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Staff Profile

Dr Katharine Parker

Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology, School Learning and Teaching Lead

I joined York St John University in January 2018 as a Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology. I am an Early Career Researcher with research interests that focus upon the construction and intersections of gender, sexuality, and identity in contemporary society. I am also particularly interested in research methodologies that incorporate a visual or participatory approach to data collection and analysis. I became a Senior Lecturer in September 2021 and I am currently the Learning and Teaching Lead for the Business School.

Further Information

Teaching

I teach on the following modules: 

  • Fundamentals of Criminological Theory
  • Gender, Sexualities and Media Representations
  • Sex Work

Research

My research to date has primarily focused upon same-sex intimacies in the public sphere. Adopting a Queer perspective to identity and intimacy, my research seeks to develop contemporary understandings of the risk-taking behaviours of men who have sex with men in public sex environments, particularly within post-industrial cities.

Publications and Conferences

Publications

Parker, K. (2017) 'Illicit Sex and the Female Researcher: Reflections from the field' Feminists@Law, 6(2), pp. 1-20. 

Posters

The Gender Dilemma: Barriers for Female Researchers in Male Dominated Environments Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference, Warwick University (March 2015)

The Gender Dilemma: Barriers for Female Researchers in Male Dominated Environments, Faculty Research Conference, Northumbria University (June 2015)

Public Sex and the City, Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference, Lancaster University (April 2016)

Presentations / Research seminars 

The Gender Dilemma: Barriers for Female Researchers in Male Dominated Environments, The Sex(y) Seminar Northumbria University (April 2015)

No Job for a Lady, Feminist Methodologies Conference Sheffield Hallam University (February 2016) 

The Role of Visual Methods in the Study of Illicit Sex: Empirical Reflections, Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference, Lancaster University, (April 2016)

The Role of Visual Methods in the Study of Illicit Sex: Empirical Reflections, Feminist Approaches to Law, University of Kent, (May 2016) Prize awarded for best paper presentation

The Role of Visual Methods in the Study of Illicit Sex: Empirical Reflections, PGR and LLM Symposium Event, Newcastle University, (June 2016)

Presentation - Illicit Sex and the Female Researcher: Reflections from the Field, Faculty Research Conference, Northumbria University (June 2016)

Public Sex Environments in Contemporary Sexscapes: A Case Study from North East England, American Association of Geographers Annual Conference, Boston Convention Center (April 2017)

Queer Theory and Illicit Sex: Regulating Sexual Behaviour in a Homonormative Legal Landscape, Gender Sexuality and Law Research Interest Group Seminar, Northumbria University (May 2017)

Queer Theory and Illicit Sex: Regulating Sexual Behaviour in a Homonormative Legal Landscape, Northumbria University Faculty Doctoral and Research Conference (June 2017) Prize awarded for best paper presentation

Professional Activities

I am a member of the following:

  • Member of the Socio-Legal Studies Association
  • Member of the American Association of Geographers