Project summary
- Program
- PhD
- Location
- St Lucia
- Research area
- Human society
Project description
This four-year fellowship considers what respectful maternity care means to women and medical professionals; how cultural beliefs arise in health care interactions; how hospital settings, atmospheres and design elements influence maternity care; and how social inequalities and tensions are manifest in maternity care.
The project brings together anthropology (medical anthropology, design ethnography, hospital ethnography, birth narratives) with Indigenous Fijian research approaches (Vanua framework, Talanoa) and focuses on Suva, Fiji.
This project is a strong fit for you if you are interested in ethnographic research, in-depth cultural understandings, and community engagement, and wants to contribute to maternal health through informing quality care that responds to local cultures and specific conditions.
You are encouraged to develop your own line of inquiry connected to this agenda. Possible directions include (but are not limited to):
- Study another location in Fiji or another Pacific Island country
- Study the experiences of diaspora Fijian medical professionals in Australia or another Pacific Island country
- Explore Fijian diaspora women’s experiences of maternity care in Australia or a Pacific Island country
- Explore Pasifika women’s experiences of maternity care in an Australian setting;
- Conduct an ethnography of medical education and obstetrics training centred on Fiji
- Take a historical approach to understanding the development of maternal health care in Fiji or another Pacific Island country, involving oral histories and life stories with families or medical professionals
- Study Fijian or Pasifika fathers’ and men’s experiences related to maternity care in Fiji, another Pacific Island country, or Australia.
Scholarship
This is an Fellowship support scheme scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.
The scholarship includes:
- living stipend of $37,500 per annum tax free (2026 rate), indexed annually
- your tuition fees covered.
Learn more about the Fellowship support scheme scholarship.
Supervisor
Principal supervisor
Preferred educational background
Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.
We take into account your:
- previous academic record
- publication record
- honours and awards
- employment history.
How to apply
This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 3, 2027. You can start in an earlier research quarter.
You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) by the closing date for the research quarter (RQ) you want to start in:
Before you apply
- Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
- Prepare your documentation.
- If you have any questions about whether the project is suitable for your research interests, contact Associate Professor Jenny Munro (jenny.munro@uq.edu.au).
When you apply
To apply, submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the program. You don't need to apply separately for the project or scholarship. How to submit an EOI
In your EOI, complete the 'Scholarship/Sponsorship' section with the following details:
- Are you applying for an advertised project: 'Yes'
- Project: 'Fellowship project scholarship'
- Scholarship Code Listed in the Advertisement: MATERNITY-MUNRO
- Link to Scholarship Advertisement: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/projects/respect-and-cultural-difference-maternity-care