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Dr Gemma Ahearne
Dr Gemma Ahearne receiving Teacher of the Year, HSS, Liverpool Guild of Students, 2023
Dr Gemma Ahearne, Dr Elham Amini, Matt Jones, Lib Golding, Emma Galt, Professor Matt Murphy winning Greatest Contribution to the Student Experience, University of Liverpool Staff Awards 2023.
They were commended for Innovation of the Year, University of Liverpool Staff Awards 2023.
Dr Gemma Ahearne with students from SOCI347 Creative Consultant on Research day, March 2023.
Dr. Gemma Ahearne
Welcome to my blog. I am an award winning educator with 11 years lecturing experience and 21 years experience of the sex industry. As a proud Dyslexic I am committed to innovative, creative, ‘out of the box’ ways of communicating information. I am a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Liverpool and act as a consultant and advisor to a range of organisations and bodies. As a lateral thinker I specialize in how to break down complex ideas for a variety of audiences and in developing strategies. As a Dyslexic I can see the ‘big picture’ and balance complex and competing ideas.
My work is trauma-informed from both my professional counselling training and my own experiences of MH. I am a committed advocate of the value of lived experience, and have a diverse range of experiences that inform my work.
Demonstrating commitment to my area of scholarship, I regularly review for 11 journals, 2 book publishers and serve on the editorial board for Palgrave Advances in Sex Work Studies.
I am ambitious and keen for more working class women like myself to enter leadership positions and change the culture of the academy.
Prizes and Honours:
- Learning and Teaching fellowship, University of Liverpool, 2023/24
- Greatest Contribution to the Student Experience, University of Liverpool Staff Awards, 2023
- Commended for Innovation of the Year, University of Liverpool Staff Awards, 2023
- Teacher of the Year, Liverpool Guild of Students, University of Liverpool, 2023
- Commended for Oustanding Support, Liverpool Guild of Students, University of Liverpoo,l 2023
- Lecturer of the Year, University of Liverpool, 2022
- British Society of Criminology Women, Crime and Criminal Justice Network Journal Article Prize, 2022
- Tate Exchange Programme, 2022
- Learning and Teaching Fellowship, University of Liverpool, 2021/22
- Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Award, University of Liverpool, 2021
- Nomination for Innovative Teacher of the Year, Times Higher Education Awards, 2021
- Nomination for The Innovator Award, Practical Pedagogy Conference, University of Lincoln
- Visiting Fellow, Centre for Religion and Public Life, University of Leeds, August 2019-August 2020
- Best in Class Sociology BA (Hons), Liverpool John Moores University, 2012
- David McEvoy Prize for Sociology, Liverpool John Moores University, 2012
Leadership roles:
Deputy Director of Education
NSS Lead
Faculty Education Project Lead Community and Belonging
My interests:
- Sex industry and sexual exploitation
- Contested perceptions of vulnerability
- Conflicting and competing harms
- Displacement of harm
- Food insecurity/food poverty
- Stigma and deviance
- The punishment in women’s centres
- Women in prison
- Organized Crime Groups- women and children as collateral damage and processes of exploitation
I love both research and teaching, and aim to use innovative exciting methods in both the research field and my pedagogical approach.
My aim is to break the myth that only certain people are ‘made’ for academia: we all have a story to tell, and we all bear witness to social inequalities.
I use creative research methods, and prefer participatory action research (PAR) wherever possible.
My specialist module SOCI349 Crime, Justice and the Sex Industry is featured here.
