Research projects

Some current research projects within the School of Social and Cultural Studies include:

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Social and technological infrastructures in tertiary education

How are digital platforms transforming education into “content, and what does that mean for teaching practices, student experiences, and university futures.
Dr Sara Rahmani

Explaining Māori atheism in Aotearoa New Zealand

From 2006-2018, the number of Māori identifying with “no religion” on the census increased significantly. What factors lie behind this dramatic shift?
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Assisted reproduction and new family formation

Associate Professor Rhonda Shaw (Sociology) is currently involved in three research projects on assisted human reproduction in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Entanglements between religion and development

Philip’s work refutes the assumption that religion has little to do with the work of development organisations in initiating social and economic change.
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Sex work and the impact of sex work laws

Dr Armstrong is currently involved in two international comparative research projects focused on the experiences of sex workers & the impacts of sex work laws.
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Are we over-diagnosed and over-medicated?

Side-effects from medications are greatly under-reported in NZ but are much higher if people can report directly to drug monitoring agencies and bypass GPs.
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Drug law reform, Stigma and harm reduction

Associate Professor Fiona Hutton's work focuses on evidence-based drug law reform, the impact of stigma on people who use drugs, and harm reduction.