Senior Lecturer in Social Policy
Teaching and supervision
I have taught across levels 4-7 and currently lead the following modules:
- The Individual and Society across the lifecourse (level 5)
- 'Drugs, Madness and Violence' as responses to Liquid Modernity (level 6)
I also supervise dissertation students in their final year of undergraduate study.
I am Centre Lead for our FdSc and Top-up Health and Social care courses at the University of Sunderland London Campus. I am also Centre Lead for the BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care (distance learning) for Chevron TNE, Ireland, PG Cert Leadership and Change and Cert, and PgDip Cybersecurity at Chevron TNE Ireland.
I hold external examiner commitments at the Universities of Derby, UWTSJ, and Lincoln.
Research interests for potential research students
I have published in the areas of youth substance use, the effects of austerity on Third sector organisations, and co-edited a book exploring dimensions of health for sport and exercise students.
I am currently studying for a PhD, exploring experiences of midlife for women, the details of which can be seen in this research blog.
Research
Publications
Article
Macdonald, Stephen J, Deacon, Lesley and Merchant, Jacqueline (2016) ‘Too Far Gone’: Dyslexia, Homelessness and Pathways into Drug Use and Drug Dependency. Insights on Learning Disabilities, 13 (2). pp. 117-134. ISSN 1949-1212
Clayton, John, Donovan, Catherine and Merchant, Jacqueline (2015) Distancing and limited resourcefulness : third sector service provision under austerity localism in the North East of England. Urban Studies, 53 (4). pp. 723-740. ISSN 0042-0980
Clayton, John, Donovan, Catherine and Merchant, Jacqueline (2014) Emotions of austerity : care and commitment in public service delivery in the North East of England. Emotion, Space and Society, 14. pp. 24-32.
Reports, briefing/ working papers
Donovan, Catherine, Clayton, John and Merchant, Jacqueline (2012) Localism or Pulling the Plug on Public Services? Consequences of Austerity for the Third Sector in the North East. Project Report. Centre for Children, Young People & Families, University of Sunderland, Sunderland. (Unpublished)
Donovan, Catherine, Clayton, John, Merchant, Jacqueline and Roberts, Nicola (2011) An Exploration of the Impact of the Coalition Government’s Spending Review on the North East and on Programmes Offered by the Department of Social Sciences. Project Report. University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK. (Unpublished)
Donovan, Catherine, Clayton, John, Merchant, Jacqueline and Roberts, Nicola (2011) An exploration of the impact of the Coalition Government's spending review on the North East and how the Department of Social Sciences might respond. Project Report. University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)
- Lifecourse approaches to health and illness
- Psychosocial explorations of midlife women
- Substance use and society