Dr Ciara Bradley

    Applied Social Studies, Motherhood Project

    Lecturer

    Laraghbryan House
    4.6
    (01) 708 3804

    Biography

    I am a community development worker and sociologist with a deep commitment to equality, social justice and human rights and solidarity with all those facing inequality and injustice in all aspects of my practice: teaching, research and public engagement. 

    I teach modules in groupwork, sociology, professional practice and development, equality and human rights, sociology and research methodologies from undergrad to doctoral level, as well as continuous professional development. Currently, I coordinate MSocSc in Community and Youth Work - a Master of Social Science dual professional qualification in both disciplines of Community Work and Youth Work.

    Book Chapters

      Year Publication
    2017 'The Construction of Teenage Parenting in the Republic of Ireland'
    Ciara Bradley (2017) 'The Construction of Teenage Parenting in the Republic of Ireland' In: Annalise Kamp and Majella McSharry (eds). Re/Assembling the Pregnant and Parenting Teenager Narratives from the Field(s). Switzerland: Peter Lang Publishing. [DOI] [Details]

    Peer Reviewed Journals

      Year Publication
    2017 'New technologies and creative practices in teaching groupwork'
    Byrne A.;McGovern M.;Bradley C. (2017) 'New technologies and creative practices in teaching groupwork'. Groupwork, 27 (1):9-27 [Details]
    2012 '"Doing the Job as a Parent": Parenting Alone, Work, and Family Policy in Ireland'
    Millar, M;Coen, L;Bradley, C;Rau, H (2012) '"Doing the Job as a Parent": Parenting Alone, Work, and Family Policy in Ireland'. Journal of Family Issues, 33 :29-51 [DOI] [IR Link] [Details]

    Conference Contributions

      Year Publication
    2019 Meaningful Co-production in Research: Critical Questions.
    Ciara Bradley (2019) Meaningful Co-production in Research: Critical Questions. [Oral Presentation], UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre 9th Biennial International Conference, NUI Galway [Details]
    2019 ‘Knowing Well and Knowing Responsibly’: Ethics and Accountability in the Research Process.
    Ciara Bradley (2019) ‘Knowing Well and Knowing Responsibly’: Ethics and Accountability in the Research Process. [Oral Presentation], 5th International Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference 2019, Trinity College Dublin [Details]
    2019 Critical - Value Driven Learning for Community Development Practitioners.
    Ciara Bradley (2019) Critical - Value Driven Learning for Community Development Practitioners. [Oral Presentation], World Community Development Conference 2019, Dundee [Details]
    2018 A Collective Pedagogy of Groupwork for Community Development.
    Ciara Bradley (2018) A Collective Pedagogy of Groupwork for Community Development. [Oral Presentation], World Community development Conference 2018, Maynooth University [Details]
    2016 'Stories 'r Us' Ethical considerations in Narrative Methodologies.
    Ciara Bradley, Hilary Tierney (2016) 'Stories 'r Us' Ethical considerations in Narrative Methodologies. [Oral Presentation], Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference 2016, N.U.I. Galway [Details]
    2016 ‘Using the new Standards in Community Work to further Gender Equality in Ireland’.
    Ciara Bradley (2016) ‘Using the new Standards in Community Work to further Gender Equality in Ireland’. [Oral Presentation], International Women’s Day 2016 Maynooth University Conference Gender & Diversity: Leadership,, Maynooth University [Details]
    2015 ‘Reflections on using the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method’.
    Ciara Bradley (2015) ‘Reflections on using the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method’. [Oral Presentation], Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference 2015, Maynoothy University [Details]
    2014 Exploring Stigma in Narrative with the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method.
    Ciara Bradley (2014) Exploring Stigma in Narrative with the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method. [Oral Presentation], Sociological Association of Ireland Postgraduate Conference 2014, NUI Galway, N.U.I. Galway [Details]
    2014 ‘Critical Community Work in Ireland 1970-2014’.
    Ciara Bradley, Oonagh McArdle, Anastasia Crickey (2014) ‘Critical Community Work in Ireland 1970-2014’. [Oral Presentation], Global Social Sciences Conference 2014, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong [Details]
    2014 ‘The Reproduction of Stigma - Single women’s pregnancy and motherhood in Ireland’.
    Ciara Bradley (2014) ‘The Reproduction of Stigma - Single women’s pregnancy and motherhood in Ireland’. [Oral Presentation], Sociological Association of Ireland Annual Conference 2014, Dublin Institute of Teachnology, Dublin [Details]
    2013 Evaluating Outcomes in Community Development.
    Ciara Bradley, Oonagh McArdle (2013) Evaluating Outcomes in Community Development. [Oral Presentation], Maynooth University Departmental Seminar, Maynooth University [Details]
    2010 ‘Representation of single mothers' in Irish Social Policy and Media’ Sibeil Postgraduate Conference, NUI Galway.
    Ciara Bradley (2010) ‘Representation of single mothers' in Irish Social Policy and Media’ Sibeil Postgraduate Conference, NUI Galway. [Oral Presentation], Sibeil Postgraduate Conference, N.U.I. Galway [Details]
    2008 ‘Doing the Job as a Single Parent’.
    Liam Coen, Ciara Bradley and Henrike Rau (2008) ‘Doing the Job as a Single Parent’. [Oral Presentation], Sociological Association of Ireland Annual Conference, N.U.I. Galway [Details]
    2008 ‘Galway One Parent Family Development Consortioum Model of Engagement’.
    Ciara Bradley, Charlie Currie (2008) ‘Galway One Parent Family Development Consortioum Model of Engagement’. [Oral Presentation], POBAL Conference, Dublin [Details]

