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:
Available for supervision
Media expert

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

532 works between 1980 and 2022
All (532) Journal Article (163) Book Chapter (110) Conference Publication (218) Book (28) Other Outputs (9) Edited Outputs (4)

501 - 520 of 532 works

1986

Journal Article

A rural Renaissance? Towards a socialist agriculture for Australia

Lawrence, G. (1986). A rural Renaissance? Towards a socialist agriculture for Australia. Social Alternatives, 5 (2), 36-45.

A rural Renaissance? Towards a socialist agriculture for Australia

1986

Book Chapter

Patriarchy, media and sport

Williams, C., Lawrence, G. and Rowe, D. (1986). Patriarchy, media and sport. Power play: essays in the sociology of Australian sport. (pp. 215-229) edited by G. Lawrence and D. Rowe. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Hale and Iremonger.

Patriarchy, media and sport

1986

Journal Article

Family farming and corporate capitalism: the uneasy alliance

Lawrence, G (1986). Family farming and corporate capitalism: the uneasy alliance. Regional Journal of Social Issues.

Family farming and corporate capitalism: the uneasy alliance

1986

Journal Article

The cricket season

Lawrence, G. (1986). The cricket season. Australian Left Review, 98.

The cricket season

1986

Book Chapter

The corporate pitch: televised cricket under capitalism

Lawrence, G. and Rowe, D. (1986). The corporate pitch: televised cricket under capitalism. Power play: essays in the sociology of Australian sport. (pp. 166-178) edited by G. Lawrence and D. Rowe. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Hale and Iremonger.

The corporate pitch: televised cricket under capitalism

1986

Book Chapter

In the race for profit: commercialism and the Los Angeles Olympics

Lawrence, G. (1986). In the race for profit: commercialism and the Los Angeles Olympics. Power play: essays in the sociology of Australian sport. (pp. 204-214) edited by G. Lawrence and D. Rowe. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Hale and Iremonger.

In the race for profit: commercialism and the Los Angeles Olympics

1986

Book Chapter

Introduction: towards a sociology of sport in Australia

Lawrence, G. and Rowe, D. (1986). Introduction: towards a sociology of sport in Australia. Power play: essays in the sociology of Australian sport. (pp. 13-45) edited by G. Lawrence and D. Rowe. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Hale and Iremonger.

Introduction: towards a sociology of sport in Australia

1986

Book Chapter

Saluting the state: nationalism and the Olympics

Rowe, D. and Lawrence, G. (1986). Saluting the state: nationalism and the Olympics. Power play: essays in the sociology of Australian sport. (pp. 196-203) edited by G. Lawrence and D. Rowe. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Hale and Iremonger.

Saluting the state: nationalism and the Olympics

1986

Book Chapter

Postscript: sport as popular culture

Rowe, D. and Lawrence, G. (1986). Postscript: sport as popular culture. Power play: essays in the sociology of Australian sport. (pp. 230-240) edited by G. Lawrence and D. Rowe. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Hale and Iremonger.

Postscript: sport as popular culture

1986

Conference Publication

Theorising the farm problem: the limitations of orthodoxy

Lawrence, G. (1986). Theorising the farm problem: the limitations of orthodoxy. Conference of the British Sociological Association Rural Economy and Society Study Group, London, United Kingdom, 7 May 1986.

Theorising the farm problem: the limitations of orthodoxy

1986

Conference Publication

Coping with the corporations: farmers and agribusiness in Australia

Lawrence, G. (1986). Coping with the corporations: farmers and agribusiness in Australia. XIII European Congress of Rural Sociology, Braga, Portugal, 1-4 April 1986.

Coping with the corporations: farmers and agribusiness in Australia

1986

Book Chapter

It's just not cricket!

Lawrence, G. (1986). It's just not cricket!. Power play: essays in the sociology of Australian sport. (pp. 151-165) edited by G. Lawrence and D. Rowe. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Hale and Iremonger.

It's just not cricket!

1985

Journal Article

In the race for profit: commercialism and sport

Lawrence, G. (1985). In the race for profit: commercialism and sport. Access, 20.

In the race for profit: commercialism and sport

1985

Conference Publication

Social change in rural Australia: contemporary issues for educators

Lawrence, G. (1985). Social change in rural Australia: contemporary issues for educators. National Conference for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 3-6 May 1985.

Social change in rural Australia: contemporary issues for educators

1985

Journal Article

Farming: The Answer Doesn't Lie in the Soil

Lawrence, G. (1985). Farming: The Answer Doesn't Lie in the Soil. Australian Society, 4 (8).

Farming: The Answer Doesn't Lie in the Soil

1985

Conference Publication

Sunrise industries: government policies and union responses

Lawrence, G. (1985). Sunrise industries: government policies and union responses. Australian Industry - The Future Conference, Wollongong, NSW, Australia, 16-17 March 1985.

Sunrise industries: government policies and union responses

1985

Journal Article

Progress and poverty: the farmers' plight

Lawrence, G. (1985). Progress and poverty: the farmers' plight. Arena, 72.

Progress and poverty: the farmers' plight

1985

Journal Article

Women and sport: a lost ideal

Williams, Claire Louise, Lawrence, Geoffrey and Rowe, David (1985). Women and sport: a lost ideal. Women's Studies International Forum, 8 (6), 639-645. doi: 10.1016/0277-5395(85)90103-7

Women and sport: a lost ideal

1985

Journal Article

'The gladiatorial lust for blood': the media and soccer violence

Lawrence, Geoffrey (1985). 'The gladiatorial lust for blood': the media and soccer violence. The Australian Quarterly, 57 (3), 192-202. doi: 10.2307/20635326

'The gladiatorial lust for blood': the media and soccer violence

1984

Journal Article

Sport as popular culture

Rowe, D. and Lawrence, G. (1984). Sport as popular culture. Arena, 69.

Sport as popular culture

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:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Students can be involved in work on ARC and other projects exploring:

    Structural change in agriculture; changes power relations along agri-food chains; the financialisation of food and farming.

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

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Lawrence directly for media enquiries about:

  • Agriculture - sociology
  • Financialisation
  • Food security
  • Globalisation
  • Neoliberalism
  • Rural Australia

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