Dr Robert J Hagan
Dr Robert J Hagan
Senior Lecturer
My profile
Biography
I have taught on undergraduate and postgraduate social work programmes since 2012 and been employed in academic posts since 2014. Prior to becoming a lecturer, I worked in a range of statutory and third sector organisations. I was a statutory social worker with a primary focus on looked after children, though also had experience in services for children with disabilities. In terms of the community/voluntary sector, I was a drugs educator in an area of multi-deprivation in Derry, N Ireland, and have worked in social housing and for a homelessness charity. I have voluntary experience of working in youth and community work, including some involvement in Childline. Although most of my working life has been in N Ireland, I have worked in Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle under Lyme.
My research interests are primarily gerontological and look at the social lives of older people. I have carried out studies on the response of statutory day services to loneliness, the use of community transport in rural areas, and participants’ views on a service user led empowerment service for those with early stages dementia. I also have an interest in comics scholarship.
I am also an external examiner for the MSci Social Work programme at the University of Huddersfield and contributed to the validation of the Deafblindedness Studies programme at Birmingham City University. I also teach on the Postgraduate Adult Safeguarding programme at Keele University.
Academic and professional qualifications
PhD Ulster University
PG Certificate in Professional Development in Social Work, Ulster University
BA (Hons) Social Work, Ulster University
Fellow (HEA)
Expert reviewer
I have reviewed submissions to over a dozen journals including:
- Health & Social Care in the Community
- Journal of Social Work
- British Journal of Social Work
- Ageing & Society
- Social Work Education
I have also reviewed manuscripts and proposals for Sage and Palgrave publishers.
Community, charity and NGO links
Board member, Engage with Age, Belfast: community organisation focusing on the social integration of older adults
Membership of professional associations
I am a member of BASW and the British Society of Gerontology
Personal website address
Teaching
I teach on the following modules:
Human growth & development (Step Up to Social Work)
Journey through the life course (BA & Apprentices)
ASPIRE (Apprentices)
Critical and international perspectives in social work (BA/MA)
Critical perspectives on children, young people and families (Integrated Health & Social Care)
Supervision
I currently supervise the following:
PhD supervision
Alcock, R. The policy and practice of independent advocacy.
Dennis, S. Well-being of families who experience children’s court proceedings.
Jay, B. Emotion work in residential children’s services.
Kelly, P. Housing associations’ role in providing place-based mental health support.
Prof Doc supervision
Davies, Y. The loss of identity for people living with alcohol dependency.
Research outputs
My primary research interests are social gerontology, especially the social lives of older people.
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Chapters in books
Hagan, R. (2024) 'Adult children with learning disabilities living with aging parents.' In Bennett, G., Goodall, E. (ed.) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Disability. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1-10.
Hagan, R. (2022) 'Loneliness and men’s welfare across the lifecourse: aligning approaches with masculinity, friendships, and relationships.' Men and Welfare. Routledge,
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Journal articles
Hagan, R. (2024) 'Slippers, canes and hospitalisations: adult to child violence in 1970s UK comics.' Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics,
Hagan, R., Campbell, S. (2021) 'Doing their damnedest to seek change: how group identity helps people with dementia confront public stigma and maintain purpose.' Dementia, 20(7) pp. 2362-2379.
Hagan, R.J., Manktelow, R. (2020) '‘I shall miss the company’: participants’ reflections on time-limited day centre programming.' Ageing and Society, 41(12) pp. 2933-2952.
Hagan, R. (2020) 'Loneliness, older people and a proposed social work response.' Journal of Social Work, 21(5) pp. 1084-1104.
Hagan, R., Manktelow, R., Taylor, B. (2020) 'Loneliness, cumulative inequality and social capital in later life: Two stories.' Irish Journal of Sociology, 28(2) pp. 192-217.
Hagan, R. (2020) 'What next? Experiences of social support and signposting after a diagnosis of dementia.' Health and Social Care in the Community, 28(4) pp. 1170-1179.
Hagan, R.J. (2019) 'Getting out of the house: the use of community transport as a third place for rural-dwelling older adults.' Ageing and Society, 40(11) pp. 2519-2539.
Hagan, R.J. (2019) 'Touch Me/Don’t Touch Me: Representations of Female Archetypes in Ann Nocenti’s Daredevil.' The Comics Grid: Journal of Comics Scholarship, 9(1) pp. 9-33.
Hagan, R.J., Taylor, B.J., Mallett, J., Manktelow, R., Pascal, J. (2017) 'Older People, Loss, and Loneliness: The Troublesome Nature of Increased Contact With Adult Children.' Illness, Crisis & Loss, 28(3) pp. 275-293.
Hagan, R., Manktelow, R., Taylor, B.J., Mallett, J. (2014) 'Reducing loneliness amongst older people: a systematic search and narrative review.' Aging & Mental Health, 18(6) pp. 683-693.
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Non-peer reviewed articles / reviews
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Conference papers
Hagan, R. (2019) 'An informal space supporting autonomy, choice and the maintenance of social networks:.' In British Society of Gerontology. Liverpool, UK, 10/7/2019 - 12/7/2019.