Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Lawrence
Emeritus Professor

Geoffrey Lawrence

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Background

Geoff is a leading Australian sociologist with interests in rural and regional sociology, globalisation/localisation and agrifood research.

He attended James Ruse Agricultural High School in Sydney and was School Captain in 1968. He then completed a degree in agricultural economics at Sydney University in 1972. This was followed by a diploma in social science (UNE), Master of Science in Sociology (Wisconisn-Madison) and a PhD (Griffith). In 1992 he became Associate Professor of Sociology and Foundation Director, Centre for Rural Social Research, at Charles Sturt University before moving later that year to Central Queensland University as Foundation Professor of Sociology (1992-2002) and Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Regional Development (1998-2002). He joined The University of Queensland as Professor of Sociology and Head of the School of Social Science in 2002. He is a Life Member of the Fitzroy Basin Association, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, Life Member of the Australian Sociological Association, and was President of the International Rural Sociology Association (2012-2016). He became Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Queensland in 2014.

His full profile can be seen at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Lawrence_(sociologist)

Availability

Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Lawrence is:
Not available for supervision

Fields of research

Sociology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, University of Sydney
  • Postgraduate Diploma, University of New England Australia
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of Wisconsin
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University

Research interests

  • Agriculture, the Environment and the Politics of Sustainability

    The questions are: To what extent is 'greening' and green politics influencing the course of agricultural development and resulting in policies aimed at reducing ecological destruction? What is the nature of the debates and theorisations regarding productivism/post-productivism in the rural landscapes of advance economies? In a practical sense, how is it possible to ensure that current and future natural resource management will provide sustainable outcomes for society?

  • Globalisation, Localisation and Restructuring of Regional Australia

    This is a broad area whcih includes an examination of the social affects of economic change upon regions and highlights town decline, poverty, unemployment and ill-health - as well as the 'ingredients' for successful community development and the enhancement of social capital. Issues of empowerment and governance are crucial to the understanding of the future of the regions. The issue of global/local relations is also of significance - particularly as Australian governments seek to promote 'self help' and 'partnership' options.

  • Financialisation of Food and Farming

    Finance capital is playing an increasingly important role in food and farming industries. Entities like merchant banks, sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms and hedge funds are purchasing farmlands and agribusinesses in an effort to increase returns to shareholders. However, some of these activities are speculative and lead to food price distortions; others impact upon traditional owners when so-called 'land grabs' force producers from their farms. 'Financialisation' is seen as being as important as globalisation and neoliberalism in altering the face of food and farming.

Search Professor Geoffrey Lawrence’s works on UQ eSpace

533 works between 1980 and 2024
All (533) Journal Article (163) Book Chapter (110) Conference Publication (218) Book (29) Other Outputs (9) Edited Outputs (4)

221 - 240 of 533 works

2004

Book Chapter

Contrasting paths of corporate greening in Antipodean agriculture: Organics and green production

Lyons, K., Burch, D., Lawrence, G. A. and Lockie, S. (2004). Contrasting paths of corporate greening in Antipodean agriculture: Organics and green production. Agribusiness and society: Corporate responses to environmentalism, market opportunities and public regulation. (pp. 91-113) edited by K. Jansen and S. Vellema. London: Zed Books.

Contrasting paths of corporate greening in Antipodean agriculture: Organics and green production

2004

Book

Recoding nature: Critical perspectives on genetic engineering

Richard Hindmarsh and Geoffrey Lawrence eds. (2004). Recoding nature: Critical perspectives on genetic engineering. Sydney, Australia: UNSW Press.

Recoding nature: Critical perspectives on genetic engineering

2004

Journal Article

Choosing organics: A path analysis of factors underlying the selection of organic food among Australian consumers

Lockie, S., Lyons, K., Lawrence, G. A. and Grice, J. C. (2004). Choosing organics: A path analysis of factors underlying the selection of organic food among Australian consumers. Appetite, 43 (2), 135-146. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2004.02.004

Choosing organics: A path analysis of factors underlying the selection of organic food among Australian consumers

2004

Book Chapter

The social consequences of the rural reform agenda

Lawrence, G. A. and Cheshire, L. A. (2004). The social consequences of the rural reform agenda. The Politics of Australian Society: Political Issues for the New Century. (pp. 338-356) edited by P. Boreham, G. Stokes and R. Hall. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Longman.

