the motivations behind human movement patterns
We live in a world characterised by mobility. People travel for migration or tourism, moving permanently or temporarily, individually or with families, by choice or through force. Mobility is something that defines humankind, crucial to our biological and social evolution. Archaeological records show people have moved places for millennia, yet people are also sometimes immobilised, manifested in border controls or social exclusion.
In this research area, we examine patterns of contemporary and historical movement, the reasons behind movement, and the effects of movement, at both the macro and micro levels. We investigate the role of the nation-state in generating belonging and exclusion, how racism and anti-racism is generated and perpetuated, and how mobility is implicated in processes of transformation at the national and global levels. We aim to understand the patterns of, and reasons for, global and local mobility, and provide policy advice on issues of migration, multiculturalism and social inclusion.
Related projects
Our research projects range from studying local and national culture and behaviours, to international studies on human migration and mobility patterns.
We are keen to collaborate on projects relevant to migration and mobilities in the Indo-Pacific region. We offer quantitative and qualitative research skills, and interdisciplinary expertise.
- Communicating good health and wellbeing: promotion, advocacy, resilience
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This project is a UWA-led, Worldwide Universities Network-funded project with partner universities from Cape Town, Hong Kong, Sheffield, Auckland, Alberta and Ghana. The project brings together scholars and practitioners to address how changing media/communication methods, digital networks and new social attitudes foster an anti-expert, anti-medical and anti-vaccination attitude, which has negative health impacts on individuals and communities.
Contact:
Rob Cover
rob.cover@uwa.edu.au - Mixed race in Australia, Asia and the Pacific
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This suite of projects addresses research on mixed race groups in Australia, Asia and the Pacific to examine a formerly stigmatised group, now often seen as the embodiment of a cosmopolitan future.
Contact:
Farida Fozdar
farida.fozdar@uwa.edu.au - Religious life of the Chinese community in contemporary Australia
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This project, funded by the Australia Chinese Workers’ Association, aims to provide a rigorous and up-to-date account of the religious profile of the Chinese community in Australia, through a systematic investigation into the latest Australian census data.
Contact:
Yu Tao
yu.tao@uwa.edu.au - Emotions, language and culture in Arnhem Land (Katherine region)
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This Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award investigates expressivity and emotions in language in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.
Contact:
Maia Ponsonnet
maia.ponsonnet@uwa.edu.au - Advancing gender equality through aid
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This Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award project evaluates the determinants of aid programming for women's empowerment in Southeast Asia.
Contact:
Kelly Gerard
kelly.gerard@uwa.edu.au
Scholarship opportunities
There are PhD scholarships associated with three relevant research entities within this sector:
- The Migration Mobilities and Belonging Cluster
- The Africa Research Cluster
- The Centre for Muslim States and Societies
Contact us for more information on scholarships.
Related courses
Funding
We have successfully undertaken research with support from a number of organisations, including:
