Dr Mark Brophy, founder and Director of Australian Study Circles Network

Mark Brophy has worked in education, training, public service and community engagement areas for over 22 years in universities, TAFE institutions, industry associations and government.

Mark initially became interested in Community Wide Study Circle Programs during his post graduate studies. For ten years he continued his research into study circles and in 2002 was awarded a Ph.D. from Victoria University for an extensive participatory action research investigation into the study circle process.

During this time, Mark received several awards including an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship in 1997, Seacomb Conference Award Scholarship in 1999 and Victoria University Distinguished Academic Achievement Award in 2002.

In 2006, Mark was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to the United States and visited the Study Circles Resource Center, now Everyday Democracy to examine the viability of exporting and adapting the study circle process for Australia.

Mark has dedicated many years researching and developing his understanding of study circles. He has created many resources, written extensively, presented and provided a significant number of workshops and training across Australia and overseas. Having established the Australian Study Circles Network, and developing Australian and overseas partnerships with key personnel and organisations that have expertise in the area, he is now internationally considered to be the key study circle authority and exponent in Australia.

Community Wide Study Circle Programs are a uniquely powerful democratic process that enable people and their communities to have real ‘voice’ in understanding the challenges that their communities face – then finding the solutions and taking action.

The Australian Study Circles Network aims to embrace and build upon the 100 year Swedish tradition of study circles, and the enhancements that Everyday Democracy have made over the last two decades, with the aim of fine-tuning the process to meet the Australian context.