TASA's conference is always a highlight and I have been able to connect with many inspiring academics across the years at them, from my post-graduate student days to now in my early to mid-career stage. In a time of wide-spread precarity, attending interstate conferences is not always possible and the Bursary is a genuine equity-builder. The grant assisted me to do the following five activities in person on 28^th November in Perth and in hybrid mode (with Dr Carl Anacin, another Bursary recipient, presenting on 29^th November):

Present the paper ‘Spatial Justice and The Power of Urban Play: Skateboarding and Skateable Public Art as a Case Study for Creative Disruptions’ (2024). Co-authors: Dr Indigo Willing, Dr Sanne Mestrom, A/Prof Lian Loke and Nadia Odlum, all at the University of Sydney. Background: The paper reported on research done as part of my Skate, Create, Educate and Regenerate (SkateCER) project at SSSHARC at the University of Sydney in collaboration with academics from the Sydney College of Arts and the School of Architecture, Planning and Design. The SkateCER project, which included a 2-day symposium co-hosted by the Art/Play/Risk team, was also supported by the TASA Gary Bouma Memorial Workshop Grant. The paper was presented as part of the Sociology of Sport and Leisure stream and provided insights on trans-disciplinary approaches to issues of spatial justice using a case study of skateboarding and public art. Feedback was positive and constructive, including advice from the audience made up of non-skateboarders on how to further emphasise the desired ‘end game’ and ‘best outcomes’ research can have on the issue of use of public space in cities that is traditionally restrictive and prohibits urban sports such as skateboarding. An outcome was how to better translate research on a specific topic to a broader audience and different stakeholders. Helpful framing included thinking about the ‘public use of public space’, ‘cultural activism’ and ‘architecture for physical health’ and ‘rolling for sustainable cities’.

Images: researchers Nadia Odlum, Dr Sanne Mestrom and Dr Indigo Willing moving one of Dr Mestrom’s co-designed skateable artworks in place at the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney.

Dr Willing testing one of the artworks with her skateboard with a street skate trick.

Former sponsored skater and queer activist Evie Ryder and professional wheelchair skater and founder of WCMX and Adaptive Skateboarding Australia Tim Lachlan check out one of the artworks.

The research team holding co-design and ethnographic research sessions at Glebe skatepark.

Chair the Sociology of Sport and Leisure presentation session, as one of the Co-Conveners of the Thematic Group (along with Dr Emma Phillips, Professor Richard Pringle and Dr Paul Bowell). The other paper presentations in this session included 1) ‘An Exploration of Financial Literacy and Well-Being Among Pasifika Ruby Players’ by Prof Neil Hall and Dr Esther Gounder (co-authors also including Benjamin Joseph, Sam Lane, Rohini Balram, Koli Sewabu) and 2) ‘Effective Anti-Racism Approaches for Women and Girls in Community Sport’ presented by Prof. Karen Farquharson (co-authors also included Aish Ravi (lead), Kim Toffoletti, and Karen Block). The session was well-attended and had good responses during the Q and A time. Themes during discussion time included the positionality of researchers, class privilege, racism and sexism in sport and using creative methodologies including visual research and cartoons for communicating the research to stakeholders.

Facilitate the TASA Sport and Leisure Thematic Group general meeting open to all in hybrid form, chaired by Dr Emma Phillips and attended by Professor Richard Pringle and Dr Paul Bowell. Attending in person: Prof Neil Hall, Prof. Karen Farquharson and myself.

Co-organise a panel on ‘Asian Australian Migration and Mobilities’ together with Dr Carl Anacin (Griffith University) who was able to Chair in person and Dr Aaron Teo (University of Southern Queensland) who did it online. The panel was organised based on the Special Issue ‘Asian-Australian Mobility and Migration: Multiculturalism, Policy and Intersectionality’ that we are currently co-editing for the Journal of International Migration and Integration (Dr Teo, Dr Anacin and Dr Willing). See Dr Anacin’s TASA Bursary report for more information.

Co-author a paper ‘Anti-Asian Australian Racism: Reflections on Tropes and Trajectories of Exclusion From Yellow Peril to Covid-19,’ which was co-presented by Dr Anacin and Dr Teo and was based on research for Asian Australian Anti-Racism Resources we did for Griffith University for the Australian Human Rights Commission’s ‘National Anti-Racism Framework’ Project. Background: Our team (myself, Dr Kasun Ubayasiri, Dr Aaron Teo, Dr Carl Anacin, Ms Erin Ai Wen Chew, and Dr Eun-Ji Amy Kim) conducted an historical and desk-top research for the Australian Human Rights Commission National Anti-Racism Framework which was released in 2024. The Commission developed a set of eight publicly available resources from our research on Asian Australians that include an introductory piece on some key concepts, terminology, and frameworks for understanding anti-Asian racism in Australia, a historical events timeline and six case study pieces that look at more contemporary examples of anti-Asian racism in the media, politics, and workplaces, and explore anti-racism solutions through support services and education. See Dr Anacin’s TASA Bursary report for more information.

Research team at Griffith University for Asian Australian anti-racism Australian Human Rights Commission 2024 project from top left across: Dr Indigo Willing, Dr Kasun Ubayasiri, Dr Aaron Teo, Ms Erin Ai Wen Chew Dr Carl Anacin and Dr Eun-Ji Amy Kim

The Broader Social Impact of a TASA Bursary for Precarious Scholars

TASA's Bursary for precarious scholars is vital for keeping the discipline of sociology one of fairness and a place of diversity. This includes people of colour, women, queer scholars, mature-aged early career scholars, full time parents attempting to re-enter or stay in the field of academia and many more points of intersectionality that affect the career trajectories of me and my colleagues. We are working non-stop to stay afloat to do research, motivated not by status or income prestige, but by how the power of sociological knowledge can benefit society and people on the margins. It is only through solutions-based thinking associations such as TASA, with a firm commitment to equity, that our financial barriers to participation can be nudged and navigated to let us be, and keep us, in view.

Grants such as the one provided by TASA's Bursary scheme relieve a non-stop struggle for so many of us to do our critically needed work, as well as providing avenues to develop stronger networks, collaborations and to receive constructive feedback to improve and advance our expertise. The grant also assists with scholars on the margins to network and gain valuable leadership experience in person with colleagues and mentors.

I wish to express my sincere appreciation for the 2024 TASA Bursary that made it possible for me to fly from the east coast to Perth on the west coast of the continent to attend the annual conference in November. Special thanks to Sally Daly, Penny Toth, the conference staff and volunteers, and TASA's conference and selection committees.

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