Dr. Belinda Townsend

Biography

Belinda Townsend is an interdisciplinary scholar working at the interface of social policy, health policy, and governance, and is a leader in the fields of public health and political science. She has published extensively in top-ranked international journals including Critical Public Health, Nature Food, and Social Science & Medicine, authoring and co-authoring 48 journal articles, 6 book chapters, and 50 reports and opinion pieces. Townsend holds a PhD in political science from Deakin University and graduated with honors in political theory. Her research examines social policy in health, particularly the role of trade agreements, investment, and social welfare policy. She has delivered talks at national and international associations on global governance in health, served as an expert witness for Australia’s Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on trade and health, and has been involved in numerous invited presentations and media appearances. In addition to her research, Townsend is a highly respected educator, committed to integrating research-led teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her work aims to ensure the applicability of research in practice, and she actively supervises PhD candidates and engages with students interested in health policy related research.

Research Interests

Experience