Art partnerships:
Workshops for the Lucy McKenzie exhibition, Tate Exchange, Tate Liverpool
Sex Work Tours commissioned for FACT Liverpool, ‘Real Work’ exhibition
Performative Talk for Bloc Projects Sheffield, ‘Into the Spotlight’ exhibition
Publications:
Ahearne, G (2014) A review – Flexible Workers: Labour, Regulation and the Political Economy of the Stripping Industry, Crit Comm, Council For European Studies
Connelly, L., Ahearne, G., Jarvis-King, L (December 2015) (eds.) Blurred Lines: The Contested Nature of Sex Work in a Changing Social Landscape – Graduate Journal of Social Science, Vol 11. No. 2
Connelly, L., Ahearne, G., Jarvis-KIng, L (December 2015) ‘Editorial: Blurred Lines: The Contested Nature of Sex Work in a Changing Landscape, Special Edition of The Graduate Journal of Social Science’, 11,3
Ahearne, G (December 2015) ‘Between Lap Dancing and Academia: Navigating Stigma and Disgust’, Graduate Journal of Social Science, Vol 11, No. 2, pp. 28-37
Ahearne, G. (2017). A Thematic Analysis of the Experiences of Female Sex Workers’ in Prison, Unpublished Ph.D thesis, Leeds: Leeds Beckett University
Ahearne, G. (2019). ”They Only Care When There’s a Murder on’: Contested Perceptions of Vulnerability From Sex Workers in Prison’, British Journal of Community Justice, Vol 15, No.1
Ahearne, G (2020). Sex Workers in Prison Summary Report
Ahearne, G (2020) Crime Justice and the Sex Industry, 8th July 2020, University of Liverpool blog
Ahearne, G, Ryan, A, Jarvinen, K (2020) Needs Assessment Summary Report, Scotland: Umbrella Lane
Ahearne, G. (2020) Sex workers and Covid-19, University of Liverpool blog
Ahearne, G. (2021). ‘Interview with Dr Gemma Ahearne’, The Sociology Show
Ahearne, G. (2021) International Sex Workers’ Rights Day, University of Liverpool blog
Ahearne, G. (2021) EDI News – Dr Gemma Ahearne: International Women’s Day and Endometriosis- University of Liverpool Faculty Newsletter, Available at: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/intranet/hss-staff/education/blog/faculty-news/edi-endometriosis/
Ahearne, G (2021) An Interview with Dr Gemma Ahearne, The Sociology Show
Ahearne, G. (2021). The Micro-learning Model to Support Inclusion, 10th October 2021, Liverpool Fellows Network: University of Liverpool
Ahearne, G. & Freudenthal, R. (2021) The health/power/criminality-nexus in the state of exception?, Journal of Contemporary Crime, Harm, Ethics, Vol 1, 1, pp.108-115,
Ahearne, G. (2022). Partygate: A lockdown of justice? University of Liverpool blog
Ahearne, G. (In Press, 2022) Empowerment or Punishment?: The Curious Case of Women’s Centres, Chapter for Intersectionality, Family Justice and Violence, Bristol: Bristol University Press
Ahearne, G. (2019) ‘Evangelism as Listening: an illustration from listening to sex workers’, Parish Magazine, Christ Church Birkenhead, Birkenhead, March 2019
Ahearne, G. (2019) ‘Extending the Table- the LGBTQIA+ community’, Parish Magazine, Christ Church Birkenhead, May 2019
Ahearne, G (2019) ”Rachel Held Evans’, Parish Magazine, Christ Church Birkenhead, June 2019
Ahearne, G. (2019) ‘Friends Across The Barricades’, Parish Magazine, Christ Church Birkenhead, July and August 2019
Ahearne, G. (2019) ‘Blinded By Your Grace’, Parish Magazine, Christ Church Birkenhead, July and August 2019
Ahearne, G, (2019) ‘Heroin and the gospel of St. Luke’, Parish Magazine, Christ Church Birkenhead, October 2019
Ahearne, G (2019) ‘Building walls and welcoming the stranger’, Parish Magazine, Christ Church Birkenhead, December 2019
Blog used as a core text:
University of Leicester, Criminology, CR3023 Gender and Crime- Undergraduate
University of Hull, Criminology, 771770, Contemporary Slavery Studies and Critical Victimology- MA
Durham University, Sociology, MA Crim Theory course
Liverpool John Moores University, Sociology, SOCI6014 Body Politics
Tulane University, New Orleans USA, ENLS 3630, Expository Writing
Plymouth University, Criminology MA
Portsmouth University, Sociology
Employment:
Lecturer in Criminology,University of Liverpool, September 22-
University Teacher in Criminology & Sociology, University of Liverpool, September 2019- September 2022
Performance at Bloc Projects, Sheffield for Alison J. Carr’s ‘Into The Spotlight’.
