Andrew Skuse

Professor Andrew Skuse is a faculty member at the University of Adelaide's School of Social Sciences within the Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics. His work focuses on how the poor interact with information resources and their impact on livelihoods, health, education, peace-building, and social equity. He is eligible to supervise Masters and PhD students and has extensive experience consulting for international development agencies including ADB, AusAID, DFID, EU, GTZ, and WHO.

Professor Skuse's research spans several critical areas in development studies. His principal contribution examines the roles of communication and information access in development processes, poverty reduction, and social change. He has made significant contributions to understanding communication in complex emergencies, entertainment-education and mass media for development, ICTs for poverty and empowerment, media sector strengthening, and social and behavioral change. His work often involves field research in developing countries, revealing how poor populations utilize information and communication technologies during crises.

Analysis of his recent publications shows a strong focus on digital technologies in humanitarian contexts. His research examines how wikis, SMS, social media, and crowdsourcing enhance situational awareness and response during complex emergencies. These works demonstrate how digital tools can reduce duplication, provide real-time information, dispel rumors, and create crisis maps that focus emergency response efforts. His publications consistently bridge academic research with practical applications for humanitarian organizations.

Professor Skuse has extensive field experience working in Afghanistan, China, Malawi, Nepal, Pakistan, the Pacific Region, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Previously, he served as a Social Development Adviser for the UK Department for International Development (DFID), where he was responsible for communications for development. His work includes ARC Linkage projects with UNESCO, UNDP, and Equal Access, as well as methodological contributions to Ethnographic Action Research with stronger participatory focus.