The social consequences of the rural reform agenda

2004

Conference Publication

Whither rural protest? Responses to Globalisation and restructuring in contemporary rural Australia

Lawrence, G. A. and Cheshire, L. A. (2004). Whither rural protest? Responses to Globalisation and restructuring in contemporary rural Australia. Annual Conference Australian Sociological Assoc, La Trobe Campus, Beechworth, Victoria, 8-11 December, 2004. Australia: Aust Sociological Assoc.

Whither rural protest? Responses to Globalisation and restructuring in contemporary rural Australia

2004

Book Chapter

Agribusiness, biotechnology and food

Lawrence, Geoffrey and Grice, Janet (2004). Agribusiness, biotechnology and food. A sociology of food and nutrition : the social appetite. (pp. 77-95) edited by John Germov and Lauren Williams. South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.

Agribusiness, biotechnology and food

2004

Journal Article

Encuestas a consumidores sobre biotecnologia: Formular preguntas hasta obtener las respuestas deseadas, O facultar al publico para expersar sur opinion? [Consumer surveys of biotechnology: Asking the questions until we get the answers we want ]

Lawrence, G. A. and Grice, J. C. (2004). Encuestas a consumidores sobre biotecnologia: Formular preguntas hasta obtener las respuestas deseadas, O facultar al publico para expersar sur opinion? [Consumer surveys of biotechnology: Asking the questions until we get the answers we want ]. Revista Iberoamerican de Ciencia, 1 (3), 157-181.

Encuestas a consumidores sobre biotecnologia: Formular preguntas hasta obtener las respuestas deseadas, O facultar al publico para expersar sur opinion? [Consumer surveys of biotechnology: Asking the questions until we get the answers we want ]

2004

Conference Publication

From protest to partnership: Rethinking local responses to change and restructuring in rural Australia

Lawrence, G. A. and Cheshire, L. A. (2004). From protest to partnership: Rethinking local responses to change and restructuring in rural Australia. XI World Congress of Rural Sociology, Trondheim, Norway, 25-30 July, 2004. USA: International Rural Sociology Assoc.

From protest to partnership: Rethinking local responses to change and restructuring in rural Australia

2004

Book Chapter

Agricultural production and the ecological question

Lawrence, G. A., Cheshire, L. A. and Richards, C. A. (2004). Agricultural production and the ecological question. Controversies in environmental sociology. (pp. 221-237) edited by R. White. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511804434.014

Agricultural production and the ecological question

2004

Journal Article

Consumer evaluation of risks associated with GM crops

Lawrence, G. and Grice, J. (2004). Consumer evaluation of risks associated with GM crops. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences.

Consumer evaluation of risks associated with GM crops

2003

Book

Globalisation, localization and sustainable livelihoods

Reidar Almas and Geoffrey Lawrence eds. (2003). Globalisation, localization and sustainable livelihoods. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.4324/9781315194240

Globalisation, localization and sustainable livelihoods

2003

Journal Article

The over-production of US sports and the new International Division of Cultural Labor

Miller, Toby, Rowe, David, McKay, Jim and Lawrence, Geoffrey (2003). The over-production of US sports and the new International Division of Cultural Labor. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 38 (4), 427-440. doi: 10.1177/1012690203384004

The over-production of US sports and the new International Division of Cultural Labor

2003

Conference Publication

The environmental enigma: why do producers professing stewardship continue to practice poor natural resource management?

Lawrence, G., Richards, C. and Herbert-Cheshire, L. (2003). The environmental enigma: why do producers professing stewardship continue to practice poor natural resource management?. Xth Conference of the Australasian Agri-food Research Network, Akaroa, New Zealand, 21-24 April 2003.

The environmental enigma: why do producers professing stewardship continue to practice poor natural resource management?

2003

Conference Publication

The regional promise

Lawrence, G. (2003). The regional promise. Forum of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, 'Community-based Regional Planning: Are we Getting it Right?', Brisbane, Australia, 18 September 2003.

The regional promise

2003

Book Chapter

Introduction: The global/local problematic

Almas, R. and Lawrence, G. A. (2003). Introduction: The global/local problematic. Globalization, Localization and Sustainable Livelihoods. (pp. 3-24) edited by R. Almas and G. Lawrence. Aldershot: Ashgate.

