Geka Maria

Geka Maria is an Assistant Professor of Social Psychology of Education at the Department of Preschool Education, School of Early Childhood Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris (2003), and a Master’s degree in Social Psychology from EHESS and Paris V (1996). Her academic career includes teaching roles at several Greek and international universities, including the University of Western Macedonia and University of Crete.

Research Focus: Her work centers on social representations in education (e.g., childhood, teacher roles, children’s rights), social identities (ethnicity, parental involvement), and the social construction of self. Key themes include educational equity, multiculturalism, and the socio-psychological dimensions of citizenship.

Publications: Over 30 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including studies on Roma children’s school difficulties, economic crisis representations in Greece/Italy, and teacher professional identity. Recent work explores spatial dynamics in education and teacher self-efficacy.

Awards: Received a 'Very honorable mention with unanimous congratulations' for her PhD thesis on youth political engagement. Active in EU-funded research projects like Erasmus+ KA3 on inclusive education systems (2019-2022).

Teaching: Leads courses in Social Psychology of Education, Applications of Social Psychology, and Research Methodology. Engaged in graduate programs like the Franco-Greek Master’s in Multilingualism and the European Master’s in Human Rights.