معرفی
Karen Atkinson is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Sunderland, joining in 2022 with extensive experience in statutory social work and academia. She holds a PhD in intergenerational communication and an MA in Social Work. Her research focuses on discourse analysis, ageing, caregiving for individuals with dementia, and eco-social work in climate change contexts. She collaborates with scholars like Dan Baron Cohen and Dr. Hellmuth Weich on ecological disasters and community resilience.
- Education: PhD in Intergenerational Communication, MA in Social Work
- Career: Previous lecturing roles at Universities of Roehampton, Glamorgan, Leicester, and Newcastle
Her research investigates ageist discourses in care interactions, online support communities for family carers, and the intersection of social work with climate change. She has published widely on discourse analysis, media studies, and social welfare policies, including co-authoring Language and Power in the Modern World (2003) and contributing to Radio – Vol 1: Radio Theory and Genres (2009).
Her recent work includes a 2021 validation study of the PEGGI app for older adults’ wellbeing and a 2023 conference presentation on social work in crisis contexts. She teaches modules like Theories for Social Work Practice and holds a HEA Fellowship (2022).
