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Social Sciences & Humanities

The Cairns Institute

The Cairns Institute pursues research excellence and maximal impact across a wide range of projects in collaboration with its national and international partners.

Its unique profile is built on the following key concerns:

  • Regional Economic Development
    Promote stronger economic development and diversification of industry to sustain livelihoods in the tropics

  • Indigenous & Minority Futures
    Overcome Indigenous disadvantage, particularly in relation to health, education, housing, law and justice

  • Sustainability & Tropical Environments
    Identify and respond to the challenges of sustainability through education and community engagement in social and environmental planning and management in the tropics

  • Social Justice & Community Wellbeing
    Assist communities respond to social and environmental change, overcome marginalisation and increase social inclusion through projects committed to social justice, health and wellbeing

  • Education Futures
    Address issues of skill shortages, pathways to education and access to opportunities

  • Governance & Political Innovation
    Improve the effectiveness and inclusiveness of governance and connectivity across corporate, government and non-government sectors

  • International Aid Development
    Strengthen Australia’s engagement with our neighbours in the Asia-Pacific to meet international sustainable development goals

  • Language, Culture, Agency & Change
    Support cultural expression, creativity, identity and the preservation and documentation of tropical cultural and linguistic heritage

School of Arts and Social Sciences

Staff within the Department of Humanities are interested in the following research areas:

  • English Literature

  • History

  • Journalism

  • Modern Languages

  • Political Science

View the Department of Humanities research webpage.