Working Close to Harm symposium

Course description

The Working Close to Harm symposium brings together researchers, HDRs, and professional staff from across Flinders University whose work intersects with trauma related, ethically complex, or emotionally demanding material.

Across disciplines such as screen and media, social sciences, health, criminology, law, history, and creative practice, many staff and students routinely engage with sensitive and traumatic research topics.

This event aims to strengthen the Flinders’ community by creating space for cross college dialogue and collective reflection on challenges often experienced in isolation. Blending research insights, institutional policy, and lived experience, the symposium promotes trauma informed and sustainable working practices across the University. 

Its aim is to enhance wellbeing strategies for staff and HDRs while building institutional networks of care.

The symposium will feature:

• an opening keynote from Professor Bronwyn Carlson, Macquarie University. 
• two panel discussions with speakers from across the University
  • Holding the Weight of the Work: Emotional Labour and Wellbeing Across Disciplines
  • Support, Safety and Ethics: Policies & Practices
• two practical wellbeing workshops (desk yoga and mindful art)
• quiet zones for reflection and relaxation
• morning tea and lunch provided.

This event is supported by the Thriving@Flinders 2026 Campus Activation Initiative.
For further information, please contact A/Prof Claire Henry: claire.henry@flinders.edu.au.

Details:

• Tuesday 22 September 2026
• 9am-4pm
• Alere Function Centre, Bedford Park

Keynote address:

Title: 
Researching violence across violent institutions

Overview: 
Researching family violence and technology facilitated violence has taught me that violence is not confined to the experiences we document. It also exists within the institutions that shape research. Drawing on my own experiences as an Aboriginal scholar, this talk reflects on navigating research funding, ethics review, publishing, media attention and institutional expectations while working in politically contested fields. Rather than treating these as isolated professional challenges, I consider how they reveal broader patterns of epistemic and institutional violence that influence whose knowledge is recognised, whose expertise is trusted and whose research is supported.
 
Speaker Bio: 
Professor Bronwyn Carlson is a Distinguished Professor of Critical Indigenous Studies at Macquarie University, where she is Head of the Centre for Critical Indigenous Studies and Director of the Global Indigenous Futures Research Centre. She is also Deputy Director (Indigenous) of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Bronwyn’s research examines Indigenous identities, racism, family violence, technology facilitated violence, artificial intelligence, Indigenous data sovereignty and digital governance. Her work explores how institutions, technologies and systems of power shape the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with a particular focus on Indigenous rights, governance and justice. She works closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to produce research that informs public debate, policy and institutional reform.

Type of course

Seminar (lunch provided)