Professor Azrini Wahidin (PGCE, MA, PhD, FAcSS, FLF, SFHEA, FRSA). She is a serving REF 2021 panel member for Main Panel C: Social Work and Social Policy, UOA 20.

She researches on the issues of imprisonment, penal policy, the legacy of conflict in Northern Ireland and South Africa, former female ex-combatants, violence against women, women in the criminal justice system, transitions out of custody, the criminalisation of migrants, the engendering of punishment, LGBT+ prisoners and the experiences of elders in prison in the UK and USA. Her previous work focused on older women in prison, managing the needs of elders in prison, the meaning of death and dying for prisoners, older LGBT persons, resettlement, the body and dirt. Azrini has been a recipient of awards and grants, such as ERSC, AHRC, Leverhulme, BA Academy, Horizon 2020, COST, MOJ, NIP, NICCY. Her work links between criminal justice and social justice, looking at post-colonialism, race, sexuality, gender and social exclusion. She also has a strong interest in research methodologies and research ethics.

Author of a range of academic articles in international journals and edited collections (17). Her latest edited book with John Brewer (2022) Ex-Combatants' Voices: Transitioning from War to Peace in Northern Ireland, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Her current book: Under Siege: The role of women in liberation movements under the Apartheid regime and the transition to peace in South Africa is forthcoming. This research builds on her single authored book; Ex-Combatants, Gender and Peace in Northern Ireland - Women, Political Protest and the Prison Experience, (2016:Palgrave Press). The book focused on female former politically motivated prisoners and the role of transitional justice in post-conflict societies.

In 2018, she published with Dr Linda Moore and Professor Phil Scraton an edited book entitled: Women’s Imprisonment, Decarceration and the Case for Abolition: Critical reflections on Corston. (Routledge). In 2017, she, published an edited collection with Professor Malcolm Cowburn and Professor Loraine Gelsthorpe entitled: Research Ethics in Criminology -Dilemmas, Issues and Solutions (2017:Routledge).

Azrini was a REF panel member for UOA 20 in 2022. She established the first undergraduate criminology programme at Kent University, QUB and Warwick. At Teesside University she was the Associate Dean for two Schools. Head of Division at NTU and at Queen’s University was Head of Criminology. Whilst at Queen’s, she was a member of the Senior Management Team, elected member to Academic Council and Senate and instrumental in the role out of Athena SWAN in the Arts and Humanities. She has held visiting positions at the University of Melbourne, University of Malaya ( Faculty of Law) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (KANITA. Centre for Research on Women and Gender.

She is currently the Director for Internationalisation for the Department of Sociology.

She has supervised to completion a number of PhDs and would be interested in supervising students wanting to work on topics in her research areas.

Azrini sits on various editorial committees and is the Chair of the British Society of Criminology Ethics Committee.

Selection of Publications

Authored Books

• Wahidin, A. (2016) Ex-combatants, Gender and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland- Women, the Prison Experience and Political Protest. Palgrave. Series Editor: Professor John Brewer ISBN 978-1-137-36329-9 and the ebook is 978-1-137-36330-5.
• Wahidin, A. (2004), Older Women and The Criminal Justice System: Running Out of Time, London: Jessica Kingsley. ISBN No: 1-84310-170-X.

Books edited

• Moore, L., Scraton, P. and Wahidin, A. (2018), Women’s Imprisonment, Decarceration and Case for Abolition: Critical Reflections on Corston. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-700260.
• Cowburn, M., Gelsthorpe, L, Wahidin, A and (eds) (2017), Research Ethics in Criminology – Dilemmas, Issues and Solutions, Routledge. Hardback: 978-1-138-80369-5; Paperback: 978-1-138-80370-1;eBook: 978-1-315-75355-3.
• Berkman, A., Moore, J. and Wahidin, (2016), Penal Abolitionism: Papers from the Penal Law, Abolition and Anarchism Conference. Volume 1. ISBN: 978191143904
• Hale, C; Hayward, K; Wahidin A, & Wincup, E (eds) (2013), Criminology, Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 0199270368. 3ed.
• Hucklesby, A & Wahidin, A (eds) (2013), Criminal Justice: Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN No: 0199215545. 2nd.

Media comment

Azrini is available for media comment on her areas of expertise. She has previously been interviewed and provided commentary for TV (BBC News), expert for Sky Crime Series, national radio (multiple local BBC radio stations) and print (The Guardian, The Independent, The Financial Times). She also writes on current events for The Conversation and the Huffington Post Blog. Azrini can be contacted by email or through the press office.