Isabelle Brodie

Dr Isabelle Brodie is a Principal Lecturer and Postgraduate Research (PGR) Co-ordinator in the School of Applied Social Sciences (SASS) at the University of Bedfordshire. She holds a PhD from the University of Luton (1999) and an MA in Sociology from the University of Aberdeen (1993). Her career spans over 30 years in higher education, combining teaching, research, and leadership roles. She has supervised 11 Professional Doctorates and 2 PhDs to completion and currently oversees doctoral research in SASS and the Institute of Applied Social Research (IASR). Her roles include Chair of the School of Applied Social Sciences ethics panel and Deputy Chair of the IASR ethics panel.

Research Interests: Dr Brodie’s work focuses on child welfare, including children in care, educational exclusion, youth offending, and child exploitation. She specializes in applied research methodologies and evaluations, contributing to policy reforms such as the Contextual Safeguarding framework. Recent projects include studies on racial disparities in the youth justice system (Nuffield Foundation) and harmful sexual behaviors (Pilgrim Trust).

Teaching & Supervision: She leads Masters-level units and examines PhDs externally, including the MA Child Studies at King’s College London. Her supervision philosophy emphasizes practical impact, with former students achieving influential roles in academia and policy.

Professional Contributions: She advises projects like the Home Office-funded Pan-Bedfordshire Violence Reduction Unit and collaborates with national initiatives such as the Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme. Her publications address safeguarding, youth gangs, and exploitation risk assessments.