Explore ACU’s social justice research

This week marks the United Nations’ World Day of Social Justice, which is commemorated on 20 February each year.

In establishing the event in 2007, the UN General Assembly declared their recognition “that social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among nations and that, in turn, social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security, or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

When discussing advancing social justice, the UN advocates for programs that “include improving inclusive and effective governance of work, ensuring employment opportunities and lifelong learning, reforming institutions for fairer labour market outcomes, and extending social protections across peoples' lifetimes.” This year, the UN’s surrounding events have a focus on “bridging gaps, building alliances” and providing social justice for every generation.

Explore ACU’s research

These social justice themes are reflected in the research work from ACU institutes, academies, and centres for research.

The Institute of Child Protection Studies furthers the cause of social justice through their commitment to improving the lives of children, young people, and their families. This commitment is illustrated in their research publications advocating for systemic change and providing improvements for policy.

• Children and safety in Australian policy: Implications for organisations and practitioners
• Child safety in policy: Who is being kept safe and from what?
• Safe and sound: Exploring the safety of young people in residential care

ACU’s research contributions to social justice for Australia’s First Nations peoples can be read in detail in the Impact story - Creating 'Deadly' futures for Indigenous youth. Professor Rhonda Craven’s research has contributed to social justice in many ways.

• Self-concepts and educational outcomes of indigenous Australian students in urban and rural school settings.
• Toward a positive psychology of indigenous thriving and reciprocal research partnership model.

The Queensland Bioethics Centre’s Associate Professor Bridget Pratt has made contributions to health justice in applying a social justice lens to global health research.

• A multidimensional account of social justice for global health research.
• Research for health justice: An ethical framework linking global health research to health equity.

ACU research continues to seek out new knowledge to further the common good. You can read these full texts and more of ACU’s research supporting social justice in the institutional repository, ACU Research Bank.