Professor Hûrriyet Babacan is Professor of Social and Cultural Development at ICEPA where she provides academic and scholarly leadership on issues relating to the areas of racism, immigration and settlement, cultural diversity and competence, diaspora and identities, citizenship, governance and policy, social and community development, and capacity building.
Hûrriyet has over 25 years of experience working in government, higher education and the non-government sector. She has held academic, researcher, and senior public servant, trainers and community development worker positions. She has also held key positions in Ministerial and advisory boards. Full employment experience.
Hûrriyet holds a PhD from Charles Sturt University. Her thesis explored the issues of ethnicity and migration in the making of Australian national identity and excavated the critical issues of access and equity globalisation, social policy and citizenship rights in the constructions of identity.
Hûrriyet also holds a Master of Arts (Social Policy) completed at RMIT with an MA thesis on the Australian Welfare State, Bachelor of Social Work completed at RMIT University, Masters Preliminary in Economics completed at La Trobe University with a minor thesis on co-operative housing in Victoria and Bachelor of Commerce completed at the University of Melbourne.
She has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Education at Queensland University of Technology.
Research Interests
- Multiculturalism
- Racism and anti -racism
- Social inclusion - social exclusion
- Immigration and settlement
- Diasporic, transnational and migrant communities
- National and cultural identities
- Cultural competence
- Citizenship and belonging
- Space, place and attachments
- Globalisation
- Gender
- Health and well being
- Ageing, employment and education
- Social capital
- Community strengthening
- Child protection
- Globalisation
- Social policy
- Governance
- International development and aid
- Capacity building
- Human rights
Publications and Media
- Full publications list
- Keynote conference/seminar papers
Selected Project Experience
- Chief Investigator, Study of Ethnic Women in Small Business funded by the Commonwealth Government
- Co- Investigator of a research project on Migrant Settlement funded by the Commonwealth Government
- Leading a consortium of agencies on a study to measure the nature and extent of racism in Queensland
- Chief Investigator for project funded by Department of Communities - On Line Community Engagement and Development Tools for the Non-Government Sector
- Chief Investigator - Department of Child Safety for models of service delivery to child safety issues in culturally diverse communities
- More project experience
Selected Community and Organisational Involvement
- Editorial Board Member - New Community Quarterly Journal
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Social Sciences, Uludag University, Turkey
- Advisory Board Member - Encyclopaedia of Australia's religions
- Reviewer or refereed for a range of journals nationally and internationally
- Steering Committee - United Nations and Queensland Government International Conference on Engaging Communities
- Conference Co-convenor - First and Second Realities of Racism in the New World Order Conference, University of the Sunshine Coast
- Full community and organisational involvement list
Awards and Recognition
- Awarded the Multicultural Services Award by the Premier of Queensland in relation to the multicultural matters in 1999
- Bi-centenary Medal awarded by the Prime Minister 2002 for contribution to community and academic life
- Queensland State Finalist for Government and Public Service 2003 in the Telstra Business Women's Award
- Nominated to Energex Community Hero, 2000
- Awarded Certificate for Year of Volunteer by the Minister for Education, Ms Anna Bligh, 2001 for services to the community.
- Numerous Certificates of Appreciation by different organisations
- Inclusion of biography in Australian Women's Archives Project, http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE1930b.htm
Contact Details
Email Hûrriyet Babacan
Ph: +61 (0) 3 9919 5485
Fx: +61 (0) 3 9919 5479
Location: ICEPA
Postal Address: PO BOX 14428, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 8001
