Geoffrey Lawrence (sociologist)

Lawrence moved to The University of Queensland in 2002 as Professor of Sociology and Head of the School of Social Science. He remained in the latter role for two terms, from 2002 to 2009. In the following year he became co-leader of the Global Change Institute's Food Security Focal Area, and later became Chair of the Institute's College of Experts. He retired in 2013, becoming Emeritus Professor of Sociology at The University of Queensland.

In 1993, Lawrence joined Central Queensland University as Foundation Professor of Sociology and later became Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Director of the Rural Social and Economic Research Centre. He established the Institute for Sustainable Regional Development in 1997, becoming its inaugural Executive Director. He was instrumental in the formation of the Fitzroy Basin Association (the catchment management authority for the Central Queensland region), and served as a member of the Management Committee from 1998 until 2002.

Lawrence is a former co-editor of the International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food. He was the Inaugural Director of the Centre for Rural Social Research at Charles Sturt University from 1988 to 1993, and launched the journal Rural Society. In 1993 he co-founded the Australasian Agri-food Research Network, an active network of over 100 academics, students and government representatives that holds yearly conferences on rural and agri-food issues. He was a founding member of the international food-based Think Tank in 2013. He was elected President of the International Rural Sociology Association in 2012 and served in that role until 2016.

Lawrence joined the Riverina College of Advanced Education (later named Charles Sturt University) in 1973 and served as Regional Research Officer until 1977, becoming Lecturer in Sociology from 1978 until 1987. In the following year, he was promoted to Senior Lecturer, and then to Associate Professor. His book, Capitalism and the Countryside: The Rural Crisis in Australia was published in 1987 and received critical acclaim.

Lawrence attended James Ruse Agricultural High School in Sydney from 1963 until 1968. In 1972, he graduated from the University of Sydney in Agricultural Science, majoring in Agricultural Economics. He then enrolled at the University of New England and obtained a Diploma of Social Science before moving to the United States. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, receiving his master's degree in Sociology in 1978. He moved back to Australia in 1979 and earned his Doctoral degree in 1998 from Griffith University.