Dr Susie Costello

Position

Senior Lecturer

School /
Work Unit

Global, Urban and Social Studies

Contact Details

+(61 3) 9925 3234

susan.costello@rmit.edu.au

Location

Building: 8
Level: 7
Room: 21

City Campus

College/Portfolio

Design & Social Context

susan costello profile photo

Key activities

Dr Susan Costello teaches social work from a background of social work practice and management in a range of government and non government welfare organisations. Her work with diverse families where there is violence, child abuse and neglect, mental health and substance abuse, together with her training in feminist family therapy and narrative approaches, informs her teaching of the core social work practice courses at undergraduate and post graduate levels.

Susan’s research includes male violence to women, indigenous homelessness, family services training and supervision and international, cross cultural social work in Thailand and Burma, where she works with local people developing social work education and child protection processes.

Qualifications

PhD RMIT, MA (Soc Pol) RMIT, Dip Soc Studs Melbourne University, BA Monash, Cert IV Training and Assessment.

Industry experience

Current professional interests and links to industry

  • 2006: Editorial Committee Women Against Violence Journal
  • 2006: Refugee Tertiary Education Committee
  • 2000: Black Women’s Action in Education Foundation
  • 1998: Member Amnesty International (2003 Asia Pacific Team)
  • 1987: Clinical Member Victorian Association of Family Therapists (VAFT)
  • 1973: Member Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)

Awards, grants and prizes

  • 2008: B-HERT Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Collaboration in Research & Development, Education & Training and Community Engagement for ‘Best International Collaboration in Research & Development or Education & Training’ RTEC Refugee Tertiary Education Committee
  • 2007: Carrick Australian Teaching Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning
  • 2005: Certificate of Achievement RMIT nominee Australian Awards for University teaching
  • 2004: RMIT University Teaching Award for Student Centered Teaching
  • 2004: RMIT Faculty Award for Student Centered Teaching

Media experience

TV

  • 2007 Outlet: ABC, 4 Corners, Monday 25 February, 8.30-9.30 pm Topic: ‘Changing Men’ There is no evidence that programs for abusive men work in Australia because they are not monitored

Radio

  • 12 May 2008: 774 Red Symmonds show 7.20 am
  • 9 May 2008: 2GB at 1.30 on Friday with Chris Smith,
  • 9 May with Anna Hipesley and ABC RadioNational – pre-recorded interview Friday
  • 1 October 2007: Brisbane 612 ABC Discussion of current events in Burma
  • 30 September 2007: WA 6PR Discussion of current events in Burma
  • 28 September 2007: Pre- recoded interview Radio Adelaide 101FM. Discussion of current events in Burma
  • 28 September: 612 ABC Brisbane, Afternoons, Friday
  • 27 September: 6PR Perth, Nightline,
  • 27 September: Radio Adelaide, The Wire, Thursday
  • 27 September 3AW, Drive, Thursday
  • 26 September 2007: Derryn Hintch 3AK Discussion of current events in Burma
  • Listed as expert in Burma, domestic violence

Research

  • 2011-2012: Anglicare Cumulative Harm project
  • 2010-2012: ‘FGM/C A Tradition in Transition’ Report to Family Planning Victoria,
  • 2008: History of Social Work and Child Protection in Myanmar
  • 2007: Ph D research developing Social work for Burmese refugees in Thailand 6 months
  • 2006-2008: UNICEF Myanmar – consultation to UNICEF Yangon to establish University of Yangon’s Post Graduate Diploma of Social Work.
  • 2002: Aboriginal Housing Board & AHURI: Indigenous Elders’ Housing
  • 2001: Atherton Gardens Public Housing Design project, Jesuit Social Services and RMIT
  • 1997-2001 Masters Research into women’s views of Men’s Behaviour change Groups.

Publications

Book chapters

  • Costello, S. (2012) Coevolving Through Disrupted Discussions on Critical Thinking, Human Rights and Empathy Ch 20 in Faulkner, J. Disrupting Pedagogies in the Knowledge Society: Countering Conservative Norms with Creative Approaches, IGI Global, USA
  • Costello, S., Joyce, M., Smith, M., SJ, MacLaren, D. and Naing, T. (2011) Bridging ethnic, racial and geographical divides to bring higher education to refugees Chapter 8 in Brown, E. and Gibbons, P. (Eds) International Advances in Education: Global Initiatives for Equity and Social Justice Volume 2 – Ethnicity and Race: Creating Educational Opportunities Around the Globe, Information Age Publishing (IAP) North Carolina, USA
  • Costello, S. (2009) Crossing the Borders: Critical social work education in Noble, C., Henrickson, M. and Han, Y. Social Work and Welfare Education: Perspectives from the Asia Pacific Vulgar Press North Carlton
  • Costello, S. (2009) ‘Reconstructing Social Work Practices with Families’ in Critical Social Work Theory and Practice Ed 2 Allan, J. Pease, B. & Briskman, L. Eds) Allen and Unwin, St Leonards
  • Costello, S. (2003) ‘Reconstructing Social Work Practices with Families’ in Critical Social Work Theory and Practice (Allan, J. Pease, B. & Briskman, L. Eds) Allen and Unwin, St Leonards

Refereed journal articles

  • Costello, S. and Tehan, C. (2007) ‘Study Groups as professional development for advanced caseworkers’ Children Australia 32 (1) 16-23
  • Costello, S. (2006) Collusion, Consequences and Collaboration: a case for increased accountability for groups for men who are violent in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy 27 (1) 38-47
  • Costello, S. (2004) Valuing the complexity of direct social work practice in an era of managerialism Women in Welfare Education 7:33-50
  • Costello, S. (1995) Training in Advanced Family Casework for Social Workers Australian Social Work 48 (4) 29-32

Non refereed publications

  • Costello, S. (2006) Burma’s ‘Roadmap to Democracy’ New Matilda January 17th
  • Costello, S. and Raxworthy, J. (2004) "The Landscape of Community Safety" published in the proceedings of the Asia-Pacific Network for Housing Research Conference Housing and Social Development: Emerging Theoretical Issues in Asia Pacific 5-6th February at The University of Hong Kong
  • Costello, S., Berry, M., Briskman, L. and Ngwenya, T. (2003) Victorian Indigenous Elders and Housing Study Prepared for the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria
  • Costello, S., Berry, M., Briskman, L. and Ngwenya, T. (2002) Homeless Indigenous Older People Parity 15 (10) 6-8
  • Costello, S. (2001) ‘Solution-focused approaches in domestic violence’ DVIRC Newsletter December
  • Costello, S. (2001) Activism and Optimism Gecko: a journal of deconstruction and narrative ideas in therapeutic practice No.2 pp 71-97
  • Costello, S. (1997) Responding to Children and Domestic Violence, Disclosure, Newsletter of the Northern Region Family Violence Network Edition 2, Autumn
  • Costello, S. (1997) Integrated Responses to Family Violence, Disclosure, Newsletter of the Northern Region Family Violence Network Edition 3, Summer
  • Costello, S. (1993) The Family of the Family Therapist, Network News Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy Vol 14, 4
  • Costello, S. (1993) The Full Impact: Thinking Broadly for Effective Change: An Agency Response to Violence: Proceedings of the 1993 AASW National Conference

Published reviews

  • Costello, S. (2008) ‘A Very Ordinary Family’ by Joy Ford. Book Review Women Against Violence Ed 20:40- 41
  • Costello, S. (2006) ‘Working our Way Back Home’ by Suzanne Belton and Cynthia Maung. Review of Report in Women Against Violence Ed 19:42-43
  • Costello, S. (1999) Mask Mirrors and Windows Book Review DVIRC Newsletter Issue 1
  • Costello, S. (1996) Systemic Family Therapy in Social Work Practice: Review of Video and Manual.Australian Social Work. Vol 52 no.2 pp 29-30
  • Costello, S. (1993) Report on the 23rd AASW National Conference, Newcastle Australian Social Work Vol 39 (4) 52-53
  • Costello, S. (1993) Women at Risk: Report of New York Conference Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) (14) 2
  • Costello, S. (1991) Weathering the Storm. Letter in ANZJFT 12, (4)216

Conference presentations

  • Sedat Mulayim, Miranda Lai, Susan Costello and Julia Carroll (2012) ‘Interdisciplinary challenges in cross-cultural international online interpreting education for Burmese refugees in Thailand’ presentation at Interdisciplinary Perspectives in the Social Sciences conference, Bursa Turkey June 17-1
  • Costello, S. (2011) Balancing legal, cultural and human rights in response to female genital mutilation /circumcision Working Within the Forensic Paradigm Monash Social Work Conference Prato Italy 12-14 September
  • Costello, S. (2009) Conversations on Dilemmas in Developing Social Work and Child Protection Services in Myanmar 20th IFSW Asia-Pacific & APASW Social Work Conference Auckland, New Zealand, 10-13 November
  • Costello, S. (2009) ‘Crossing the Borders: A critical approach to social work education 8th Annual International Conference on Teaching & Learning Jan 8-10 Niagara University, New York
  • Costello. S and Smith, M. (2007) International Educational Partnerships Proceedings of AIC Partnerships for World Graduates Conference RMIT Melbourne 28-30th Nov
  • 2006: ‘Addressing Risks in Burma: from the UN Security Council to community development on the Thai border’ Community Development in a Global Risk Society Conference, Deakin University YWCA Melbourne June
  • 2005: Using Roleplay in Social Work Education International Teaching and Learning Conference Granada Spain
  • 2004:The Landscape of Community Safety The Asia Pacific Housing and Urban Renewal Conference Hong Kong University (poster presentation)
  • 2003: The Landscape of Community Safety Family Strengths conference Newcastle
  • 2002: Politics of Direct Practice Women in Welfare Education Conference Fremantle WA
  • 2001: Activism and Optimism Dulwich Community Narrative conference Adelaide SA