معرفی
Professor Bella Dicks is a Professor of Sociology in the Cardiff School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. Her research focuses on qualitative sociology and ethnography, with expertise in heritage studies, participatory community regeneration, decolonization, and multimodal methodologies. She has extensive experience in teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate levels and has supervised numerous doctoral students. Her work explores how communities engage with heritage and identity in the context of deindustrialization and depopulation, with a particular interest in issues of class, racialization, and gender. She holds visiting professorships at the University of Calabria and University of Saint Etienne-Lyon, reflecting her international academic engagement.
Her research interests include cultural sociology, social identities, public participation, and digital methodologies. She has conducted ethnographic studies in Wales, Calabria (Italy), and other regions, examining topics such as industrial heritage, community regeneration, and the role of museums in shaping cultural legitimacy. Her teaching includes leading the Key Ideas in Social Science module for undergraduates and developing courses in global heritage studies.
Professor Dicks has authored or edited multiple books, including Heritage, Place and Community (2000) and Qualitative Research and Hypermedia (2005). Her recent work addresses depopulation in Calabria through collaborative ethnographic research. She has also contributed to methodological advancements in qualitative research, including hypermedia and multimodal data analysis.
In addition to her academic roles, she served as Head of Research at the National Museum of Wales (2016–2019) and Deputy Head of the School of Social Sciences (2021–2024). Her awards include visiting professorships and recognition for her contributions to sociological research and heritage studies.