Introduction: The global/local problematic

2003

Conference Publication

Do it yourself, or be damned: the precarious future for rural Australians

Lawrence, G. (2003). Do it yourself, or be damned: the precarious future for rural Australians. New Times, New Worlds, New Ideas: Sociology Today and Tomorrow, Armidale, N.S.W., 4-6 December. Institute for Social Research: Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn VIC: The Australian Sociological Association and The University of.

Do it yourself, or be damned: the precarious future for rural Australians

2003

Conference Publication

Food sovereignty, food security and the environment: Australian consumer attitudes to organics and genetic engineering

Lawrence, Geoffrey, Lyons, Kristen and Lockie, Stewart (2003). Food sovereignty, food security and the environment: Australian consumer attitudes to organics and genetic engineering. Conference on Organic Agriculture, Havana, Cuba, 27-30 May 2003.

Food sovereignty, food security and the environment: Australian consumer attitudes to organics and genetic engineering

2003

Conference Publication

Backlash? Media discourses on food, environment and health

Lyons, K., Lockie, S. and Lawrence, G. (2003). Backlash? Media discourses on food, environment and health. Xth Conference of the Australasian Agri-food Research Network, Akaroa, New Zealand, 21-24 April 2003.

Backlash? Media discourses on food, environment and health

2003

Book Chapter

Rural sociology

Lockie, S., Herbert-Cheshire, L. A. and Lawrence, G. A. (2003). Rural sociology. The Cambridge Handbook of Social Sciences in Australia. (pp. 604-625) edited by Ian McAllister, Steve Dowrick and Riaz Hassan. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Rural sociology

2003

Conference Publication

Regional renaissance? New forms of governance in non-metropolitan Australia

Everingham, J., Herbert-Cheshire, L. and Lawrence, G. (2003). Regional renaissance? New forms of governance in non-metropolitan Australia. Annual Conference of the Australian Sociological Association, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 4-6 December 2003.

Regional renaissance? New forms of governance in non-metropolitan Australia

Past funding

  • 2016 - 2021
    Food, Farming and Financialisation: Agri-food Transformations in Australia
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Frogs, fuel, finance or food? Cultures, values, ethics, arguments and justifications in the management of agricultural land (FORFOOD)
    Centre for Rural Research
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Governing Food Security in Australia in an Era of Climate Change: A Sociological Analysis
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2015
    The New Farm Owners: Finance Companies and the Restructuring of Australian and Global Agriculture
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Local government, mining companies and resources development in regional Australia: meeting the governance challenge
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Globally Engaged? Responses to Neoliberal Globalisation among Family Farmers in Australia
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008
    Review of the Community Futures Task Force (Stage 1)
    Community Futures Task Force Unit
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2011
    From Seedling to Supermarket: The Social and Environmental Implications for Australia of the Restructuring of Agri-food Supply Chains
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2009
    ARC Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Science
    ARC Research Networks
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2006
    Organics, environment and sustainability
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2006
    Agri-food Applications of Genetically-Modified Organisms: Public Perceptions Risk and Sustainability
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2006
    Building sustainable social capital in new communities.
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2006
    Engaged government: a study of government-community engagement for regional outcomes
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2003
    The social construct of safe foods: Uncertainty, risk and trust in agri-food applications of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2003
    An Analysis of the Patterns of Consumption, Community Impacts and Returns on Investment of Rural Popular Cultural Activities
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2006
    Governance, institutional capacity and regional planning: A Central Queensland case study.
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2005
    Farmer adoption of sustainable land management practices in the Fitzroy Basin, Central Queensland.
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2001 - 2002
    The Sustainability of Australian Rural Communities
    Academy of Social Sciences
    Open grant

Availability

Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Lawrence is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate Change in Rural Fiji: Reproduction, Erosion and Limitations of Social Resilience in Intercultural Domains

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Richard Martin, Dr Kim de Rijke

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate Change in Rural Fiji: Reproduction, Erosion and Limitations of Social Resilience in Intercultural Domains

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Richard Martin, Dr Kim de Rijke

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate Change in Rural Fiji: Reproduction, Erosion and Limitations of Social Resilience in Intercultural Domains

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Richard Martin, Dr Kim de Rijke

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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