Migration, Diversity and Care

Overview

The Research Program in Migration, Diversity and Care in the School of Arts and Humanities brings together leading inter-disciplinary researchers of migration, settlement, social justice, inclusivity, and transnationalism with a focus on applied social care to foster a world-leading and distinctive research agenda.

Our work features social science, humanities and creative arts methodologies to advance research that combines theories and practice from the intersections of migration, diversity and care to respond to these key societal challenges:

1. Inclusion and belonging - Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world and depends on high rates of immigration. Strong community and good governance are critically important to sustainable migration programs and the successful settlement of migrants themselves.
2. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) services - Developing and implementing appropriate social care services for diverse populations across the life course is urgently needed, particularly for at-risk youth and those in aged care.
3. LGBTIQA+ inclusion and support - Addressing the unique challenges faced by LGBTIQA+ migrants, including multiple and overlapping forms of discrimination, social isolation, limited access to culturally safe services, and legal support. Promoting intersectional and inclusive policies is essential to ensure their well-being, integration, and equal opportunities across society.
4. Mobile lives and transnational communities - Supporting our increasingly mobile and digital lives to safeguard virtual forms of care delivery and caring across distance for resilient translocal/transnational families and communities.
5. Innovative platforms and digital care - Responding to our digital-by-default world, expanding sustainable, inclusive and relationship-centred technological innovation to support social connection and well-being across the life course.

Our vision

To build a world-leading collaborative research program and evidence base that responds to the compelling migration and care issues of our multicultural and transnational world.

Our purpose

• to deliver impactful and innovative research through the application of social science, humanities, and creative arts methodologies that complement and extend other disciplinary approaches such as medical and health sciences
• to foster strong partnerships with community, government and industry with a focus on co-designed service delivery that addresses cultural and linguistic, gender and sexual diversity across the life course
• to build research capacity by creating supportive and enabling environments for local and international collaboration including postgraduate, and early- and mid-career researchers

Research entities

The Research Program in Migration, Diversity and Care bridges the research and training activities of four SAH school-level research entities at ECU.

Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab

The ECU SAGE Futures Lab delivers a social care approach to ageing across the life course. Our research emphasises the role and value of the relationships in an individual’s social support networks, including the use of technologies to mediate local, virtual and distant supports. Our work contributes social science perspectives and methodologies to the creative and caring professions with a focus on cultural and linguistic diversity, and the role of social support networks to well-being across the life course.

Rainbow Migrants Living Lab

The Rainbow Migrants Living Lab (RaMiLab) combines mixed-method and creative research with advocacy, policy development, and professional training to address the challenges faced by LGBTIQA+ migrants, including refugees and people seeking asylum. Through collaborations with academia, industry, and community organisations, RaMiLab bridges research and practice to foster lasting societal change. Key initiatives include the Rainbow Migrants Observatory that tracks social support networks and well-being over time, and the Empowerment Hub, engaging LGBTIQA+ migrants as leaders and citizen scientists. RaMiLab also runs creative projects, like the Rainbow Migrants Social Greenhouse, and evaluates inclusive care models, innovative housing solutions, and refugee support programs. Its flagship community event, Rainbow Migrants’ Karaoke with an Accent, celebrates diversity and belonging annually.

ECU TRACS Diversity Research Network

The ECU TRACS Diversity Research Network is an inclusive and expansive university-wide network that brings together scholars of migration and diversity (broadly defined) through weekly seminars, regular meetings, an annual research symposium, social activities and HDR research training activities. ECU TRACS DRN members are based in multiple Schools and are drawn together by their shared interest in multidisciplinary research relating to migration, mobilities, diversity, multiculturalism, and plurality.

Music and Migrant Health Research Hub

The Music and Migrant Health Research Hub is an emerging community of practice that supports the development of social prescribing for music engagement, and support capacity building to improve health outcomes for migrants across the life course. We aim to provide an evidence-based model that conceptualises a music-community-health-wellbeing interaction approach to enhance health, well-being and quality of life through collaborations between musicians, community members and health providers. While our research focuses on the benefits of music for all individuals and communities, we prioritise ageing populations, people with dementia, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.