Freelancer at FACT Liverpool- see my work here
Visiting Research Fellow at University of Leeds, July 2019-July 2020
Visiting Lecturer in Sociology at LJMU, Jan 2019- present
Guest Lecturer: 2013- present
Lectureship in Sociology at LJMU: October 2017- Aug 2018
Sessional Lecturer in Sociology at LJMU: 2013-2017
Part Time Lecturer in Criminology and Psychology at Leeds Beckett: 2013-2017
Internal Committee Roles:
Independent Progress Independent Panel (IPAP)
Canvas Task Force 2020/21
Job presentation panel 2021, 2022
Widening Participation
Go Higher guest lecturer 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23
Outreach in schools for recruitment 2020/21, 2021/22
UOL Summer School 2021
WP Mentor
Liverpool Scholars’ Programme lecture
Community Engagement
Trustee- Basis Yorkshire (June 2019-October 2021)
Commissioned Expertise
Consultant Researcher, Umbrella Lane
Editorships
Palgrave Advances in Sex Work Studies (Invited position)
Reviewer
Bristol University Press
Palgrave Macmillan books
Developing Academic Practice
British Journal of Social Work
Sociological Research Online
Violence Against Women
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Sexualities
Methodological Innovations
International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy
Disability Studies Quarterly
Dissertation Students:
- I have supervised 3 dissertation students 2017/18 all of whom received First Class Marks for their work. One student also received the David McEvoy Prize for the best dissertation with a grade of 78.
- 12 undergraduate students in 2019/20
- 13 undergraduate students in 2020/21
- 21 undergraduate students in 2021/22
- SOCI403 MA Dissertation- (21/22) 2 students including the winner of Best Overall Average prize and Best Dissertation (MA)
Conference Papers:
Strip it Down: Micro-learning and the Sex Industry as a Dyslexic Teacher, Learning and Teaching Conference, University of Liverpool, July 2021
Paying the Price: Sex Workers in Prison and the Reality of Stigma, ‘Prison Research Network Annual Conference, Leeds Beckett University, 12th April 2016
‘The Narratives of Female Sex Workers in Prison’, North West Gender Conference, University of Manchester, April 6th 2015
‘The Imprisoned Body: Female Sex Workers’ Experiences of Prison’, Talking Bodies International Conference, University of Chester, March 2015
‘Down the Rabbit Hole: Exploring Prison Experience Through a Literary Lens’ PORESO Ph.D Symposium, Leeds Beckett University, June 2014
‘Researching Sex Workers in the UK: A New Appreciative Approach’ (with Lucy Binch) British Sociological Association Annual Conference, University of Leeds, April 2014
‘I know why the caged bird sings: narrative and nuance through shared reading with female prisoners’ Gender Conference, University of Lancaster, April 2014
‘Engaging With Female Sex Workers in Prison Through Literature’, Engaging with Gender Issues, University of Liverpool, Blackburne House, April 2014
‘Sex Worker Experiences of Prison: From Punishment to Exiting, An overview’ Research Cafe, Liverpool John Moores University, March 2014
(Re)Imagining the Researcher (Re)Discovering the ‘Other’ Postgraduate Bi-annual Sex Work Conference, University of Leeds, January 2014
‘Slut Shaming: The Anxiety Of Excess’ Youth Sexualities, University of Durham, October 2013
‘Lap dancing in Liverpool: Translating moral panics on sex work’ Translation and Transformation, University of Sheffield, June 2013
‘Being a Sociologist: from EBL to Post-Graduate study’(Keynote Speaker) Studying Sociology Student Conference, Liverpool John Moores University, March 2013 ‘
Public workshops:
Interrogating ‘stripping’ as concept, Wed 11th November 2020, 6-7:30pm via Zoom.
Craftivism in Lockdown: Zines Back on the Scene? Monday 9th November 2020, 6-7pm via Zoom.
Invited Talks:
Session 1: The Power of a Non-Linear Micro Learning Approach, The Academy, University of Liverpool, December 8th 2022
Management School, University of Liverpool, May 4th 2022
Connecting Criminologists, Women Crime and Criminal Justice Network, Tuesday 8th Feb 2022
Centre for Criminology Series, University of Essex, Thursday 27th January 2022
Down the rabbit hole: non-linear pedagogy from a Dyslexic Teacher, Liverpool Learning Summit, University of Liverpool, Monday 25th Jan 2022
Sex Workers in Prison, Liverpool University Fem Soc, International Women’s Day 8th March 2021
Guided Walk of Liverpool Sexual Entertainment Venues, Liverpool John Moores University, March 2020
Sex Workers in Prison, University of Liverpool Feminist Society, February 2020
Showgirl Sociologist, Bloc Projects Sheffield, August 2019
Guided Walks as part of ‘Real Talk’ exhibition, August 2019
Barbie Craftivism Workshop, LJMU Feminist Society, April 2019
Gender and Crime panel, Birmingham City University, November 11th 2014
Soap Box Session, ‘Sex Work’ North West Gender Conference, University of Manchester, April 2015
Online Publications:
How Can We Protect Sex Workers?
Bodies of Excess: Aintree Races
‘Sex Work IS work’, June 26th 2013, FWSA
‘Snog Marry Avoid: The Moral Economies of Whiteness’, 14th May 2013, Celebrity Youth
Guest Lectures:
Facing Your Final Year, September 2012, Level 6, Sociology, Liverpool John Moores University
Doing Your Dissertation, September 2012, Level 5, Methods, Sociology, Liverpool John Moores University
Guided Walk of Sexual Entertainment Venues, November 2013, Social Research Methods, Level 5 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Gender, Power and Resistance, February 2013, Identities Power and Inequalities, Level 4 Sociology module, Liverpool Johnh Moores University
Sex Work Wars: The Politics of Sex Work, March 2014, Body Politics Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Guided Walk of SEVS, March 2014, Body Politics Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Dirty White Celebrity Chavs March 2014, Race Power and Resistance Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Sex Workers: Excluded by Theory? March 2014, Exclusion, Marginalisation & Mobilisation Level 6 Criminology module, Liverpool John Moores University
The Daily Fail and Women: A Case Study of Misogyny in the Media November 2014, Body Politics Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Methods in Action, November 2014, MRes module, Liverpool John Moores University
Migrant Sex Workers and Trafficking Discourse, November 2014, Globalization and the Sex Trade, Masters level Criminology module, Leeds Beckett University
Revisiting Whiteness and Social Exclusion January 2015, Race Power and Resistance Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Women in Prison February 2015, Level 5 Criminology module, University of Lancaster
Celebrity Culture and Consumption February 2015, Consumption in Global Societies Level 5 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Sex Work Wars: The Politics of Sex Work and Experiencing this in Practice , February 2015, Body Politics Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Guided Walk of SEVS in Liverpool, February 2015, Body Politics Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Sex Workers: Excluded by Theory? March 2015, Exclusion, Marginalisation & Mobilisation Level 6 Criminology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Social Construction of Prostitution and Sex Workers, March 2015, Media Constructions of Crime and Deviance Level 4 Criminology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Bodies Inside Prison, March 2015, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology Module, Liverpool John Moores University
Mapping out Liverpool’s SEVs, February 2016, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology Module, Liverpool John Moores University
Sex Work Politics, March 2016, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology Module, Liverpool John Moores University
Media Bodies, March 2016, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology Module, Liverpool John Moores University
The stigma of sex workers in prison, Sex Workers: Excluded by Theory? April 2016, Exclusion, Marginalisation & Mobilisation Level 6 Criminology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Sex Workers: Excluded? or Excluded by Theory? April 2017, Exclusion, Marginalisation & Mobilisation Level 6 Criminology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Guided Tour of Sexual Entertainment Venues, Feb 2019, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Walk of Liverpool SEVs, March 2020, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology module, Liverpool John Moores University
Sex Workers in Prison, September 2020, Go Higher, University of Liverpool
Schools Outreach Session, September 2020, Marketing and Recruitment, University of Liverpool
Pole Pedagogy: What strippers can teach us about the sex industry, April 2021, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology, Liverpool John Moores University
Speaking with Sex Workers: Ethics and Considerations, April 2021, International Field Work, Level 6, Sociology, Liverpool John Moores University
Exploring the Sex Industry as a Criminologist, July 2021, Widening Participation Team, University of Liverpool
Sex Work and the Body, March 2022, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology, Liverpool John Moores University
Guided Walk of Sexual Entertainment Venues, March 2022, Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology, Liverpool John Moores University
Lecturer:
Sociological Perspectives, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2014)
Identities Power and Inequalities, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2014)
Psychology and Crime, Level 5 Criminology, Leeds Beckett University (2014)
Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology, LJMU (2014/2015)
