Dr Belinda Townsend

Dr Townsend is an interdisciplinary scholar working at the interface between public health, governance, and political economy and is an emerging leader in the field of public health political science. Her work examines the political economy of health, including agenda-setting for health in areas outside the “health policy” domain such as trade and investment, employment, and social and welfare policy.

She has given lectures for a range of national and international associations on the topic of global governance for health. Dr Townsend has served as an expert witness for Australia’s Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on trade and health, and has presented her research on the impact of trade agreements on health in Australia and abroad to government officials participating in Asia and the Pacific regional trade agreements.

Her research interests include the politics of health, health governance, political science, social determinants of health, trade policy and health including intellectual property.