Biography

I am Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Portsmouth and serve as the Departmental Director of Postgraduate Research for the School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics, and Literature and as Area Studies Disciplinary Pathway Coordinator for the ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership .

Research interests

My research focuses on the politics of citizenship and belonging at national and international levels, with a focus on how shifting notions of citizenship and European dis/integration processes shape political identities and behaviour. I am especially interested in examining the gaps between policies and practices at the intersection of citizenship, migration, gender, and race/ethnicity. By studying these gaps, I aim to better understand the politics of belonging and explore ways to develop more inclusive approaches to citizenship.

I have a strong interest in how we use social science research methods, especially within the field of political science. My work engages critical methodologies, including feminist, decolonial, and narrative approaches, and  more traditional methods, such as surveys, interviews and focus groups. This blend allows me to explore power dynamics and amplify marginalised voices within political structures.

Currently, I am collaborating with international scholars on two related projects. As part of the Reading Through project (2022–), alongside Dr Seoyoung Choi (Yonsei University, South Korea) and Dr Olivia Rutazibwa (LSE, UK), we seek to challenge and unlearn disciplinary mastery, Western-centrism, and patriarchy. In collaboration with Professor Nicholas Allen (Royal Holloway, UK) and Dr Kenny Ie (University of British Columbia, Canada), we examine the interplay of gender and representation (2021–). These projects allow me to explore the intersections of gender, migration, race/ethnicity and political influence, which are central to my broader research agenda.

I welcome PhD proposals on my research interests and expertise. I am currently supervising the following PhD Candidates:

Antony Horne (ESRC SCDTP 1+3, as first supervisor);

Toby Meredith (ESRC SCDTP 1+ 3.5, as first supervisor);

Madelene Mouland (ESRC SCDTP 1+ 3.5, as first supervisor);

Rachid Sekkai (ESRC SCDTP 1+3.5, as first supervisor);

Hiba Benlarbi (as second supervisor);

Mark Anthony Kaye (ESRC SCDTP 1+3.5, as second supervisor);

Vangelis Palaskas (as third supervisor); and

Ed Shrimpton (as third supervisor).

In addition to my research, I hold several leadership roles in the academic community. I serve as Convenor of the Steering Committee on the Standing Group on Citizenship at the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) (@ECPRSGCitizen). I also Co-Lead the Transnational Politics and Society Research Group at the Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR), and I am a board member of the ECIT Foundation. Furthermore, I contribute to the Critical Approaches to Political Science Lab at Yonsei University and serve as a Steering Committee member of the ECPR Standing Group on Identity (@SGIdentityECPR).

Previously, I was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (2019 to 2022), where I participated in the Democracy and Citizenship in Education group and the 2022 International Citizenship and Civic Education project. Additionally, I was affiliated with the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for the Study of Transnational Europe (CESTE2, 2017 to 2021). As an extension of this work, Dr. Aleksandra Sojka (University Carlos III of Madrid, Spain) and I are in the final stages of co-editing a special issue on ‘The dis/integration of political communities in Europe’ with the Journal of Contemporary European Studies.

I completed my PhD at Royal Holloway, University of London, in 2015. My doctoral thesis explored how the freedom of movement in the European Union shapes young people's perceptions of citizenship, identity, and political participation. This research culminated in my monograph The Politics of Mobile Citizenship in Europe published by Palgrave in 2020 as part of the Politics of Citizenship and Migration series.

Teaching responsibilities

I contribute to a seires of modules on politics (general, UK, Europe) and research methods across UG and PG politics and IR courses, and as part of a school- and university-wide PhD training initiatives.

I am currently coordinating the following modules:

1. Bending the Truth a Little? Researching Politics and International Relations (Year 2 core module for in Politics, IR, IRP and Development Studies);

2. Post-Brexit Politics (Year 3 core module in Politics).