CDU Researcher Profile

School of Social and Policy Research
Institute of Advanced Studies
Charles Darwin University
Darwin NT 0909
Australia

• Research interests
• Publications
• Current projects
• Recent completions supervised

Research Interests

Gary Robinson has over 15 years experience in ethnographic field research among Aboriginal communities of north Australia, in particular among the Tiwi of Bathurst and Melville Island. His focus has been in the areas of adolescence, family life and youth wellbeing.

His research interests include:

• clinical and social scientific research into health outcomes
• implementation of best practice in clinical care
• management and organization of health care delivery
• Aboriginal community control and its relationship to capacity building and formation of social capital
• social and social psychological determinants of violence and youth suicide
• intergenerational relationships within Aboriginal families

Recent Publications

1. Damin, S Baillie, R Togni, S d'Abbs, P & Robinson G 2006, ‘Aboriginal health workers and diabetes care in remote community health centres: a mixed method analysis’, Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 185, no. 1, pp40-45.

2. Bailie, R., Stevens, M., McDonald, E., Halpin S., Brewster, D., Robinson, G. and Guthridge, S. 2005, 'Skin infection, housing and social circumstances in children living in remote Indigenous communities: testing conceptual and methodological approaches', BMC Public Health, 5:128
3. S Bailie, Robinson, G., Chennakesavan, S. , Halpin, S. and Wang, Z. 2006. “Investigating the sustainability of outcomes in a chronic disease treatment program” Social Science & Medicine (accepted April 2006).
4. Damin, S., Bailie, R., Connors, C., Dowden, M., Stewart, A., Robinson, G., Cunningham, J. and Weeramanthri, T. 2005. “Assessing health centre systems for guiding improvement in diabetes care” BMC Health Services Research, 5:56 
5. Robinson, G., 2005, “Anthropology, Explanation and Intervention: Risk and resilience in a parent- and child-focused program”, Anthropological Forum, Vol 15, no 1, March.
6. Robinson, G. 2005. “Ngaripirliga'ajirri:  Cross-cultural issues in evaluation an Indigenous early intervention program” TASA Conference Proceedings
7. Robinson, G., 2005, “No Way to Be: Violent and Suicidal Youth”, in Lea, Tess & Wilson, Bill, State of the North: A Selection of Papers from the 2003 Charles Darwin Symposia, Darwin, CDU Press.
8. Bailie, R., Stevens, M., McDonald, E., Halpin S., Brewster, D., Robinson, G. and Guthridge, S. 2005. “Skin infection, housing and social circumstances in children living in remote Indigenous communities:  testing conceptual and methodological approaches” BMC Public Health, 5:128 
9. Robinson, G. (2004) Living in sheds: suicide, friendships and research among the Tiwi.  In Hume, L. and Mulcock, J. (Ed), Anthropologists in the field (pp153-167), New York, USA: Columbia University Press
10. Robinson, G., d'Abbs, P., Bailie, R. and Togni, S. (In press). Aboriginal Participation in Health Service Delivery: Coordinated Care Trials in the Northern Territory of Australia. International Journal of Services Technology and Management, March 2002.
11. Robinson, G., Bailie, R., Togni, S. and Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, S. (2001). Tiwi Coordinated Care Trial. Transition Year Evaluation Report, NTU, Darwin, Australia.
12. Robinson, G. and Bailie, R. (2000). Tiwi Coordinated Care Trial. Final Local Evaluation Report, NTU, Darwin, Australia.
13. Robinson, G. (1997). Families, Generations and Self: Conflict, Loyalty and Recognition in a North Australian Aboriginal Society. Ethos, September 1997.
14. Robinson, G. (1997). Trouble Lines: Resistance, Externalization and Individuation. Social Analysis, July 1997.
15. Robinson, G. (ed). (1996). Aboriginal Health: Social and Cultural Transitions. NTU Press, Darwin, Australia.
16. Robinson, G. (1996). Medicalization, Therapy and Social Relations: An Impossible Space. In: Robinson, G. (ed). Aboriginal Health: Social and Cultural Transitions. NTU Press, Darwin, Australia. pp 116-123.
17. Robinson, G. (1995). Violence, Social Differentiation and the Self. Oceania, 65 (4), December 1995.
18. Robinson, G. (1995). Informalization, Violence, Uncertainty: Social Change, Youth and Family Formation in Aboriginal Society. In: Pulla, V. R. (ed). The Family: Asia Pacific Perspectives. Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, NT University, NTU Press, Darwin, Australia.
19. Robinson, G. (1990). Separation, Retaliation and Suicide: Mourning and the Conflicts of Young Tiwi Men. Oceania, 60 (3), March 1990.

Current Projects

• Tiwi Life Promotion Evaluation, CRCATH: $134,385, 2001 - 2003
• More Allied Health Services Evaluation, TEDGP: $160,000, 2002 - 2005

Recent Completions Supervised