STAFF PROFILE
Associate Professor Karien Dekker
Karien is the Higher Degree by Research Director in the College of Design and Social Context. Her research focuses on cultural and religious diversity, social cohesion, and community participation.
Research
Karien's research focuses on the role of communities in policymaking in neighbourhoods and schools, to improve social inclusion and cohesion in ethnically diverse neighbourhoods. In this research, she uses social network analyses, qualitative methods, and also advanced statistical modelling such as multilevel regression analysis.
In her role as the Higher Degree by Research Director she provides academic research leadership to 7 PhD programs in the College of Design and Social Context.
Participation in research groups and projects
Member of the Centre for Urban Research and the Centre for Global Research, as well as the platforms Social Change and Urban Futures at RMIT University.
Research supervision
Karien is registered for research supervision in the following areas:
- Ethnic diversity
- Community participation
- Social and public housing
- Urban Governance
- Social cohesion
- Social capital
- Quantitative studies using multilevel regression analysis
- Social network analysis
- International comparative research
She has supervised 4 Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students to completion an currently supervises several PhD projects.
External grants
- 2016-2017 'Religious visibility, disadvantage and bridging social capital: a comparative investigation of multicultural localities in Melbourne's north'. Funded by RIOSC. With Val Colic-Peisker.
- 2015-2016 'LATCH' home buying decisions and outcomes in order to provide new insights into housing affordability and liveability. Funded by the Australian Research Council. With Ralph Horne and Lin Padgham.
- 2015 'Multiculturalism under threat'. Funded by GCRI.
- 2014 'Civic involvement in coproduction'. Funded by GCRI.
- 2010-2011 'Neighbourhood Deprivation, Exit, and Voice: Searching for Mechanisms of Decline.' Veni Grant, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).
- 2006-2008 'With or without social organisation? A comparative study into the mobilizing and intermediary role of the local social infrastructure in governance processes.' Funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and STIP/NICIS.
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PhD Urban Geography, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, 2006
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Doctoraal (equivalent to Masters) Geography of Developing Countries, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, 1996
Employment experience
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Previously headmaster at a primary school.
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Previously project manager for the City of Utrecht (local government) and Wonen & Milieu (consultancy).
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Worked at Utrecht University as an assistant professor and lecturer.
Memberships
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European Network of Housing Researchers
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International Sociological Association, RC21: Sociology of Urban and Regional Development
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International Network for Social Network Analysis
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Urban Affairs Association
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Editorial board of the Journal of Sustainable Development
- Dekker, K.,Lee, J.,Phipps, P. (2018). Collective Civic Action in Multicultural Neighbourhoods: Two Cases in Melbourne In: Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 109, 499 - 512
- Dekker, K.,Kamerling, M. (2017). Social skills scores: The impact of primary school population characteristics and parental involvement In: Journal for Multicultural Education, 11, 275 - 286
- Colic-Peisker, V.,Dekker, K. (2017). Religious visibility, disadvantage and bridging social capital: a comparative investigation of multicultural localities in Melbourne's north In: Islamic Council of Victoria, City of Hume, City of Moreland Melbourne, Australia
- Mikola, M.,Colic-Peisker, V.,Dekker, K. (2016). A community of mourners: collective sentiment, national belonging and the Muslim 'other' after the 'Sydney siege' In: Australian Geographer, 47, 325 - 339
- Colic-Peisker, V.,Mikola, M.,Dekker, K. (2016). A multicultural nation and its (Muslim) Other? Political leadership and media reporting in the wake of the 'Sydney Siege' In: Journal of Intercultural Studies, 37, 373 - 389
- Havekes, E.,Coenders, M.,Dekker, K.,Van Der Lippe, T. (2014). The impact of ethnic concentration on prejudice: The role of cultural and socioeconomic differences among ethnic neighbourhood residents In: Journal of Urban Affairs, 36, 815 - 832
- Havekes, E.,Coenders, M.,Dekker, K. (2014). Interethnic attitudes in urban neighbourhoods: The impact of neighbourhood disorder and decline In: Urban Studies, 51, 2665 - 2684
- Ursic, M.,Dekker, K.,Hrast, M. (2014). Spatial organization and youth participation: case of the University of Ljubljana and Tokyo Metropolitan University In: Annales. Series Historia et Sociologia, 24, 433 - 450
- Varady, D.,Kleinhans, R.,Dekker, K. (2014). Does public housing restructuring improve neighbourhoods and their residents but hurt nearby areas? A Dutch/US comparison. In: Renovations urbaines en Europe, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Dekker, K. (2013). Testing the racial proxy hypothesis: What is it that residents don't like about their neighbourhood? In: Understanding Neighbourhood Dynamics: New Insights for Neighbourhood Effects Research, Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands
- The impact of ethnic diversity, socio-economic disadvantage and sense of belonging on Islamophobia and social cohesion locally and nationally: a mixed-method, longitudinal analysis. Funded by: Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Families and Communities Program Strong and Resilient Communities Activity: National Research Grants 2018 from (2018 to 2020)
- Religious visibility, disadvantage and bridging social capital: a comparative investigation of diverse localities in Melbourne's north. Funded by: Department of Premier and Cabinet: Social Cohesion Research Grant Round 1 2016 from (2016 to 2017)
- Decision Making for Lifetime Affordable and Tenable City Housing. Funded by: ARC Linkage Grant 2013 from (2014 to 2016)
2 PhD Current Supervisions