A part of the University of South Australia, the Hawke Research Institute (named after Bob Hawke) is a significant facility looking at the way work and life, education and literacy, conflict management, equity, gender, child protection, post colonial studies, religion and social policy can be developed in positive ways in our multi cultural society.
The Institute has a clear vision for an inclusive and just society which is somewhat ironic given it is rather isolated from the rest of the Uni SA here in Underdale.
Being in Adelaide they see themselves as positioned in "the heart of the nation", which is also a rather strange way to identify given the great isolation involved in being in a community so far from the East coast where social justice issues are taken far more seriously and are dealt with in an arguably more transparent way. Social science research programs dedicated to building a sustainability and vibrancy are a little lost in their own rhetoric if you ask me.
They are involved in pushing 'Mandatory Reporting' and Child Protection, a couple of areas that sound great on paper but have horrendous historical failures in South Australia so as much as I'd love to say they do great work, I fear they are a little questionable on that score card. read more