Bipasha Ahmed is a senior lecturer in the School of Psychology, University of East London. She lectures on ‘race’-related issues and qualitative methodologies. She did her first degree at the Polytechnic of Central London before moving to Sheffield University to conduct her PhD. She took up her first permanent full-time post at The University of Greenwich before moving to UEL. Her primary research interests are in critical approaches to psychology. Broadly speaking, she is interested in ‘race’, ‘gender’ and ‘class’ issues, where she has also developed an interest in, and has drawn upon, feminist approaches. More recently, she has been involved in research on South Asian women’s experiences of sexual violence (in collaboration with Dr Paula Reavey, London Southbank University).

Bipasha’s main areas of expertise are in ‘race’, ‘class’ and ‘gender’ issues. She is also conversant in a range of qualitative methodologies, especially social constructionist approaches such as Discourse Analysis. She has published in the area of ‘racism’ and on South Asian women’s experiences of sexual violence, including their experiences of psychological services.

• BSc Psychology
• MSc Psychology
• Master of Research (MRes)

• PY1101: Research Methods 1 and 2
• PY2101: Research Methods 3 (Module Leader, qualitative component)
• PY2105: Conceptual and Historical Issues and Social Psychology
• PY2123: Psychological Perspectives on Work Experience (Module Leader)
• PY3101: Psychological Professional Studies
• PY3104: Critical Social Psychology
• PY3117: Psychology and ‘Difference’ (Module Leader)
• PYM154: Research Methods (qualitative methodologies)
• PYM502: Advanced Qualitative Methodologies for psychologists (Module Leader)

Bipasha is currently involved in a research project which aims to study how South Asian women understand and make sense of their experiences of sexual violence including Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). The project also looks at how these women feel about current service provision and how service providers make sense of their experiences of dealing with such women. This research project obtained funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for a seventeen-month period (which has now ended) and is in collaboration with Dr Paula Reavey, London South Bank University.

Bipasha is also working on articles concerned with ‘reflexivity’. This refers to the idea that we need to pay attention to the role that the researcher has in the research process and to be aware that the way we characterise a phenomenon will change the way it operates for us. This is both in the context of research but also other practical and applied contexts.

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Ahmed, B., Reavey, P., & Majumdar, A. (2009). Constructions of ‘culture’ in accounts of South Asian women survivors of sexual violence. Feminism and Psychology, 19(1), 7–28. doi:10.1177/0959353508098617

Book Chapters

1. Ahmed, B. (2010). Not telling it how it is: secrets and silences of a critical feminist researcher. In R. Ryan-Flood & R. Gill (Eds.), Secrecy and silence in the research process. London: Routledge.
2. Ahmed, B., Reavey, P., & Majumdar, A. (2008). Cultural transformations and gender violence: south asian women’s experiences of sexual violence and familial dynamics. In K. Throsby & F. Alexander (Eds.), Gender and interpersonal violence: language action and representation: Palgrave Macmillan.

Conference Papers

1. Ahmed, B. (2010). Re-thinking ‘culture’ as a psychosocial construct and practice: implications for theories, practices and services working with black and minority ethnic communities. Paper presented at the 3rd Psychosocial Studies Network conference, London.

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Ahmed, B. (2007). Teaching critical psychology of ‘race’ issues: problems in promoting anti-racist practice. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 17, 1–14. doi:10.1002/casp.912
2. Reavey, P., Ahmed, B., & Majumdar, A. (2006). “How can we help when she won’t tell us what’s wrong?” Professionals working with South Asian women who have experienced sexual abuse. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 16, 1–17. doi:10.1002/casp.856
3. Thorpe, S.J., Ahmed, B., & Steer, K. (2005). Reasons for undergoing cosmetic surgery: A retrospective study. Sexuality, Evolution and Gender, 6(2), 75–96.
4. Ahmed, B., Nicolson, P., & Spencer, C. (2000). The social construction of racism: The case of second-generation Bangladeshis. Journal of Community and Applied Psychology, 10, 33–48. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-1298(200001/02)10:1<33::AID-CASP529>3.0.CO;2-B
5. Ahmed, B. (1999). Feminism in psychology and professional contexts: Debates in theory and method. Educational and Child Psychology, 16, 54–61.

Non-peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Ahmed, B. (1999). Review of ‘Black British feminism’. In A. Phoenix, M. Storr, L. Thomas, & A. Whitehead (Eds.). Snakes and ladders: Reviewing feminisms at century’s end. Special issue of Feminist Review.
2. Ahmed, B. (1996). Reflexivity, cultural membership and power in the research situation: Tensions and contradictions when considering the researcher’s role. Psychology of Women Newsletter, 17, 35–40.

Book Chapters

1. Anderson, I., & Ahmed, B. (2003). Sexism in psychology and how to end it: Feminist and critical debates in applied contexts. In R. Bayne & I. Horton (Eds.), Applied psychology.
2. Ahmed, B. (2000). Constructing racism: Discourse, culture and subjectivity. In C. Squire (Ed.), Culture in psychology: London: Routledge.

Conference Papers

1. Ahmed, B. (2007). Re-thinking ‘culture’: Implications for developing ‘culturally sensitive’ theories, practices and services. Paper presented at the International Critical Health Psychology Conference., Beverley, MA.
2. Greaves, A., Pawson, C.J., & Ahmed, B. (2006). “I lost my smile”: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of mental health carers’ experiences. Paper presented at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology, Bonn, Germany.

Conference Proceedings

1. Majumdar, A., Reavey, P., & Ahmed, B. (2004). Reading between the lines: Professionals working with South Asian women who have experienced sexual abuse. Paper presented at the Psychology of Women Conference (BPS), Brighton.
2. Ahmed, B. (2003). So you’re here to slag us off then: Problems and challenges in conducting critical psychological research. Paper presented at the International Critical Psychology Conference, Bath: University of Bath.
3. Ahmed, B., & Reavey, P. (2001). Culture and subjectivity: Understanding Asian women’s experiences of sexual abuse. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Glasgow.
4. Ahmed, B. (1997). Feminist psychology and professionalism: Some comments on theory and method. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Edinburgh.
5. Ahmed, B. (1996). Western feminists, traditional wives: Second-generation Bangladeshi women construct their identities. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Brighton.

Reports

1. Hester, M., Chantler, K., Gangoli, G., Ahmed, B., Burman, E., McCarry, M., et al. (2006). The risk factors and the effect of raising the minimum age for a sponsor, and of leave to enter the UK as a spouse or fiancé(e) (No. SRG/05/037): Home Office.

1. Reviewed articles of Feminism and Psychology
2. Reviewed articles for Journal of Community and Applied Psychology
3. Reviewed articles for Psychology, Evolution and Gender
4. Reveiwed articles of British Journal of Social Psychology
5. Reviewed grant proposals for ESRC