
This research group strives to bolster inclusive social and economic development in rural Australia through research and projects focused on digital participation.
Our transdisciplinary projects develop, test and apply novel approaches to investigating digital inclusion at the individual, family, community, regional and industry levels.
The researchers in this group are committed to building local partnerships, having their ‘boots on the ground’, and translating findings into the places they do research.
Areas of focus include digital agriculture, digital inclusion ecosystems, regional innovation and development, remote telecommunications infrastructure, rural health, and digital disaster resilience.
DMRC research program
This group contributes to the research within the following DMRC research program:
Key Projects
- A Study into Digital Inclusion and Human Factors of AgTech Adoption on Queensland farms
- Building community resilience through robust digital connectivity and inclusion
- Advancing digital inclusion in low income Australian families
- Fostering Digital Participation Using Social Living Labs
Group Members
- Amber Marshall (spokesperson)
- Elija Cassidy
- Michael Dezuanni
- Marcus Foth
- Peta Mitchell
- Kim Osman
- Krystle Turner
- Carrie-Ann Wilson
Selected Publications
- Bilandzic, Ana Sima, Foth, Marcus, & Hearn, Greg (2019) The Role of Fab Labs and Living Labs for Economic Development of Regional Australia. In A. Van Luyn & E. de la Fuente (Eds.), Regional Cultures, Economies and Creativity: Innovating through Place in Australia and beyond (pp. 174-197). Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-31067-4. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/124226/
- Dezuanni, Michael & Allan, Cherie (2018) Pittsworth stories: Developing a social living lab for digital participation in a rural Australian community. In Foth, M, Mallan, K, Hughes, H, & Dezuanni, M (Eds.) Digital participation through social living labs: Valuing local knowledge, enhancing engagement. Chandos Publishing, United Kingdom, pp. 191-205
- Foth, Marcus, & McQueenie, Jock (2019, Jun 13). Creatives in the country? Blockchain and AgTech can create unexpected jobs in regional Australia. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/creatives-in-the-country-blockchain-and-agtech-can-create-unexpected-jobs-in-regional-australia-117017
- Hughes, Hilary, Foth, Marcus, Dezuanni, Michael, Mallan, Kerry, & Allan, Cherie (2018) Fostering digital participation and communication through social living labs: a qualitative case study from regional Australia. Communication Research and Practice, 4(2), pp. 183-206.
- Marshall, Amber, Turner, Krystle, Richards, Carol, Foth, Marcus, & Dezuanni, Michael (2022) Critical factors of digital AgTech adoption on Australian farms: From digital to data divide. Information, Communication and Society, 25(6), pp. 868-886.
- Marshall, Amber (2021) Women’s Pathways to Digital Inclusion Through Digital Labour in Rural Farming Households. Australian Feminist Studies, 36(107), pp. 43-64.
- Marshall, Amber, Dezuanni, Michael, Burgess, Jean, Thomas, Julian, & Wilson, Chris K. (2020) Australian farmers left behind in the digital economy: Insights from the Australian Digital Inclusion Index. Journal of Rural Studies, 80, pp. 195-210.
- Marshall, Amber (2019, August 16) Logged out: farmers in Far North Queensland are being left behind by the digital economy. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/logged-out-farmers-in-far-north-queensland-are-being-left-behind-by-the-digital-economy-121743
- McQueenie, Jock, Foth, Marcus, Powell, Warwick, & Hearn, Greg. (2021). BeefLegends: Connecting the Dots between Community, Culture and Commerce. Industry report. Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD. ISBN 978-1-925553-40-6. https://doi.org/10.5204/rep.eprints.213769