Research Student Profiles
Want to know more about the great people that comprise the Research Community of the School of Political Science, Criminology & Sociology? Here's an introduction to some of the research students you may see around the department.
Current Research students in the department:
Sarah Langford
I'm currently doing a PhD, which is concerned with the "industrialisation of reproduction". I am investigating the contemporary baby-making industry from a radical ecofeminist perspective to determine whether industrialisation in this field has benefited women.
In 2004 I completed a bachelor of arts with honours in political science. My honours thesis, titled "A Womb with a View: will ectogenesis benefit women?" provided a feminist critique of artificial wombs.
In my undergraduate studies I completed a double major in gender studies and political science.
During my PhD candidature I have co-edited two volumes of the Melbourne Journal of Politics, tutored in undergraduate subjects at the University of Melbourne including: Global Politics, Contemporary Political Ideologies and Movements, and International Gender Politics, and at Monash University: Ethics, Genetics and Biotechnology: Contemporary issues in bioethics. And I have been volunteer for WIRE - Women's Information (http://www.wire.org.au/) since March 2005.
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Meagan Tyler
I've been at the University of Melbourne since I crossed Royal Parade from Uni High and started as an undergraduate in 2000. Since then I have finished my B.A., majoring in Anthropology and Politics, and spent my Honours year in the department writing on "female sexual dysfunction"(2003). Last year I ventured out of the John Medley building and completed my Graduate Diploma of Education. My foray into a world outside the Arts faculty was short-lived however, and I have just started my PhD on "The Construction of Women's Sexuality in the Age of Mass Prostitution", under the supervision of Sheila Jeffreys. Currently, my research interests include: feminist theories of sexuality, sexology, the politics of prostitution and the pornographication of culture.
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Louise Staley
I am a PhD student at the Centre for Public Policy. My research interests are concerned with the impact of regulation on rural communities and businesses and also the development of social capital theory. I am also interested in agri-politics and leadership in agricultural peak organisations.
I live on a farm in the Hamilton district of Western Victoria.
Email: l.staley@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
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Katrina Stats
I finished my Bachelor of Arts with majors in Political Science and Psychology at the University of Melbourne in 2000, a Diploma of Modern Languages (Swedish) in 2002 and finally graduated last year after completing first class Honours in Political Science.
A passionate appreciation of Europe's fine food and wonderful wines led me to undertake postgraduate studies in order to legitimately establish a postgraduate group to celebrate European culture - the infamous Europe Social Club. If you haven't already heard of us, you soon will! Much to the despair of my long-suffering supervisor at the Contemporary Europe Research Centre on Queensberry Street, Assoc. Prof. Philomena Murray, I am yet to really begin work on my thesis (a side project) which intends to investigate representations and perceptions of the European Union (EU) in Australia and explore the implications of these for the EU-Australian relationship.
Fortunately, however, my thesis topic is closely aligned with my work as a researcher on an international, multidisciplinary, comparative research project funded by the European Commission. The project is titled Public, Elite and Media Perceptions of the European Union in the Asia Pacific Region (Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and South Korea): A Comparative Study, and is being coordinated by the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE) at Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand (check out our webpage: http://www.europe.canterbury.ac.nz/appp/ for more information). I also do some casual tutoring in the Politics department, currently teaching in Dr. Tim Marjoribanks' first year course, Media, Politics and Society.
When I occasionally escape from the office, I can usually be found (in order of increasing likelihood) hiding in the cinema, relaxing in the pool, taking refuge in the closest café or lying on the floor of the local pub (.kidding!).
Email: kstats@unimelb.edu.au
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Marc Levy
I am a first year, part-time PhD student in politics. Much of the rest of the time I am an independent management consultant working with big and small organisations, mostly in the service sector, on strategy and planning topics. I have bachelors and masters degrees in business, so it's a great privilege to have been able to change disciplines and study something I find so fascinating.
My Academic Interests
- Volunteering
- Mutual obligation
- Welfare reform
Personal
My interests include seeing live music, reading and eating good food. Committed to making a community contribution, I have been a material aid volunteer, a Board member of the commercial arm of an organisation that represents the ageing, performed pro bono consulting work for various not for profit community organisation and helped long-term unemployed people get jobs.
My Research
I am just getting started, but my research will centre on the relationship between mutual obligation and volunteering.
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Tom O'Brien
I was born and raised on a dairy farm in the King Country, New Zealand. My previous studies saw me move from Hamilton to Wellington and up to Auckland, before returning to Wellington to find work. Two years working in the Ministry of Health was enough to convince me (not that much persuasion was needed) that I needed to return to University. After an exhaustive search I settled on the University of Melbourne as as the place to be, I feel my decision has been the right one (although I miss my cat a lot).
I am currently working on my PhD. The area of general research has been pretty well pinned down (Environmental politics in transition in South and South Eastern Europe (Romania, Bulgaria, Spain and Portugal), but the approach seems to shift a little every day (fortunately it is moving in roughly the same direction). Other than working on this and a recent stint in the politics office my time is taken up trying to think of a way to find an easy source of money. I am also trying to learn Spanish at the moment, which is proving more challenging than it initially appeared. In my free time(!) I listen to a lot of good NZ music and practice saying 'feesh and cheeps' and 'Seedney'.
