Kristen Stevens, University of South Australia

Welfare, Stigmatisation and Social Conflict: Contextual Explorations of The Lived Experiences of The Cashless Debit Card Impacting Community Cohesion And Inclusion In Australia

This project explores how the cashless debit card (CDC) policy influences social structures and, in turn, feelings of wellbeing, cohesion and inclusion in one remote community receiving the CDC. The Australian Government states the primary goal of the CDC is to promote socially responsible behaviour and improve community safety and the health of individuals. However, this study argues that this policy strategy takes an overly individualised and deficit-based approach to behaviour change. Regarding the CDC and social income support, what is determined as ‘responsible behaviour’ is defined by the powerful and regards community connectedness, cohesion and inclusion as irrelevant in promoting feelings of empowerment, belonging and wellbeing.

Kristen Stevens is a PhD candidate in the School of Justice and Society at the University of South Australia. She is a 2019 recipiant of the Freilich Project ECR Small Grant.