Catherine Hartung

Dr. Catherine Hartung is a Senior Lecturer in Secondary Education at Swinburne University of Technology, affiliated with the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education. Her academic work spans teaching, research, supervision, and leadership in research grants, with a strong focus on social justice in education.

Her research interests are interdisciplinary, centering on children and young people's citizenship, rights, wellbeing, diversity, and the socio-political dimensions of education. She critically examines how educational, cultural, and political institutions reproduce or challenge inequalities, and how youth negotiate governance. Key areas include youth activism, global citizenship, intercultural and anti-racist education, social media, teacher identity, and poststructural theory. Her methodological approach often draws on feminist poststructural frameworks.

The recent publications highlight a consistent trend in youth-focused sociological and educational research, particularly on youth participation, care systems, digital culture, housing insecurity, and the politics of representation. Her work bridges academic scholarship with public engagement and policy impact, as seen in reports and media contributions on housing and mentoring.

• ARC Linkage Grant: Factors enhancing intercultural understanding in schools
• ARC Discovery Grant: Socio-cultural dimensions of children's health and wellbeing
• External Grants: Youth housing, mentoring for care-experienced youth, juvenile justice housing

Dr. Hartung actively supervises numerous PhD and Master’s students on diverse topics related to youth, education, and social justice. She has coordinated large research teams in partnership with industry, government, and other institutions. She is currently the coordinator of the Department of Education's Student Advisory Group, enhancing student voice in teacher education.

Her current and recent projects explore youth activism in popular culture, teacher identity on social media (especially TikTok), housing insecurity among young women and gender-diverse youth, and educational experiences of young African refugees. She regularly collaborates with researchers across social work, education, and media studies.