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Al was born and brought up in Wales, moving to Malvern College in England for secondary education and on to St Andrews University, Scotland for his undergraduate degree. At St Andrews, he studied his M.A. (Hons.) in International Relations focusing on the Middle East and Conflict Resolution, graduating in 2002. From 2002 until 2004, he studied his graduate M.A. at Purdue University USA in International Relations and Public Policy & Administration. At Purdue, he focused on International Norms, Comparative Policymaking Processes, Human Rights and Security. Whilst at Purdue, he was a teaching assistant for the ‘An Introduction to American Politics’ and ‘Congress & the Media’ courses. He guest lectured on International Trade, International Organisations and Conflict in the Middle East. He was a Research Associate at the Social Research Institute and a PGSG Senator in his final year. After graduation, he worked as a Political Researcher for a British charity in London before moving to Melbourne University in early 2005. At Melbourne, his research interests are in Conflict Management and Resolution, Politics of Refugees, Human Rights and Security based in the Political Science department and the International Conflict Resolution Centre.
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Background
British born but Irish heritage and not lived in UK since 1992 Australian resident (since 1998) and citizen (since 2001)
BA Human Geography, University of Liverpool, UK
MA International Relations, University of Amsterdam, NL
English Teacher for overseas post-grads (10 years)
Residential Arts and EFL tutor at International House
Thesis
PhD looking at the experience of Chinese and Indian post- graduate students at Australian universities and the extent to which this represents the role of international education in globalisation. (Supervisors: Mark Considine & Robyn Eckersley)
Research interests
Global theory, education, gender, culture, human rights
Representative
I represent the department on the Arts Faculty Research Students Reference Group
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Nicole Boldt
Nicole is a second year PhD student in Political Science. Her research is the political history of Australia-United States trade relations. She is exploring the concept of friendship within the relationship, and is interested in the enduring stability of the relationship despite a history of tension. The research focuses on an unexamined period in the 1930s and early 1940s, when the two countries were engaged in trade agreement discussions. It is a distinctly Australian perspective that uses previously unavailable archival material.
More broadly, Nicole's research interests are within the field of international political economy. Some time soon she intends to write a book entitled The Lyrics of Bon Scott: Australia's Urban Poet; get a fulfilling, full time and secure job (?); and increase her commitment to saving the Orangutans. But first, her PhD looms.
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Arnaud Gallois
Arnaud began his PhD candidature in May 2005. The title of his project is "Local Governance, Social Capital and Sustainability: a Study of Committees of Management of Crown Land Reserves in Victoria".
The project is linked to an industry-funded studentship provided by the Victorian Government's Department of Sustainability and the Environment (DSE). Arnaud's principal supervisor is Mark Considine, and Jenny Lewis is his associate supervisor.
Arnaud's sense is that the project relates well to the disciplinary domains of political science, public policy and sociology. It meets his long-term interest in the nature of social dynamics, community, and sustainability.
A qualified teacher, Arnaud has taught undergraduate subjects (mostly in sociology, cultural studies and environmental studies) at a number of Melbourne-based Universities, English and French in adult education contexts in France and Australia, and primary education in a Steiner school.
Arnaud is currently president of the School of Political Science, Criminology & Sociology Students' Postgraduate Association (DPSSPA).
Otherwise, Arnaud likes to hangout with his family, ride a bike, practice yoga, sing in a community choir, and paddle a canoe on the Yarra - but not all at the same time (ouch!)
Email: a.gallois@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
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 Bronwyn Hinz
I have recently commenced a PhD provisionally entitled ‘The creation and reform of school funding and provision settlements in federal states’. Overlapping responsibility for schools constitutes one of the major challenges to policy development and reform, and schools funding is one of the areas in which the roles of each government are least integrated or even clearly articulated. Yet this federal dimension is often neglected in studies on educational reform. In a nutshell, I am examining how state and federal governments negotiate who pays for what and how it could be improved. My thesis is jointly supervised with the Graduate School of Education.
I completed my Arts Degree (Political Science / French) here at Melbourne. I also spent a whirlwind year at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, better known as Sciences Po, completing their ‘Diplôme du Programme International’.
I currently work as a tutor and occasional RA here in the school, as a researcher for Per Capita, and have almost finished writing a book on the history of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria, to be published late 2008. Previously, I worked as a speechwriter and electorate officer to two federal politicians and as a researcher in the French national archives.
When I'm not buried in books, I love drinking tea, real coffee or red wine with friends, traveling or planning trips, cycling, playing classical, jazz or French music too loudly, lazing in the sunshine or walking around barefoot.
Email: bronwynhinz@gmail.com or b.hinz@unimelb.edu.au
Sandy Ross
Biographical
I was born and attended school in Canberra, Australia. Completed undergraduate Arts degree majoring in Linguistics and History, followed by an honours year in history at the Australian National University (1987). Moved to Melbourne and worked as a researcher and advocate for a student organisation (1988-91), then as an industrial officer, Assistant Secretary and Secretary for the CSIRO Staff Association (1991-2004), and Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) Science Division (20003-2004). Also participated in various community organisations, and undertook the Williamson Community Leadership Program (2000). Currently chairperson, Committee of Management, Fitzroy Learning Network, and a Leadership Victoria Williamson Fellow. Married with two children (Alexandra, 8; Joshua, 5).
Academic
Co-editor, Education Links, 1993/4; Melbourne Journal of Politics (2004-present). Completed MA (Research) in political science, University of Melbourne (2000) with a thesis on the problem of accountability in liberal democracy, related to public sector reform and public policy issues. PhD candidature (2004 present), involves an examination of the World Food Programme as a case study of global governance.
My research interests include ideology and political theory; public policy, public sector reform, public/private sector boundary issues and accountability; scientific research and development policies and institutions; superannuation and pension scheme policy; international relations, UN system and global governance; aid and development as they relate to trade, foreign policy and international system.
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