The Care Lab
The Care Lab is an interdisciplinary research hub in the School of Social Sciences at »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ, led by sociologist Professor Emma Kirby, dedicated to exploring the social and relational dimensions of care. The Lab brings together scholars, industry partners, and community stakeholders with lived experience, offering a space for innovative and collaborative approaches to the study of care and caring.
Our research themes span contexts of informal care, illness, death, dying and bereavement, supported by funding from the Australian Research Council and via commissioned research projects in partnership with industry. The Care Lab itself facilitates participation in a range of qualitative and creative methods, in person or online, with tailored technologies to support meaningful engagement with our research participants.
Our focus on the social and relational dynamics of care and caring provides insights designed to advance academic knowledge and contribute to policy and practical improvements to experiences of illness, care and caring, and loss and bereavement.
Featured projects
Informal caring trajectories
When caring ends: Understanding and supporting informal care trajectories
This project provides new insights into how carers navigate life beyond their caring responsibilities, as well as how such trajectories are shaped by institutional structures, norms, and social dynamics. We seek to better under