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https://webcdn.mmu.ac.uk/profiles/img/profile-images/rebecca-askew-crop-145x145-5555c6f012911-1.jpg
Rebecca Askew is Senior Lecturer in Criminology with a broad interest in substance
consumption, drug markets and drug policy. She was awarded a PhD at The
University of Manchester in 2013, entitled, Negotiating the criminality and
deviance associated with illicit substance use: A discourse analysis with adult
recreational drug takers. https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/uk-ac-man-scw:215698
Research funding
Currently, Rebecca is a PI for a ESRC New Investigators Grant (2018-2021) called ‘Drug
Policy Voices’. This is a three-year project which
integrates the values and experiences of people who use illegal substances into
debates about drug policy reform (£300k).
Rebecca was PI on a British Academy small grant 2015-2017 which explored the varied
functions of drug use. This includes: physical pain and mental illness;
creativity and problem-solving; spirituality and self-discovery and
productivity and focus. The project challenged the recreational and problematic
paradigm in the conceptualisation of substance use (£7k).
Methods
Rebecca uses mixed methods, but has expertise in narrative interviewing and the
application of discourse analysis. Rebecca also has experience of managing and
undertaking research evaluations for statutory and non-statutory organisations
in the field of criminal justice.
Research specialisms
Drug Policy and reform
Perspectives of people with experience
The pleasures, positives and functions of illicit substance use
Narrative interviewing and discourse analysis
Other scholarly activity
Secretary and Treasurer for the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy
(ISSDP).
Editor for International Journal of Drug Policy (IF: 4.244)
External Examiner for the University of Worcester (Criminology)
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I engage in research-led teaching, which provides an arena to discuss emerging topics and new ideas. I believe in the co-production of knowledge and learning with all students and encourage lively discussion and debate.
‘What is declared obvious and ‘natural’ rarely is so. Recognition of this should teach us to think the
world is more flexible than it seems, for the established views have frequently emerged not through a process of faultless reasoning, but through centuries of intellectual muddle. There may be no good reason for things being the way they are’.
Alain de Botton (2000), The consolations of philosophy, p. 23
2015 PGCert Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (LJMU)
2013 PhD Criminology (The University of Manchester)
2006 MRes Crime and Criminal Justice (The University of Manchester)
2003 BA Hons Sociology (Sheffield Hallam University)
2013-2015 Lecturer in Criminal Justice (LJMU)
2010 - 2012 Teaching Assistant (The University of Manchester)
2006 - 2010 Research Assistant (The University of Manchester)
In progress:
John Mann (Dept Soicology, MMU)
Vincent Walker Bond (Dept Sociology, MMU)
University of Worcester, BA (Hons) Criminology 2016-2021
GC. Dertadian, R. Askew (2024). Towards a social harm approach in drug policy. Int J Drug Policy. 127, pp.104425-104425.
R. Askew, MA. Salinas-Edwards (2019). Status, stigma and stereotype: How drug takers and drug suppliers avoid negative labelling by virtue of their ‘conventional’ and ‘law-abiding’ lives. Criminology and Criminal Justice. 19(3), pp.311-327.
J. Aldridge, R. Askew (2017). Delivery dilemmas: How drug cryptomarket users identify and seek to reduce their risk of detection by law enforcement. International Journal of Drug Policy. 41, pp.101-109.
R. Askew (2016). Functional fun: legitimising adult recreational drug use. International Journal of Drug Policy. 36, pp.112-119.
L. Richardson, K. Purdam, S. Cotterill, J. Rees, G. Squires, et al. R. Askew. (2014). Responsible Citizens and Accountable Service Providers? Renegotiating the Contract between Citizen and State. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space. 46(7), pp.1716-1731.
R. Askew, P. John, H. Liu (2010). Can policy makers listen to researchers? An application of the design experiment methodology to a local drugs policy intervention. POLICY AND POLITICS. 38(4), pp.583-598.
R. Askew, S. Cotterill, S. Greasley (2009). Citizens’ reflections on behaviour change policies. In: Changing Local Governance, Changing Citizens. pp.157-174.
British Academy Small Grants 'Accounting for Functional Drug Use' 2015-2017 (£7k)
ESRC New Investigator Grant 'Does UK drug policy require reform? Engaging drug takers into the debate' (£300,000)