
Overview
Background
Dr Laura Simpson Reeves is a Research Fellow in the School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work at The University of Queensland, and a Research Fellow with the Life Course Centre. She is a highly experienced qualitative social researcher with a strong background across the social sciences and humanities. Her research broadly aims to understand social and cultural responses to inequity and disadvantage, with a strong focus on lived experience. Laura works with vulnerable and marginalised groups at the nexus of culture and disadvantage, especially around ethnicity, gender and sexuality, poverty, and experiences of exclusion and discrimination. She has a particular focus and interest in diaspora and issues around belonging, identity, acculturation, and social cohesion/isolation. Her current research explores family inclusion and children's voices, especially in relation to child protection.
Availability
- Dr Laura Simpson Reeves is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Communiciation, The University of Queensland
- Masters (Coursework) of Policy and Applied Social Research, Macquarie University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Laura Simpson Reeves’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2024
Journal Article
The social and emotional wellbeing of children in out-of-home care: a scoping review exploring structural and social factors
Healy, Karen, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Boman, Madonna, Kolesnikova, Iryna, Povey, Jenny, Venables, Jemma, Baxter, Janeen and Thompson, Kate (2024). The social and emotional wellbeing of children in out-of-home care: a scoping review exploring structural and social factors. Children and Youth Services Review, 166 107991, 107991. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107991
Featured
2020
Journal Article
Towards a phenomenology of poverty: defining poverty through the lived experiences of the ‘poor’
Simpson Reeves, Laura, Parsell, Cameron and Liu, Shuang (2020). Towards a phenomenology of poverty: defining poverty through the lived experiences of the ‘poor’. Journal of Sociology, 56 (3), 439-454. doi: 10.1177/1440783319851204
2025
Other Outputs
Queensland child and youth policy priorities: final research report
Healy, Karen, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Venables, Jemma and Nathanson, Caitlin (2025). Queensland child and youth policy priorities: final research report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2025
Other Outputs
‘Every child, every woman: healthy and safe start’ program evaluation final report
Simpson Reeves, Laura, Hawley, Glenda, Gabiana, Christy and Healy, Karen (2025). ‘Every child, every woman: healthy and safe start’ program evaluation final report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2025
Journal Article
Access to transition planning and support for young people who self‐place when in out‐of‐home care: the perspectives of young people and practitioners
Venables, Jemma, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Ellem, Kathy, Healy, Karen and Cullin, Joel (2025). Access to transition planning and support for young people who self‐place when in out‐of‐home care: the perspectives of young people and practitioners. Australian Journal of Social Issues. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.391
2024
Other Outputs
‘Ola Manaia’: exploring how Samoan diaspora in Greater Brisbane, Australia, conceptualise ‘the good life’
Simpson Reeves, Laura (2024). ‘Ola Manaia’: exploring how Samoan diaspora in Greater Brisbane, Australia, conceptualise ‘the good life’. PhD Thesis, Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/e1b034c
2023
Conference Publication
The (un)making of multicultural Australia
Sharma, Nikita and Simpson Reeves, Laura (2023). The (un)making of multicultural Australia. TASA 2023, Sydney, Australia, 28-29 November 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Review: Into the Sea, by Ash Watson
Reeves, Laura Simpson (2023). Review: Into the Sea, by Ash Watson. Journal of Autoethnography, 4 (3), 434-437. doi: 10.1525/joae.2023.4.3.434
2023
Journal Article
Social science as social action to address inequalities
Staines, Zoe, Smith, Kiah, Plage, Stefanie, Nahar Lata, Lutfun, Fay, Suzanna, Zheng, Zhaoxi, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Beazley, Helen, Kuskoff, Ella, Clarke, Andrew, McGowan, Glenys, Shevellar, Lynda and Prangnell, Jonathan (2023). Social science as social action to address inequalities. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 59 (1), 108-127. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.272
2023
Other Outputs
