Dr Monica Thomas

• Black Feminist Criminology
• Punishment and Penology
• Racialisation and Racism
• Mothering and Motherwork
• Narrative Methodologies
• Participatory Methodologies

• PhD Criminology, Cardiff University
• MSc Social Science Research Methods (Criminology), Cardiff University
• BSc Sociology and Criminology, Cardiff University
• AFHEA, Advance HE

• Radical Mothering Collective
• Black Criminology Network
• Prison Research Network 

Doctoral Thesis:

Thomas, M. 2023. Just because I’ve gone to prison, my mum hat doesn’t switch off”: An analysis of Black mothers’ narratives of imprisonment and life after release [Doctoral Thesis]. Cardiff: Cardiff University. https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/163001

Book Chapters:

Thomas, M. and Bozkurt, S. 2023. "Racism is very much there”: Validating Racial Trauma in the Context of Criminal Justice. In: L, Baldwin. Gendered Justice: Women, Trauma and Crime. Sherfield on Lodden: Waterside Press. https://www.watersidepress.co.uk/books/gendered-justice-lucy-baldwin/

Conference Papers and Research Webinars:

Thomas, M. 2024. “It Was Hard Work and It Is Still Hard Work”: Towards a Black Feminist Typology of Imprisoned Motherwork, Radical Mothering in Europe: Everyday Forms of Resistance. The Radical Mothering Research Collective: Warwick University.

Thomas, M. 2022. ‘Narrative Methods: Centring Black Mothers' experiences of imprisonment’, Capabilities and Carers Conference. 27 April. Cardiff: Cardiff University.

Thomas, M. 2021. ‘Restricted Mothering’, SOCSCI Doctoral Conference. 28 June. Cardiff: Cardiff University.

Thomas, M. 2021. ‘"Straight Away I Was Aware That I Was Black": Narratives from Black mothers in and After Prison’ [Webinar]. 28 November. The Black Criminology Network.

Thomas, M. 2020. ‘Unlocking Stories and Conducting Race Conscious Research’ [Webinar]. 8 April. Cardiff: The Migration, Ethnicity, Race, and Diversity Research Group, Cardiff University.

Thomas, M. 2020. ‘Getting on to Get Out’, SOCSCI Doctoral Conference. 27 July. Cardiff: Cardiff University.

Thomas, M. 2019. ‘Experiences of Mothering amongst Black Women in Prison’, SOCSCI Doctoral Conference. 14 June. Cardiff: Cardiff University.

Thomas, M. 2019. ‘The Blame Game: The Construction and Portrayal of Black Victims in British Crime Reports. 11 December. Cardiff: The Migration, Ethnicity, Race, and Diversity Research Group, Cardiff University.

Briefings and Reports:

Hunter, G. Thomas, M. and Campbell, N. 2024. Experiences of public law care proceedings: A briefing on interviews with parents and special guardians. London: Revolving Doors and the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research. https://revolving-doors.org.uk/publications/lived-experience-of-the-law-pilot-phase-briefing-experiences-of-public-law-care-proceedings/

Book Reviews:

Thomas, M. 2020. Should schools be colorblind? [Book Review]. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, pp. 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649220922156

• Thomas, M. and Bozkurt, S. 2023. Exploring the experiences of Black and racially minoritised mothers in the justice system. In: One Small Thing: Justice Podcast: https://shows.acast.com/justice/episodes/exploring-the-experiences-of-black-and-racially-minoritised-

Monica currently volunteers as a mentor for an organisation that facilitates mentoring relationships between women and young women/teenagers racialised as Black.

Before moving to BCU, Monica held the position of Research Manager at a third sector organisation. In this role she was involved in co-producing and delivering participatory research alongside people with lived experience of the criminal and family legal systems of England and Wales.

During her PhD, Monica volunteered and then later worked as a Family Support Worker for a charity operating within - and around - a local prison for men. She also has experience volunteering as a mentor for an organisation supporting women experiencing harm, exploitation and criminalisation.

• @MonicaIThomas