Andrew Jakubowicz

Andrew Jakubowicz began as a lecturer in sociology at UNSW, then worked in the UK on community issues in the multi-racial city of Bradford. From 1979 he established and directed the Centre for Multicultural Studies at the University of Wollongong, working on issues of multiculturalism and social policy. Since 1987 he has been based at the University of Technology Sydney, appointed professor of sociology in 1990.

His community and government involvements are extensive, both in advisory and consultancy roles. He was a board member of the Special Broadcasting Service 1994-1996, and has served on the Australia Council’s Community Cultural Development Board and Arts for a Multicultural Australia Advisory Committee/Multicultural Arts Committee.

He has undertaken consultancies for the Commonwealth (Community Services and Health; Multicultural Arts; New media and cultural policy) and the States (NSW Ministry for Arts, Community Relations Commission; Qld Premier and Education and the Arts).

He was recently a team leader for the NSW CRC project on the community impact of 9-11, and has led research projects on racism in the community for Fair Go Australia. Andrew has a long relationship with ethnic communities and has been a keynote speaker at many FECCA conferences. He was also a founding member of the Disability Studies and Research Institute, and served as the first chair of its Board.

He has an international profile as a researcher and innovator in the use of new media and its relationship to cultural diversity. His online project (in conjunction with the NSW ministry of education and DET) “Making Multicultural Australia in the 21st century” won the best secondary website award for 2005.

In 2004 he was visiting scholar in humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA, and in 2005 he was guest speaker at the Economic and Social Research Council conference on multiculturalism and social justice in the UK. He has strong research links in Asia, Europe and North America.

Online projects are:
Making Multicultural Australia website
The Menorah of Fang Bang Lu