Abbie Riley

Abbie Riley is a Lecturer and Programme Leader for the Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) Social Sciences Pathway at Sunderland University. She holds a BSc in Criminology (2020), PGCE (2021), and MRes in Social Research (2022 from UCL). Her research focuses on race, ethnicity, racism, and intersectionality, particularly among marginalized groups. She volunteers with ReportOUT, documenting LGBTQI+ experiences globally, and co-developed a Photovoice training program with Legebrita in Slovenia, funded by UK Research and Innovation. As of October 2024, she is pursuing a funded PhD at Northumbria University.

Research Interests: Abbie’s work explores interracial couples’ experiences of racism, participatory research methods, and LGBTQI+ rights. Her MRes examined how racism impacts heterosexual interracial couples’ identity dynamics. She collaborates internationally, creating tools for global LGBTQI+ organizations to document social issues throughPhotovoice.

Professional Roles: Programme Leader for IFY Social Sciences, Module Leader for Foundations of Social Sciences, and teaches across Integrated Foundation Degrees. She balances academic leadership with community engagement, advocating for intersectional and participatory approaches to social justice.