About RUWCF
The Research Unit
Produces and disseminates policy-oriented research in work and communications futures, and provides access to resources of use to: communities, industry; and government and national and international researchers in employment studies, new technologies, e-democracy, social change, and the knowledge economy.
RUWCF's Institutional History
The Research Unit for Work and Communications Futures (RUWCF) was established in January 2001 by a multi-disciplinary research team in the School of Humanities, Communications, and Social Sciences (HUMCASS) on the Gippsland Campus of Monash University. Financial support for the establishment of the Research Unit came from the 2001 Strategic Monash University Research Fund (SMURF) and Faculty of Arts.
Strategic Research
The Research Unit sees its institutional remit as the strengthening of existing research in two of the Arts Faculty's national emerging research areas; Work and Social Policy, and Communications, Media Studies and New Technologies. For the communities and partnerships to which it belongs, it seeks to make strategic use of data, research skills, information networks, local industry and community support structures.
National and International Links
Through joint projects, the RUWCF encourages linkages with other similar multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary policy-oriented research units both nationally and internationally.
Gippsland Research and Information Services (GRIS)
The Gippsland Research and Information Services has recently become integrated with HUMCASS and regularly works with and for the Research Unit. GRIS conducts much of their research within the Latrobe Valley of Victoria, Australia, where the Gippsland Campus is located. It aims to produce high quality academic research, both theoretical and applied, which is engaged with, and of relevance to, the local community and industry.
Darryn Snell, PhD
Lecturer in Sociology
BA U of Missouri-Kansas City, MA U of Missouri Kansas City, PhD Warwick
Current research interests:
- employment and unemployment patterns
- globalisation and economic restructuring
- trade unions and trade union policy
- work and community
- development studies
Teaching areas:
- global sociology
- work and technology
- social justice
- structure and analysis in sociology
Email: Darryn.Snell@arts.monash.edu.au
Simon Cooper, PhD
Simon Cooper, PhD
Lecturer in Communications & Writing
Editor, Arena Journal
BA (Hons) LLB (Hons) PhD. Monash University
Current Research Interests
- communications technologies
- critical theory
- psychoanalysis
- politics and civics
Current Teaching Areas:
- communications
- film
- cybercultures
- contemporary fiction
Email: Simon.Cooper@arts.monash.edu.au
Alison Hart, MA
Tutor in Communications & Writing
BA LaTrobe, Grad Dip (Soc Sci) MA Monash University
Current Research Interests
• Education to work transition
• Addressing skills shortagees
• New technologies and the erosion of state sovereignty
• Global and civil society
Current Teaching Areas:
• Communication studies
• Media, social relations and power
Email: Alison.Hart@arts.monash.edu.au
Vaughan Higgins
Vaughan Higgins, PhD
Lecturer in Sociology
BA (Hons), PHD CQU
Current research interests:
- Natural resource management in agriculture
- Agricultural regulation and restructuring
- Technological goverance
Current teaching areas:
- Global Sociology
- Rural Change and Sustainability
- Interpretation and Meaning in Sociology
Email: Vaughan.Higgins@arts.monash.edu.au
Harry Ballis, BA(Hons) Well PhD LaT
Research Areas:
- Work
- shiftwork
- career change
- religion
- euthanasia
- narratives
- qualitative research methods
Email: Harry.Ballis@arts.monash.edu.au
Philip Dearman , PhD
Philip Dearman, PhD
Lecturer in Communications & Writing
BA (Hons) UniSA, PhD Monash
Current Research Interests
- history of radio technologies and audiences
- appropriation of new media by social movements (including applications of podcasting, blogging and wiki-writing in grassroots labour relations campaigns)
- professional work and ICTs
Current Teaching Areas
- introduction to new media
- regulation of cultural and communications industries
- theories of cultural and communications technologies
Email: Philip.Dearman@arts.monash.edu.au
Sue Yell, PhD
Sue Yell, PhD
Senior Lecturer in Communications & Writing
BA (Hons) Sydney; PhD Sydney
Current Research Interests:
- graduate meta-literacies
- email and electronic messaging literacies
- email policies and practices in the workplace
- discourse analysis and theories of textuality
- technology and affect
Current Teaching Areas:
- audience research
- communication studies
- media, social relations and power
Email: Sue.Yell@arts.monash.edu.au