Dr Wicks (FHEA) is a Lecturer in Criminology and she joined the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research in September 2021. Prior to this, she taught at the University of Portsmouth and the University of Westminster. She holds a PhD (University of Westminster), an MA in Criminology (University of Kent, received with distinction) and a BA in Criminology and Social Policy (University of Kent, first class).
Dr Wicks has worked as a Research Associate on a British Academy project exploring the governance of international students in the UK alongside Professor James Esson.
Dr Wicks currently convenes undergraduate modules and supervises students at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD level.
Dr Wicks’s interests are in policing (both formal and informal methods), race and nightlife and she is a keen ethnographer. Her PhD research, which was awarded a studentship from the University of Westminster, involved a year-long police ethnography with the police, door staff, licensing officers, venue manager and street pastors in the South of the UK. This research involved day and night-time participant observations, interviews and group discussions and draws critical conclusions regarding the racist and discriminatory ways in which nightlife is policed. Specifically, it explores how racism manifests through diversity agendas and night-time licensing practices, as well as through the actions of those who govern nightlife on the ground. It outlines how temporary event notices are used to informally govern Drill and grime night-time events and the (often) young Black male artist that perform on these nights. It also explores the use of historical policing practices to exclude Gypsy and Traveller communities from the night-time economy in the UK.
Dr Wicks is passionate about sharing her research findings and connecting with scholars in this field both nationally and internationally. She is a member of the International Night Studies Network and the Night Governance working group. She also sits on the Research Steering Group for the Greater London Authority and Black Lives in Music’s research on racism in London’s night-time licensing. She regularly shares her research findings at conferences and won the ‘Best Presentation Award’ at the 14th Annual Ethnography Symposium at the University of Portsmouth.
Dr Wicks contributes to teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, particularly within the areas of policing, race and racism and nightlife. She also convenes a number of core modules at undergraduate level.
She has recently run a co-curriculum design project via focus groups and interviews with students to interrogate the criminology curriculum and the way in which it engages/disengages with race. This research was awarded a Diversity Mark Award at the University of Kent. Dr Wicks sees students as co-creators of knowledge, recognises their individuality and encourages students to create inclusive teaching environments.
Dr Wicks is keen on supervising PhD candidates who are interested in policing (both formal and informal methods), social justice research (particularly in connection with race, ethnicity, cultural difference and racism) and/or night-time research. She is interested in supervising students who are keen on utilising an ethnographic approach.
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