From food traditions to community sport, everyday practices can play a powerful role in helping migrant communities build a sense of belonging. These forms of placemaking are a key focus of Dr Kristine Aquino's research.
Exploring migrant placemaking across borders
A migration scholar in the UTS School of Communication and Social Sciences, Kristine primarily researches global migration infrastructures and migrant placemaking practices in cities across Australia and Asia.
“I largely ground my research within two contexts. The first is Filipino migration, which is one of the most dynamic migrations in the world. For example, Filipino migrants are among the largest contingent of labour migrants today. The second is looking at the experience of migrant communities more broadly in Western Sydney, which is the most diverse region in our city.”
Drawing on her own experiences as a Filipina Australian who grew up in Western Sydney, Kristine centres the voices and lived experiences of migrant communities in her research.
“These two areas are quite personal and political for me. I think my personal background has really informed a lot of my research practice in terms of serving these communities through research.”
One of her projects culminated in the first anthology dedicated to Filipino migrant experiences in Australia, entitled The Calamansi Story.
Developed in partnership with a Filipino Australian social enterprise and funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's ASEAN-Australia Council in 2023, the book brings together creative works exploring food, memory and homemaking across borders.
I think my personal background has really informed a lot of my research practice in terms of serving these communities through research.
The anthology was launched at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and later featured at the OzAsia Festival, bringing Filipino Australian stories to major national cultural platforms.
Another project, On Sundays We Play, documents the significance of leisure and community among Filipino migrant domestic workers in Singapore. Kristine and her collaborators worked with the women participants to coproduce a photo book, short film and international exhibition. These multimedia works were funded by the Australian Research Council (Discovery Project) and a Social Impact Grant from UTS’s Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion, and exhibited in Singapore, Sydney, Manila and Hong Kong between 2023 to 2025.
“This work really opened up spaces for community voices to be heard through policy conversations. In Singapore, the Philippines and Hong Kong we held discussions with government agencies and NGOs about migrant worker rights.”
Beyond sharing stories, Kristine’s collaborative projects have helped create opportunities for community voices to inform conversations about migrants and social inclusion.
Proceeds of over $10,000 generated through book sales has also been reinvested into the communities involved, supporting initiatives such as informal sporting leagues for migrant workers in Singapore and contributing to sustainable farming initiatives in the Philippines.
This work really opened up spaces for community voices to be heard through policy conversations.
Through creative and community-engaged research, Kristine demonstrates how storytelling can deepen understanding of migration while creating meaningful social impact for the communities at the heart of the research.