Cultural understandings of responsibility amongst Samoan diaspora in Greater Brisbane
Simpson Reeves, Laura (2023). Cultural understandings of responsibility amongst Samoan diaspora in Greater Brisbane. LCC Working Paper Series. 2023-10. Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/1222d23
2022
Journal Article
Fulfilling and desperately needed: Australian media representations of responses to homelessness
Simpson Reeves, Laura, Clarke, Andrew, Kuskoff, Ella and Parsell, Cameron (2022). Fulfilling and desperately needed: Australian media representations of responses to homelessness. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 57 (4), 783-797. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.201
2021
Journal Article
Created in the image of God? Progressive social services and faith-based organizations
Parsell, Cameron, Hutchins, Marcus, Simpson Reeves, Laura and Deighton, Chris (2021). Created in the image of God? Progressive social services and faith-based organizations. Journal of Contemporary Religion, 36 (3), 1-21. doi: 10.1080/13537903.2021.1959163
2020
Journal Article
Review of Helmut Gaisbauer, Gottfried Schweiger and Clemens Sedmak (eds) (2020), Absolute Poverty in Europe: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on a Hidden Phenomenon, Bristol: Policy Press
Simpson Reeves, Laura (2020). Review of Helmut Gaisbauer, Gottfried Schweiger and Clemens Sedmak (eds) (2020), Absolute Poverty in Europe: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on a Hidden Phenomenon, Bristol: Policy Press. Journal of Social Policy, 50 (1), 212-214. doi: 10.1017/S0047279420000598
2020
Other Outputs
Try, test and learn evaluation - interim report
Baxter, Janeen, Povey, Jenny, Burger, Sarah-Ann, Plage, Stefanie, Kennedy, Elizabeth, O'Flaherty, Martin, Tseng, Yi-Ping, Polidano, Cain, Kalb, Guyonne, Borland, Jeff, Ribar, David, Mamun, Abdullah, Ball, Sarah, Gramotnev, Alexandra, Bellotti, Melindy, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Tomaszewski, Wojtek and Western, Mark (2020). Try, test and learn evaluation - interim report. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2019
Journal Article
Can visual methods actually challenge hierarchies? A case study from Papua New Guinea
Simpson Reeves, Laura and Hinthorne, Lauren Leigh (2019). Can visual methods actually challenge hierarchies? A case study from Papua New Guinea. Community Development Journal, 54 (3) bsx047, 371-388. doi: 10.1093/cdj/bsx047
2019
Journal Article
The family lives of Australian lesbian, gay and bisexual people: a review of the literature and a research agenda
Perales, Francisco, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Plage, Stefanie and Baxter, Janeen (2019). The family lives of Australian lesbian, gay and bisexual people: a review of the literature and a research agenda. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 17 (1), 43-60. doi: 10.1007/s13178-018-0367-4
2019
Edited Outputs
Understanding public value workshop: report on proceedings
Brown, Prue, Cherney, Lorraine, Warner, Sarah, Abazie, Ugochi Cynthia, Ball, Sarah, Cunningham, Lauren, Le, Luu Dieu Duc, Reeves, Laura Simpson and Worsoe, Hanne eds. (2019). Understanding public value workshop: report on proceedings. Understanding Public Value, Brisbane, Australia, 11-12 July 2019. Brisbane, Australia: University of Queensland, School of Political Science and International Relations.
2019
Conference Publication
Family, Food and Faith: How Samoan and Tongan diaspora in Australia imagine ‘the good life’
Simpson Reeves, Laura (2019). Family, Food and Faith: How Samoan and Tongan diaspora in Australia imagine ‘the good life’. American Anthropological Association and Canadian Anthropological Society Joint Conference, Vancouver, Canada, 20-24 November 2019.
2019
Journal Article
Review of Lori Kido Lopez, Asian American Media Activism: Fighting for Cultural Citizenship
Simpson Reeves, Laura (2019). Review of Lori Kido Lopez, Asian American Media Activism: Fighting for Cultural Citizenship. International Journal of Communication, 13, 2513-2515.
2018
Journal Article
Book review: Darin Barney, Gabriella Coleman, Christine Ross, Jonathan Sterne, and Tamar Tembeck (Eds.), The Participatory Condition in the Digital Age
Simpson Reeves, Laura (2018). Book review: Darin Barney, Gabriella Coleman, Christine Ross, Jonathan Sterne, and Tamar Tembeck (Eds.), The Participatory Condition in the Digital Age. International Journal of Communication, 12, 4465-4467.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Laura Simpson Reeves is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Media
Enquiries
For media enquiries about Dr Laura Simpson Reeves's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team: