Dr Devorah Wainer
Dr. Devorah Wainer is a dynamic scholar and advocate, renowned for her multifaceted contributions to the fields of human rights, social justice, philosophy through her interdisciplinary research. In 2018, she joined a distinguished team facilitating the Masters of Human Rights program at the University of Sydney, as well as enriching the online Human Rights Practice Program at the University of Arizona. Also in 2018 Devorah piloted one of the nascent INDP3000 units in FASS.
- Teaching practices
- Human Rights Practice
- Supervising Masters and PhD students
- International Collaboration
Human Rights Simulation for Masters Students
The unit of study is arranged with theory and lectures and mostly practical activities to provide students the opportunity of experiencing as close to as possible the lived experiences of working in institutions within the international human rights framework. Students experience opportunities and constraints in responding to social problems rooted in inequality, precarity and violence through socratic and facilitative teaching methods. We reach beyond traditional classroom instruction by simulating a range of human rights issues, engaging students in exercises designed to practice skills for future human rights advocacy, including documenting human rights violations, data collection, interview techniques, mounting campaigns, engaging with the media and alternate digital spaces.
An emphasis is placed on personal boundary setting and well being to avoid burn out.
Guest lecturers enhance the students learning experiences.
Sociology 1001
Co-Author and co-editor of a Human Rights text book. Titled to be released at a later date.
Routledge (2024)
- Sydney Asia Pacific Migration Centre(SAPMiC)
- European Association for Jewish Studies (EAJS)
- North American Levinas Society (NALS)
Academic
- Teaching commendation (2018)
- The Chancellors List for outstanding caliber scholarship (2012)
International
- Leadership Development Award: ‘Learning to Lead’ Leadership Development Program in collaboration with The Center for Systemic Development: University Western Sydney (2003)
State
- Premier New South Wales, Gold Award (2002)
- Jewish Free University @ Shalom Institute, UNSW, Award for Excellence (2006)
United Kingdom | (University of New Castle) Co-writing and Co-editing a text book on Human Rights |
United States | (University of Arizona) Writing and editing Text book under contract to Routledge. Teaching. |
United States | (University of Buffalo) Attending (Emanuel) Levinas Summer Schools |
Selected publications
(Springer Nature Singapore, 2023)
(Book Boffin, 2015)
Publications
Books
- Wainer, D. (2023). Human Rights for Refugees and Other Marginalised Persons: A Midrash Methodology. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. [More Information]
- Wainer, D. (2015). Beyond the Wire: Levinas vis-Ã -vis Villawood. Sydney: Book Boffin.
2023
- Wainer, D. (2023). Human Rights for Refugees and Other Marginalised Persons: A Midrash Methodology. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. [More Information]
2015
- Wainer, D. (2015). Beyond the Wire: Levinas vis-Ã -vis Villawood. Sydney: Book Boffin.
Other Publications
Scholarly book chapters
- Wainer, D. (2016) Midrash Methodology, in S. Segal & C. Jankelson (eds.) Face to Face in practice: London, London: UK. Gower. ISBN: 978-1-4724-2488-4
- Wainer, D. (2016) Human Rights from the bottom up, in W. Simmons & D. Wainer (eds.)
Editorial Panel
- Simmons, W and Wainer, D (2022) Human Rights Voices. Routledge.
Book Editor
- Wainer, D (2014) Business Feel: Leading paradigm shifts in organisations (2nd ed.) Segal. S. London, UK. Palgrave. ISBN: 978-0230-2427-911
Refereed conference papers, workshops, and presentations
- Wainer, D. (2015) Levinas philosophy seminar “Eros and Ethics” John Cabot University, Rome, Italy.
- Wainer, D. (2014) The voice of the silenced in the Australian detention system: a research methodology of multisensory listening and writing: Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University
- Wainer, D. (2011) Midrash Methodology: A Levinasian Approach to Research: North American Levinas Society annual conference, Texas A & M University, USA
- Wainer, D. (2011) Finding the freedom ‘Thru the Wire’ to welcome the asylum seeker , International Conference: Performance and Asylum-seeking refugees: Ethics, Embodiment, Community: Royal Holloway, University of London
- Wainer, D. (2010) What’s in a Word: Is this nation a lover of facts or stories?: United Nations Dialogue amongst Civilisations, Sydney, Australian
- Wainer, D. (2007) Multiplicity and the Ethics of community: North American Levinas Society: Levinas and Community. Purdue University, USA
- Wainer, D. (2006) Transcending Today: United Nations Dialogue amongst Civilisations, Sydney, Australia
- Wainer, D. (2005) Hineni—Here I am—the Response-able way of being with refugees: Intersections, International Colloquium, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Wainer, D. (2005) The Garden of Hope: Creating hope in Villawood Detention Centre: Oasis Graduate School, Borderlands, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Wainer, D. (2003) What do global citizens do? Create Peace DNA and Cultural DNA: People of Spirit Dialogue, UNESCO Civilisations, Sydney, Australia
Other seminars, workshops, presentations, and panels
- Festival of Democracy (2015) Heterotopia: Holding a mirror to indifference. The University of Sydney, Australia
- Human Rights to Human Security (2013) Opening address Model Global Parliament, New South Wales Parliament, Sydney, Australia
- Who in Los Negros will remind the asylum-seeking refugees of themselves? (2013) Refugees, Seekers of asylum of Asylum-seeking refugees and the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Solution, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney, Australia
- Open for discussion is a re-invigorated approach to Human Rights based on lived-experience. Human Rights from the Bottom Up (2012) Human Rights Institute, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, The University of Sydney, Australia
- Beyond the Wire: A case study in qualitative research methods for research into management, social and political issues as applied to refugees and how an ethics application can improve PhD research (2012) Macquarie University, Australia
- Emmanuel Levinas: Understanding his philosophy through knowing is biography (2012) Community College, North Shore, Sydney, Australia
- Myself and the Other: Relating with a new consciousess of Diversity (2011) The Sydney Symposium, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- A Fusion of Jewish Text and Social Issues (2011) Limmud Oz, University of New South Wales
- Hineni: Here I am to present a story (2006) Jewish Free University, Shalom Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia