Athina Mara

Athina Mara is a Lecturer in Strategy and Social Policy at the University of Roehampton (London, UK), affiliated with the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. She holds a PhD in Social Policy from Panteion University (2015–2021), an MSc in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences from Utrecht University (2012–2013), and a BSc in Sociology from Panteion University (2008–2012).

Her research focuses on sociology, social policy, gender, sexuality, kinship, migration, (in)equalities, citizenship, and integration in EU societies. She actively collaborates with European consortiums, NGOs, and civic organizations on projects addressing political inequality, gender empowerment, and citizenship education. Notable projects include the EU-funded G-EPIC (2023–2026), which investigates gender empowerment through politics in classrooms, and a study on measuring life skills and citizenship education in the Middle East and North Africa (2018–2022).

Mara teaches courses on Active Citizenship and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Her recent publications include policy briefs on gender empowerment, cross-national reports on political inequality frameworks, and contributions to the G-EPIC project’s deliverables. She is a sought-after speaker, presenting at academic conferences and workshops on topics like feminist theory circulation and the political incorporation of stigmatized minorities.

Her professional activities span 90+ engagements, including invited keynote talks, academic workshops, and consortium memberships. She co-leads the G-EPIC initiative and contributed to datasets like the Cross-Country database on G-EPIC observations. Mara accepts PhD students and is committed to interdisciplinary research addressing societal challenges through policy and education.