Staff profile

Adam Dickson is a doctoral researcher in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, with a professional background spanning the NHS, policing, and secondary education.  His diverse frontline, public sector experience has shaped a strong interdisciplinary perspective on public health, trauma, and social equity.

His academic and professional interests lie in the development of trauma-informed approaches to policy, curriculum design, and institutional practice - particularly within systems of education.  He is committed to advancing socially responsive frameworks that support marginalised or underrepresented groups, drawing on both research and real-world application.

Adam holds an MA in Trauma Informed Practice, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (St Mary's College, Durham), and Qualified Teacher Status.

Affiliations

Member, Chartered College of Teachers

Postgraduate Fellow, London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism

Early Career Research Member, Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing

Research Committee Member, Centre for the Study of Jewish Society, Culture and Politics

Research

Adam’s doctoral research considers trauma informed approaches to combatting antisemitism within English football, with a particular focus on how lived experience and generational memory shape responses to hate speech.  His project employs a mixed-methods design, combining walking interviews and digital discourse analysis, to examine the intersection of how moral injury, generational trauma, and collective identity influence the behaviours and coping mechanisms of Anglo-Jewish supporters.  By understanding these dynamics - both within stadia and in online environments - his work aims to inform practical, community focused interventions that support resilience and improve the design and delivery of countermeasures to resurging antisemitism.  

This builds on Adam’s broader academic interest in the role of trauma within educational and social systems.  His master’s research, titled "Pad ‘Brats’ to PTSD - a trauma informed review of child development, behaviour, and educational outcomes of school aged children from military backgrounds," examined the developmental and behavioural effects of parental military service on children within the British education system.  Through a trauma informed lens, he explored how secondary and vicarious PTSD symptoms manifest in military-connected students, identifying patterns that highlight the urgent need for targeted pastoral and curricular interventions within schools.

In earlier postgraduate work, Adam also investigated how the national history curriculum relates to the lived experiences of ethnic minority students.  His dissertation focused on how topics such as the British Empire, the Transatlantic slave trade, and the Holocaust intersect with student identity, emotional safety, and engagement.  Through a systematic review, the research revealed barriers to learning rooted in generational trauma and cultural disconnect: underscoring the need for trauma informed, culturally responsive teaching practices to ensure inclusive and meaningful curriculum design.

Across his research portfolio, Adam maintains a clear commitment to practical impact: using scholarship to inform policy, support vulnerable groups, and embed equity and psychological safety within education, sport, and public health systems.

Research Interests

•         Antisemitism in contemporary society
•         Generational trauma and moral injury
•         Jewish identity and collective memory
•         Racism and discrimination within football fan culture
•         Digital hate speech and online discourse regarding minority groups
•         Sociological implications of the Holocaust
•         Embedding trauma informed and decolonial approaches in educational policy and curricula

Scholarships

• Global Citizenship Programme Scholarship – Ustinov College, Durham University (2024)
• JSAT Doctoral Study Scholarship (2024, 2025)