Mr John-Paul Stephenson

Professional biography

I have taught in higher education for over 25 years in various teaching, leadership, and assessment-design roles. I hold a BA in Film and Media Studies, MA in Media and Cultural and a post-grad teaching qualification. 

I joined the Open University as an Associate Lecturer in 2006 and have since taught on a variety social sciences modules. Continuing professional development is important to me, as is understanding how it feels to study at a distance. As such, I am an OU student myself, and have earned Masters degrees in Social Research Methods, and Psychology (Conversion).

As an Academic Conduct Officer, I am responsible for upholding the integrity and reputation of our qualifications and co-teach faculty-wide study skills sessions. I am an AL representative to the School of Social Sciences and Global Studies (SSGS) Board of Studies, critically commenting upon emerging policy and curriculum. 

I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE), and am a qualified Mental Health First Aider.

I served as cabinet member at Newcastle City Council during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling directors and senior officers to deliver the best for residents.  I also served as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Beamish Open Air Museum, supporting the organisation through significant operational and governance change. I have also served as vice-chair on the boards of the Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) and Urban Green Newcastle.

Research

My current PhD research (started 2026) explores how charities can effectively support prison leavers towards a prosocial identity, with the aim of reducing recidivism. While based in social policy and criminology, the project embraces interdisciplinary approaches and qualitative methodologies to investigate the complexities of identities, focussing upon North East England.

Publications

Stephenson, J.P. (2005) “Reviewing Symbolic Capital: The Sinking of Titanic,” M/C journal, 8(5). Available at: https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2423.

Stephenson, J.P.  (2011) “The most foul of the foul words": South Park and Meta-Discourse” in B. Cogan (ed.) Deconstructing South Park: Critical Examinations of Animated Transgression, Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Conference papers

Stephenson, J.P.  (2005) “Taboo language and the media", Language and the Media, University of Leeds, September 2005.