This page describes projects in the field of social stratification that are currently being undertaken. If you are a member of the TASA Thematic Group on Social Stratification and would like to add a project to this page (including, if desired, projects conducted by research students), please contact one of the convenors of the group.
Researchers and organisations: Robert Goodin (Australian National University), James Rice (Australian National University), Antti Parpo (National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), Finland)
Duration: 2004-2006
Funding source: Australian Research Council
Summary: Cross-national comparisons of welfare regimes and their gender divisions explore issues of income and employment. Those bring liberation of a sort, but they do not exhaust people's freedom and autonomy. This project will explore how paid and unpaid labour responsibilities interact, impinging on people's discretionary time and thus autonomy. A new measure of 'discretionary time' will be developed and its usefulness for cross-national comparisons illustrated through analysis of time use and income distribution data from Australia, France, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the United States. Different ways of targeting social assistance to the most time-pressured groups in society will be examined for policy lessons from abroad.
Researchers and organisations: Mark Western (University of Queensland), Janeen Baxter (University of Queensland), Jan Pakulski (University of Tasmania), Bruce Tranter (University of Tasmania), John Western (University of Queensland), Marcel van Egmond (University of Queensland), Jenny Chesters (University of Queensland), Amanda Hosking (University of Queensland), Martin O'Flaherty (University of Queensland), Yolanda van Gellecum (University of Queensland)
Duration: 2004-2007
Funding source: Australian Research Council
Summary: In the 20 years since 1983 there has been a fundamental transformation of Australian public policy based on economic deregulation, an increasing emphasis on market processes and the privatisation and corporatisation of government businesses and services. This project examines the impact of these changes on social mobility and inequality, gender relations and politics and culture. The project uses high-quality national sample surveys and leading-edge statistical methods to adjudicate on whether neoliberalism produces positive or negative social outcomes in these three areas of social life.