Amy Stevens

Dr Amy Stevens is a Research Associate at the University of Sheffield's Department of Sociological Studies, affiliated with the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations. Her role involves a Leverhulme Trust-funded project examining citizen-led policing and watch-group activities. Previously, she served as a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of West London and a Senior Research Officer at the University of Essex’s Human Rights, Big Data and Technology project.

Stevens holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Essex (2021), an MA in Sociological Research, and a BA in Applied Psychology and Sociology. Her research focuses on surveillance technologies’ governance, human rights implications, and resistance movements. Key areas include AI in law enforcement, chilling effects of surveillance on activism, and digital age privacy challenges.

Her collaborative work investigates surveillance’s impact on activists globally, particularly in Zimbabwe and Uganda, revealing how surveillance practices undermine democratic processes. Professional memberships include the British Criminology Society’s Policing Network steering committee.

Current projects include analyzing citizen initiatives against illegal activities and exploring AI ethics in policing. She has published widely on surveillance opposition and technology ethics, with recent works addressing chilling effects and encryption’s role in human rights advocacy.