Through our research and teaching in Anthropology, Development Studies, Criminology, Political Science, Sociology and Gender Studies, the School of Social and Political Sciences strives to promote social justice, diversity and environmental sustainability – and to create positive change in our world.
Our disciplines
Our School is home to dedicated social and political scientists across a range of disciplines, all passionate about making a difference to people’s lives and improving the world we live in.
Learn about our research networks
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Comparative Network on Refugee Externalisation Policies (CONREP)
CONREP is an international, interdisciplinary six-university network that researches the impact and effects of the externalisation of refugee policies in two regions.
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Europe-Asia Security and Trade Network (EAST)
The Jean Monnet Erasmus+ Network on Europe-Asia Security and Trade (EAST) brings together an international, interdisciplinary network of experts.
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Justice-involved Young People (JYP) Network
Connecting people working for better outcomes for justice-involved young people in Victoria.
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Medicinal Psychedelics Research Network (MPRN)
The Medicinal Psychedelics Research Network (MPRN) brings together multidisciplinary researchers, policymakers and regulators to focus on the emerging field of medicinal psychedelics.
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Myanmar Research Network
Myanmar Research Network (MRN) is a network of academics, practitioners and students within and beyond the University of Melbourne. The Myanmar Research Network regularly engages in cutting edge research, seminars and events focusing on socio-political, historical, economic, development and other issues in Myanmar or affecting Myanmar communities.
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Narrative Network
The Narrative Network is a network for academics at the University of Melbourne interested in narrative research, founded by Ashley Barnwell and Signe Ravn. The network comprises 70+ members from across the Faculty of Arts and beyond.
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Disability, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
Centering the voices, experiences and expertise of people with disability across the life through research, training, engagement, and service activities
Partnerships at SSPS
Our invaluable partnerships with The Brotherhood of St Laurence and Scope Australia link the expertise of our researchers with local communities, helping to promote social inclusion, address poverty, and improve the lives of people with disability and their families.
News and events
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Anthropology and Development Studies
Our programs investigate the diverse ways that people today interact, organise and find meaning in their lives. We analyse the processes of social, economic, political and cultural change that underlie poverty, inequality and insecurity in the contemporary world.
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Criminology
Criminology is the critical examination of crime and justice policy and practice. Criminology at Melbourne seeks to understand how society constructs and responds to crime.
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Political Science
We are one of the top-ranked programs for the study of political science and international relations in the region with a reputation for excellence in research and teaching.
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Sociology
Our program investigates the complexity and breadth of living in today’s societies, challenging expectations and assumptions about what it means to live with others.
Featured content
Through our research the School of Social and Political Sciences aims to redefine the world, changing what matters. We undertake disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research which is underpinned by our shared values of intellectual freedom, integrity, social justice, diversity, and environmental sustainability.
Featured projects
Our world class research is influential in many fields beyond academia and our social and political scientists make a significant difference to people’s lives both nationally and internationally. Explore our broad range of current and completed research projects.
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Community employment partnerships
This project investigated how a successful model for promoting employment for people with disabilities could be adapted for implementation in Australia.
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Federalism and multiethnic political parties in Asia: Blending accommodation and moderation
This project aims to discover the kinds of hybrid federal designs and electoral systems that are most likely to be successful in multiethnic countries in Asia.
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Improving Indigenous health and wellbeing over the family life course
This project aims to reduce Indigenous health inequalities, a major social and economic problem in Australia.
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Women’s collective action and the village law in Indonesia
How women are driving change and shaping pathways for gender-inclusive development in rural Indonesia.
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Minutes of Evidence
A collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, education experts, performance artists, community members, government and community organisations that sheds light on the little-known history of the 1881 Victorian Parliamentary Coranderrk Inquiry.
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Nga Tūmanakotanga
Nga Tūmanakotanga (Turning the Tide on Prison Violence) is a project investigating the commissioning of institutional violence and how it might best be prevented.
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Scaling-up the impact of voluntary sustainability standards
From niche labels to catalysts to systemic change?
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The future cemetery
This research investigates the potential of new and innovative technologies to be incorporated into Australian cemeteries and memorial spaces.
Collaborations and partnerships
Our collaborations and partnerships are truly global in nature and generate significant impact both in academic and non-academic contexts.
Research networks
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Comparative Network on Refugee Externalisation Policies (CONREP)
CONREP is an international, interdisciplinary six-university network that researches the impact and effects of the externalisation of refugee policies in two regions.
-
Europe-Asia Security and Trade Network (EAST)
The Jean Monnet Erasmus+ Network on Europe-Asia Security and Trade (EAST) brings together an international, interdisciplinary network of experts.
-
Justice-involved Young People (JYP) Network
Connecting people working for better outcomes for justice-involved young people in Victoria.
-
Medicinal Psychedelics Research Network (MPRN)
The Medicinal Psychedelics Research Network (MPRN) brings together multidisciplinary researchers, policymakers and regulators to focus on the emerging field of medicinal psychedelics.
-
Myanmar Research Network
Myanmar Research Network (MRN) is a network of academics, practitioners and students within and beyond the University of Melbourne. The Myanmar Research Network regularly engages in cutting edge research, seminars and events focusing on socio-political, historical, economic, development and other issues in Myanmar or affecting Myanmar communities.
-
Narrative Network
The Narrative Network is a network for academics at the University of Melbourne interested in narrative research, founded by Ashley Barnwell and Signe Ravn. The network comprises 70+ members from across the Faculty of Arts and beyond.
-
Disability, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
Centering the voices, experiences and expertise of people with disability across the life through research, training, engagement, and service activities
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MPLAST Research Network
The Melbourne Political, Legal and Social Theory Network (MPLAST), established in 2018, is a Melbourne-wide forum that brings together theorists based at multiple Melbourne universities, campuses, and departments, working across intersecting disciplinary research fields.
Contact us
The School welcomes research collaboration.
Contact us to learn more about partnering opportunities with the School of Social and Political Sciences.
Brotherhood of St Laurence partnership
The University’s partnership with the Brotherhood of St Laurence is one of the key community relationships within the University.
The University and the Brotherhood share a history of collaboration going back at least 50 years, with a more formalised approach established in 2003 to broaden the partnership’s cross-faculty links and encourage greater University-wide collaboration. A Memorandum of Understanding was completed in 2013 which drove the work for the next five years. The partnership continues to flourish to this day.
This long-standing partnership focuses on a joint research agenda that addresses social inclusion across the life course, with a particular focus on helping to shape inclusive growth, social inclusion and poverty-prevention policies.
Welcome
It is a pleasure to welcome you to our School which is at the forefront of teaching and research in the social sciences in Australia.
Welcome to the School of Social and Political Sciences. We are home to a dedicated team of academic and professional staff in the disciplines of Anthropology and Development Studies, Criminology, Political Science, and Sociology. Some of our staff also teach into the Faculty’s Gender Studies program. Through excellence in teaching and research, and in partnership with our communities, we are:
- Redefining and addressing today’s most important challenges
- Creating, curating, challenging and enriching knowledge; and
- Reshaping understandings of our multicultural and swiftly changing world
Our work is underpinned by our values of intellectual freedom, integrity, social justice, diversity, and environmental sustainability. Through our research and teaching our ambition is to redefine the world and change what matters.
Professor Belinda Hewitt
Head of School of Social and Political Sciences
Staff directories
Our graduate researchers
Our graduate researchers are working on a variety of research projects in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Learn more about their work and their areas of expertise.
Meet our graduate researchers