Dr Timothy Heffernan
Ph.D. in Social Science (Anthropology); B. Arts & Social Sciences (Hons, Class 1)
I am an anthropologist living and working on Gadigal Country. I work with communities in Australia and Europe affected by event-based hardship, such as environmental disasters and political and economic crises. Informed by ethnographic fieldwork, my research examines the connection between communities' experiences of unwelcome change and the ways they set about recovering, noting this is rarely straightforward.
Currently, I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at UNSW School of Built Environment and a visiting researcher (2022-2024) at the ANU School of Psychology and Medicine. My research has been funded by the Canadian, Australian and NSW Governments and UACES: University Association for Contemporary European Studies.
I am co-editor of The Anthropology of Ambiguity (Manchester UP, 2024) and the author of the draft manuscript Compassionate Solidarity: Crisis, recovery and the making of kincentric politics in Iceland. In addition, I have published in several leading peer-reviewed journals including Social Anthropology, History and Anthropology, Conflict and Society and The Australian Journal of Emergency Management.
Inaugural network lead: UNSW Interdisciplinary Ethnography Network (UNSW IEN)
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Enhancing Housing Recovery Policy and Practice for Improving Community Resilience to Future Disasters.
Funded by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI, 23/PRO/71332) (2023-2024)
2023 Finalist, NSW Resilience Australia Award (Community) in recognition of the Resilient Towns Initiative, Snowy Valleys
2020 Fellow, Academic Association for Contemporary European Studies
Professional memberships:
Fellow of the Australian Anthropological Society
University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES), Ordinary Member 2019-2022
Other affiliations:
Visiting Research Fellow (2022-23). College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University.
University Service
LGBTIQ+ Co-Champion, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, 2024-
Australian Anthropological Society University Representative, 2022-present