Aligned with our overarching mission to lead and instigate meaningful change of the humanitarian system, CHL conducts collaborative research that not only informs but also influences real-world leadership in humanitarian contexts.
Research projects
Resilient Regions (Victoria)
Together with Deakin University we’re working on a new Australian Government-funded disaster and resilience project examining collaboration between East Gippsland businesses and communities.
Under the flagship Disaster Ready Fund, Australian Business Volunteers will facilitate a series of community-led workshops and meetings, and deliver pro-bono disaster resilience projects with corporate partners and skilled volunteers to boost the capacity of small business and local organisations.
Deakin and CHL researchers will use insights from these sessions to build an evidence-base on the relationships between the business sector, skilled volunteering and community resilience.
Read more in this announcement from Australian Government Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, or view the short launch video by clicking on the screenshot below.
Journal articles 2025
Pardy, M., Kelly, M., & McGlasson, M. A. (2025). The politics of listening at the World Humanitarian Summit – localisation as resistance. Contemporary Politics, 31(5), 813–831. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569775.2024.2441580
Habib RR, Katrib RS, Mikati D, Abouzeid M (2025). Growing risk of child labor in the Middle East and North Africa amid cascading crises. Frontiers in Public Health. Volume 13.
Downing Phoebe; Heidrich, Dorota; Justyna, Nakonieczna-Bartosiewic. (2025). ‘Transnational advocacy network at the Poland-Belarus border: the humanitarian crisis and the diluted boomerang pattern’. Colloquium1: 57.
Conference presentations 2025
- Watton, E. & North-Samardzic, A. (2025) ‘The role of reflexive learning for developing a leadership mind-set’ 15th Developing Leadership Capacity Conference, 8th-9th July, Lancaster University Management School.
- Kelly, M., Elmaki, M., & Downing, P. (2025) ‘Mutual aid, localisation, and crisis leadership in Sudan: a network analysis’, SUNBELT, 23-28 June, Paris
- Kelly, M. (2025) Responding in a Crisis, Why we need to look closer at the ethics of volunteers versus paid workers. World Conference on Humanitarian Studies, International Humanitarian Studies Association, Chr. Michelsen Institute, Bergen, October 15-17, 2025.
- Kelly, M. Pardy, M. and Downing, P. (2025) From ‘Aidland’ to Homeland: Humanitarian Leadership Conference, April 8-9, 2025 Doha, Qatar.
- Kelly, M. (2025) evidencing the experience of locally led action, The Future of Aid, ICVA/IARAN, Regional Humanitarian Partnerships Week, Asia Pacific, Bangkok, December 10th 2025.
