Claire Baker

Claire Baker serves as a Lecturer in Sociology within the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at the University of New England. Her work bridges academic research and practical community engagement, particularly in rural Australian contexts.

Her research interests focus on Sociology of Land Use, Economic Sociology, and Micro-Level Social Change. Using Simmel's 'plumb-line' methodology, she connects granular case studies to broader societal transformations, examining how globalization and policy shifts manifest in everyday rural life. Her approach integrates social, economic, and cultural histories to analyze power structures and inequality.

Key scientific recognition includes the University Medal and Chancellor’s Doctoral Research Medal. Her publications reveal consistent focus on Australian rural sociology, state policy evolution, and neoliberal economic frameworks, with recent work expanding to transnational comparisons.

Baker’s professional experience includes managing the $7.8M Commonwealth-funded Collaborative Research Network for Mental Health and Well-being in Rural Communities. She has held Visiting Scholar positions at Wageningen University and Cardiff University, strengthening international research linkages.