    Published Reports

      Year Publication
    2007 Towards a Better Future: Research on Labour Market Needs and Social Exclusion of One Parent Families in Galway City and County.
    Michelle Millar, Liam Coen, Henrike Rau, Michaela Donegan, John Canavan, Ciara Bradley (2007) Towards a Better Future: Research on Labour Market Needs and Social Exclusion of One Parent Families in Galway City and County. UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, Galway. [Details]
    2010 Youth Cafés in Ireland: A Best Practice Guide.
    Forkan, C., Canavan, J., Dolan, P., Bradley, C., Brady, B., Carty, C., Coen, L., Devaney, C., Kearns, N., Kenny, A., Merriman, B. and O’Regan, C. (2010) Youth Cafés in Ireland: A Best Practice Guide. The Stationary Office, Dublin. [Details]

    Co-edited Journal Issue

      Year Publication
    2019 International Association of Community Development Practice Insights from the World Community Development Conference 2018.
    Anastasia Crickley and Ciara Bradley (2019) International Association of Community Development Practice Insights from the World Community Development Conference 2018. Co-edited Journal Issue [Details]

    Teaching Interests


    My teaching practice is underpinned by the values of community development, namely equality and social justice. I take a student centred approach and I believe strongly that the learning experience should be empowering. I am excited by teaching practice and employ a wide variety of creative methodologies in my classes.     I have a strong commitment to ongoing evaluation of my teaching and routinely engage with students to secure feedback on content and the teaching and learning approaches to support me to develop my teaching practice.

    I contribute across the Department’s programmes from undergraduate to doctoral level in the social professions including our programmes in Community and Youth Work and Social Work and in Social Policy.

    My teaching interests span three main areas:

    1. Professional Practice in Community and Youth Work including: Groupwork Practice for Community and Youth Work; Ethics and values in professional practice; the professional formation of gender conscious practitioners; Reflective Practice. 

    2. Research Methodologies for Social Justice including Feminist Research Methodologies; Participative research and Narrative Inquiry

    3. Social Policy and Gender

    I currently coordinate the Masters in Social Science (Community and Youth Work). 
    I coordinate and teach:
    CY622 [20 ECTS] PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & FIELDWORK PRACTICE (Groupwork)
    CY633A [10 ECTS] FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE (Sociology)
    CY637A [10 ECTS] Research Practice Project (Research Methodologies & REsearch in Practice)
    and teach
    SP305 [2.5 ECTS] Social Policy and Gender 

    Recent Postgraduates

      Graduation Student Name University Degree Thesis
    2018 Lynsey Kavanagh Maynooth University ‘Standing alongside’ and in solidarity with Traveller women: Narratives of Pregnancy Loss in Ireland