معرفی
Katharina Swirak is a Lecturer and Deputy Head of the Department of Sociology and Criminology at University College Cork (UCC). Her research focuses on intersections of welfare and criminal justice policy, youth justice reform, and participatory methodologies. She co-founded the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program in Cork Prison, fostering dialogue between incarcerated individuals and university students. Her work emphasizes abolitionist frameworks, penal voluntarism, and reintegration challenges. Key projects include collaborative research with Cork Alliance on post-prison lives and policy advising for Ireland’s National Youth Justice Strategy. She has received multiple grants and awards, including the UCC Excellence in Teaching Award (2020) and a Charlemont Grant (2018).
- Education: PhD in Social Policy (UCC, 2013), MSc in Comparative Politics (LSE, 2002), BA in Social Science (Utrecht, 2001)
- Professional Roles: Member of UCC’s Centre for Criminal Justice & Human Rights, Sociological Association of Ireland, and editorial advisory panels for journals like Youth Justice
- Outreach: Former Board Member of Churchfield Community Trust, stakeholder in prison-university partnerships, and policy advisor for youth justice reforms
Her research bridges academia and activism, prioritizing marginalized voices through participatory action research and policy advocacy. Key themes include carceral state critique, rehabilitation policy, and decolonizing criminology.
