Renate Thelma Howe (born 1939) is an Australian academic and historian. Her research and writing focuses on Australian social, urban and religious history. Howe was born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Victoria in 1939. She was educated at East Kew State School and University High School, matriculating in 1956. Her tertiary education included a BA from the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

and further studies at

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

. During her student years she was active in the Student Christian Movement and the ALP Club. She also spent two years on the Students' Representative Council. She was awarded a PhD in 1972. Howe tutored at the University of Melbourne from 1969 to 1974. In 1977 she was appointed to the team to set up distance education at

Deakin University Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia. Its main campuses are in Melbourne's Burwood suburb, Geelong Waurn Ponds, ...

where she remained for most of her career. She was a three-time board member of the Deakin University, 1982–1983, 1994–1996 and 1998–2000. On her retirement in 2005, she was appointed honorary associate professor in the Faculty of Arts and Education at Deakin University. In the

2012 Australia Day Honours The 2012 Australia Day Honours were appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2012 by the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce. The Australia ...

Howe was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for "service to higher education and to the arts through administrative and academic roles, and to the community, particularly through heritage and cultural organisations".

Works

* ''Slums and Suburbs: Social history of urbanization'', Oxford University Press, 1982 * ''New Houses for Old: Fifty years of public housing in Victoria 1938-1988'', Ministry of Housing and Construction, 1988, * ''All God's Children: A centenary history of the Methodist Homes for Children and the Orana Peace Memorial Homes'', co-authored by

Shurlee Swain Shurlee Lesley Swain, (born 1948) is an Australian social welfare historian, researcher and author. Since August 2017 she has been an Emeritus Professor at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). Early life and education Swain was born in 1 ...

, Acorn Press, 1989 * ''Single Mothers and Their Children: Disposal, punishment and survival in Australia'', co-authored by Shurlee Swain, Cambridge University Press, 1995 * ''A Century of Influence: The Australian Student Christian Movement 1896–1996'', University of New South Wales Press, 2009 * ''Trendyville: The battle for Australia's inner cities'', co-authored by David Nicholas and Graeme Davison, Monash University Publishing, 2014

Personal

Howe married Brian Howe in 1962. They had three children.

References

1939 births Living people Australian women historians University of Melbourne alumni University of Chicago alumni Academic staff of the University of Melbourne Academic staff of Deakin University Members of the Order of Australia {{Australia-writer-stub