Athena Lathouras

Biography

Dr Athena 'Tina' Lathouras graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) in 2000 having worked in the social services sector since 1980. Her fields of work have included disability services, neighbourhood centres and sector development work with peak bodies.

Tina's 2012 PhD research was entitled 'An exploration of the relationship between structure and community development practice: Towards a Theory of Structural Community Development'.

Tina's current research goals include to:

• theory-build and theory-test conceptual frameworks and practice approaches for ‘structural community development’, that is, community development practice that is making micro-macro connections and working towards effecting structural change
• investigate, support and theorise citizenship and citizen-led social movements that are working for social justice and human rights
• investigate and support local / regional community development and social change work
• investigate and theorise community development approaches to education which support students’ “transformative agency”.

Current PhD students

• Jennie Haarsager-Lieske - Inclusive Policy in practice: HIV Prevention Community Planning in the US.
• Pornsiri Cheevapattananuwong - A Positive Transition for local people in an Area of Rapid Economic Development: A Case Study of the Ban Pho and Bangkhla Districts,
• Chachoengsao Province, Thailand

Completed Higher Degree by Research supervision

• Dr Nnenna Ike – Thesis topic: University student accommodation in Australia

Potential research projects for HDR and Honours students

• Community Development within a Critical Paradigm
• Developmental Approaches and Social Movements
• Structure/Agency Debates
• Critical Social Policy Analysis in Social Work and the Human Services
• Action Learning and Participatory Research Methodologies

Teaching areas

• Community Development and Social Action
• Critical Social Policy Analysis

Professional memberships

• Member, Australian Association of Social Workers
• Director, Community Praxis Co-operative
• Member, International Association for Community Development (IACD)
• Member, Community Development Society
• Volunteer Liaison and Member, Community Development Queensland (CD Qld)
• Member, Nambour Community Centre
• Member, Borderlands Cooperative, Melbourne
• Member, Australian Landcare International

Awards

• 2016 National Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning: For an inspiring community-development approach to education, taught with a passion for social justice that enables social work students to become agents of change
• 2015 USC Advance Award for Learning and Teaching: Advancing Quality Teaching, University of the Sunshine Coast (with Cary Shaw)

Expert media commentary

Dr Athena 'Tina' Lathouras's specialist areas of knowledge include Community Development and Social Change, Structural Community Development, Micro/Macro Social Change, Frameworking for Development Practice, Critical Social Policy Analysis, International Students, Critical Pedagogy, Action Learning and Participatory Research Methodologies.