Doctor Julia Kantek

Dr. Julia Kantek is a Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University (WSU), with a disciplinary background in sociology. She coordinates a Level 3 core social science applied research subject and serves as the Academic Program Advisor ^(APA) for students in the Bachelor of Social Sciences program.

Julia completed her PhD in 2023. Her thesis investigated Hungarian-Australian diaspora politics through a diaspora tourism program. Employing a community-based participatory approach, her research examined the role and impact of Hungarian diaspora politics on local cultural sustainability efforts in Australia. Working with community leaders in the diaspora, Julia's research contributed to enhancing community organisational strategies for youth engagement and retention. 

Since completing her PhD, Julia has continued to build her research expertise in the spaces of migration, diaspora politics, and youth mobilities.

Julia’s research focuses on how mobility (in its transnational, digital, and policy-mediated forms) shapes identity, belonging, and everyday lives of individuals and communities. Her work is organised into two main streams. The first critically examines the motivations and impacts of diaspora policies and strategies on transnational engagement, identity, and belonging. The second explores how the complex mobilities of young people from migrant and diasporic backgrounds influence their identities, future-making practices, and overall wellbeing. Across both areas, Julia’s research highlights mobility as both a lived experience and structuring force in contemporary social life.

Currently, Julia is co-leading a funded research project through the Young & Resilient Research Centre, which investigates the role of digital technologies in shaping international student resilience and wellbeing. Aligned with these interests, Julia is actively involved in several research groups at Western Sydney University, including the Young & Resilient Research Centre, the Borders & Migration Research Group (Institute of Culture & Society), Critical Pedagogies Research Group and the Western Sydney University World Leisure Centre of Excellence. She has published in several high-quality journals and is also an experienced peer reviewer, having reviewed papers for several esteemed journals, including Diaspora, Indigenous and Minority Education, The Journal of Heritage Tourism, The Australian Journal of Anthropology, Tourism Management, and The Central and Eastern European Migration Review.

Julia is available to supervise HDR candidates, currently supervising an MReS project which explores the social and economic factors and experiences influencing international students’ imagined futures in Australia.

In addition to her research, Julia plays a significant role in teaching and academic leadership. Since 2017, Julia has contributed to several curriculum development projects across the HASS cluster and Technology-enabled learning division at WSU. Julia's dedication to teaching excellence has been recognised through several awards, including the prestigious Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President Academic Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2022).

Prior to her current role in the School of Social Sciences, Julia was a lecturer for The Academy within the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Engagement & Advancement. In this role, she taught and re-designed subjects within the Bachelor of Creative Leadership program, collaborating with the Future Student Engagement team to facilitate the implementation of a pilot student pathway initiative.