About Us

Integrated Human Studies at UWA is about...

What it means to be human
Human wellbeing
Human futures 
Human interaction with the environment

We live in a world of increasingly rapid change. A world of marvellous opportunity for some, of poverty and misery for many more. We live in a time of increasing knowledge, education and technology but perhaps not of understanding, wisdom and sense of purpose. We live in a world of uncertain stability, a world threatened by the population explosion, pollution, resource depletion, global warming, human rights abuses, the atrocities of war and the ever present terror of the nuclear deterrent.

So how do we make sense of this world? How do we offer a path for the future? This is the essence of Integrated Human Studies.

Integrated Human Studies is a holistic discipline: it draws upon and integrates the many fields that touch on the human condition. It aims to provide a coherent picture of who we are and how we should act to ensure a less threatened, equitable and sustainable future.

How does Integrated Human Studies at UWA approach these goals?

First, IHS examines what it means to be human - our individual needs, wants, desires, values and emotions and our collective identity, aspirations, motivations and social behaviours.

Second, IHS identifies and prioritises major issues facing humankind over the next 50 years - issues that will impact on human wellbeing and the sustainability of our environment at local, regional and global levels.

Third, IHS fosters integrated research, education communication and extension aimed at resolving these issues

Integrated Human Studies embraces theory and practice.  It is much more than a field of learning; it is a field of collaborative action.  It collaborates across disciplines, faculties, institutes; industry, government and the public; across national and international boundaries.