Dr Ian Walmsley

I am a criminologist with two main areas of research interest. My primary focus is on illegal drug use, drug policy, and the processes of treatment and recovery. This interest is rooted in my previous professional experience working with people affected by drug-related problems in both treatment and criminal justice settings. I hold a PhD in Sociology from the University of the West of England.

My research on drugs spans historical and contemporary perspectives. My earlier work examined how the concept of the ‘addicted body’ emerged in the nineteenth century, exploring its links to wider social anxieties about poisons and poisoning. This analysis introduced the idea of the addicted body as a 'poisoned object', which helped explain the rise of responses such as detoxification and maintenance prescribing. More recently, I have explored the challenges and strategies involved in disclosing a history of problematic drug use, focusing on how these experiences shape recovery in areas such as employment, relationships, and social life. I am also interested in the experiences of coming off drugs and how cultural, social, and institutional contexts shape these.

Alongside this, I have a secondary research interest in policing. I have carried out commissioned evaluation studies for the police on the use of out-of-court disposals for low-level offences and assaults on emergency workers, as well as initiatives aimed at improving relationships between the police and young people.

I welcome opportunities to collaborate on research projects in these areas and to supervise postgraduate students with related interests.