Dr Kelly Stockdale

Kelly StockdaleOrganisation

York St. John University

Job Title

Lecturer in Criminology


Kelly is a full-time lecturer in criminology at York St. John University; her academic research focuses on restorative justice, policing, and alcohol and drugs. Kelly obtained her undergraduate degree in 2006; this included time out for maternity leave, and some part-time study when her daughter was born in in 2002. She went on to do a masters in sociology and social research at Newcastle University, working as a research assistant and visiting lecturer to fund her studies. Following a sudden illness, whereby the precarity of temporary academic contracts and lack of sick pay hit home, she left academia in 2007 to pursue full-time work in the public sector. This stability allowed her to expand her family and her second daughter was born in 2008. However, she missed academia; including the flexibility of the role and the intellectual challenge that it provides, and so when pregnant with her third child,she went back to complete her PhD. She was fortunate to be awarded a scholarship from Durham University, however, this meant studying full-time instead of part time AND enrolling earlier than planned, starting in July 2011 - when her son was only three months old.

Kelly completed her doctorate in 2016, having balanced full-time PhD, part-time work (working three, sometimes four days a week in her policing role), and single-parenting three children. She has since worked in fixed-term lectureships and research associate posts before moving to York St.John (although moving three children from schooling/home-life and support networks is trickier so she currently commutes from Durham!).

Twitter:  @KellyJStockdale