Guides: Sociology: Organisations

Finding updates

The Analysis & Policy Observatory is an open-access repository specialising in public policy grey literature from organisations throughout Australia and New Zealand.

For the latest updates on public policy information and research, subscribe to newsletters from APO.

Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO)

Video length: 1 min, 21 sec

Government portals

Government departments and agencies can be excellent sources of information resources such as annual reports, budget papers, speeches, policy documents and statistical data.

Find government information by browsing or searching the following portals:

Australian Government Directory
Your guide to the structures, organisations and key people in the Australian Government.
indigenous.gov.au
This agency celebrates the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is a gateway to information on Australian Government Indigenous initiatives and programs.
sa.gov.au
Includes links to South Australian government contacts and directories including SAcommunity, South Australia's community information directory.

Research centres

A research center is a facility or organization dedicated to conducting research, often within a specific field or area of focus.

Australian Demographic & Social Research Institute (ADSRI)
Developed by the Australian National University. Designed to provide authoritative data on Australian social attitudes and behaviour.
Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR)
Developed by the University of Queensland. One of Australia’s leading social sciences research institutions which undertakes solution-focused research and evaluation.
Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC)
Developed by the University of New South Wales. Undertakes research into national and international critical social issues.
Social Research Centre (SRC)
Owned by the Australian National University. Provides access to ethical and culturally-sound social research and evaluation

Associations

Australian associations

Australian Anthropological Society (AAS)
A professional association representing anthropologists in Australia.
The Australian Sociological Association (TASA)
The peak professional association for sociologists in Australia.

International associations

American Anthropological Association (AAA)
The world’s largest scholarly and professional organisation of anthropologists.
American Sociological Association
The leading American professional association for sociologists, and the world's largest sociological association.
British Sociological Association (BSA)
The peak professional association for sociologists in the United Kingdom.
International Sociological Association (ISA)
An international body dedicated to advancing sociological knowledge throughout the world.
Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI)
A British scholarly association dedicated to promoting anthropology in all its many fields and applications globally.

Think tanks

Think tanks or policy institutes are research centres that focus on particular issues such as social policy and national security. They are an excellent source for policy documents and reports, but they can be biased towards a particular political ideology, political party or funded by corporations or individuals.

Video length: 9 min, 18 sec

The Australia Institute (TAI)
Conducts independent research and policy analysis on a broad range of economic, social, and environmental issues.
Centre for Independent Studies (CIS)
Specialises in public policy research and publishes material in areas such as economics, education, and culture.
Centre for Policy Development
A leading public policy think tank focusing on Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.
Grattan Institute
Produces evidence-based public policy recommendations designed to shape Australia’s public policy.