Body Politics, Level 6 Sociology, LJMU (2015/2016)
Body Politics, Gender Sexuality and the Body, LJMU (2016/2017)
Globalization, Development and Society, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2016/18, 2017/18)
Body Politics (Module Leader), Level 6 Sociology, Crim/Soc, LJMU, (2018)
Globalization,Development and Society Level 4 Sociology,Crim/Soc, LJMU, 2018
Researching the Everyday, Level 5 Sociology, Crim/Soc, LJMU (2017/18)
Understanding Contemporary Social Problems, Level 3, Crim/Soc/Policing, LJMU (2018)
Stream Leader for Sociology- Professional Studies Work Based Learning, LJMU, 2017-2018
Social Change and Social Policy in Contemporary Society, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21
Observation, Level 7, Soc/ Crim, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21
Crime, Justice and the Sex Industry, Level 6 Crim, University of Liverpool 2020/21
Culture, Power and Social Change, Level 5, University of Liverpool 2020/21
Understanding Violence, Level 5, University of Liverpool, 2020/21
Seminar Tutor:
Sociological Perspectives, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2014-15, 2015-16)
Introduction to Criminology, Level 4 Criminology, LJMU (2014-15, 2015-16)
Media Constructions of Crime and Deviance, Level 4 Criminology, LJMU (2013/14)
Identities Power and Inequalities, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2014/15, 2015/16)
Media Crime and Deviance, Level 4 Criminology, LJMU, (2014/15)
Studying Society, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2014/15)
Psychology and Crime, Level 5 Criminology, Leeds Beckett University (2014)
Advanced Research Methods, Level 5 Psychology, Leeds Beckett University (2015-2016, 2016-2017)
Identities and Studying Sociology, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2016)
Sociological Imaginations, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2016)
Researching the Everyday, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2016)
Culture and Sociology, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2016)
Globalisation, Development and Society, Level 4 Sociology, LJMU (2017)
Social Research Methods, Level 5 Sociology, LJMU (2017)
Ethnic and Racial Politics Power, Conflict and Participation, Level 6 Sociology, LJMU (2017)
Body Politics, Gender Sexuality and The Body, Level 6 Sociology, LJMU (2017)
Being a Criminologist, Level 4 Criminology, Leeds Beckett University (2017)
Doing Criminological Research, Level 5 Criminology, Leeds Beckett University (2017)
Researching the Everyday, Level 5 Sociology, Crim/Soc, LJMU, 2017-18
International Fieldwork Module, Level 6, Sociology, Crim/Soc, LJMU, 2017-2018
Globalization, Development and Society, Level 4, Sociology, Crim/Soc, LJMU, 2018-2019
Introduction to Crime and Society, Level 4, Crim/Soc, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22
Sociological Theory, Level 4, Crim/Soc, University of Liverpool, 2019/20
Studying Society, Level 4, Crim/Soc, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22
Thinking Sociologically, Level 5, Crim/Soc, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2021/22
Understanding Policing, Level 5, Crim, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21
Gender and Crime, Level 6, Crim, University of Liverpool, 2019/20
Controlling Crime An Introduction, Level 4, Crim, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21
Punishment, Penology and Prisons, Level 5, Crim, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21
Contemporary Social Problems, Level 3, Soc/Crim, University of Liverpool, 2020/21, 2021/22
Module Leader:
SOCI349, Crime, Justice and the Sex Industry, Level 6, Crim, University of Liverpool, 2020/21- present (I designed and delivered the module and received excellent student evaluation including LTSE award 2021)
SOCI347, Creative Consultant: Dissertation by Portfolio, Level 6, University of Liverpool, 2021/22-present (I designed this module)
SOCI103, Social Change and Social Policy in Contemporary Society, Level 4, Crim/Soc, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22,
SOCI256, Culture, Power and Social Change, Level 5, Crim, University of Liverpool, 2020/21, 2021/22, (I re-designed this module at one month’s notice and received excellent student evaluation)
SOCI533, Observation, Level 7, Crim/Soc, University of Liverpool, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22
Professional Memberships:
Climate Futures Network, University of Liverpool
Innovation in Teaching Network, University of Liverpool
British Society of Criminology, Women, Crime and Criminal Justice Network
Digital Education Network, University of Liverpool
Digital Education Network, University of Liverpool
Disabled Staff Network, University of Liverpool
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