Youth, religious belief and social justice project,
with Dr Bruce Duncan and Dr Joan Daw                        

Two scholars within the Yarra Institute in May 2008 were awarded funding from the Melbourne College of Divinity for a research project entitled: “An investigation into the religious and non-religious factors associated with the engagement of youth in social justice activities.”

As a staff member within the MCD, Dr Bruce Duncan is collaborating with Dr Joan Daw in developing the insights from her doctorate at ACU National on ‘The relationship between “the religious” and “the secular”: the case of Australian Catholics’.

This research project draws on the findings of her thesis to identify and explore the practical implications for schools, parishes, social service organisations and other agencies, especially for encouraging social concern and involvement. Though focused on Catholic groups, the project will also consider the findings in relation to other denominations and religious traditions. 

The Yarra Institute chose this as its first formal research project because of the excellence of Dr Daw's research and the importance of the issues concerned. We expect that it will arouse considerable interest in the general community, and be especially significant for church, educational and community organisations.

Dr Daw has previously been involved in research on the way Australian Muslims manage religious diversity and on the religious beliefs of Vietnamese immigrants in Melbourne. She is a member of the Catholic Interfaith Committee and is membership secretary of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, Australia.

Dr Daw has occupied a variety of teaching positions in Catholic secondary schools, and since 1990 has been a sessional lecturer / tutor in sociology at various tertiary institutions, including more recently Swinburne University of Technology and Australian Catholic University.

Dr Daw's thesis will conclude in early 2010.