About
I joined the Department of Politics as a Lecturer in British Politics in September 2015, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in 2018. Prior to joining Liverpool I was a Research and Teaching Fellow at the University of Leeds (POLIS) with particular focus on British Foreign Policy, Research Methods and Study Skills, and British Political Ideologies.
My research specialises in political communication, Parliamentary behaviour, and UK political institutions. My scholarship has appeared in 30+ world leading international journals; 10+(co)-authored/edited books; and 12+ chapters for academic collections. I have also submitted published evidence based on my research to House of Commons Select Committees on the quality of political discourse and how it might be improved to ensure democratic norms are protected. This demonstrates the political value of my published scholarship to communication and democratic discourse.
In June 2024, I completed a term as a Trustee on the Political Studies Association (PSA) Executive Committee, whereby I coordinated a national competition of A-level students on what politics means to the next generation. Alongside this, I am a co-convenor (with Sophia Hatzisavvidou, Bath) of the PSA Specialist Group in 'Rhetoric, Discourse, and Politics'.. In 2017 I won the prestigious PSA 'Richard Rose Prize' for my "doubly pioneering" research into the study of British Politics. In the same year I also won a Learning and Teaching Team award, as well as a commendation for public engagement with the Europe and the World Centre.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the HEA Advance-HE having completed a qualification in Professional Higher Education Practice. In July 2024, I graduated with an MA in Academic Practice which focused on technology in education and the use of frameworks in student skills development. Prior to this, I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Academic Practice (Merit) in 2021 with a particular focus on leadership and teaching innovations within political studies. Both qualifications updated my previous qualification in Higher Education practice and included updates on innovations approaches to authentic teaching in module and assessment design.
My teaching modules spread across each level of the curriculum from first year to postgraduate. For example, I am the module leader of the large first year module POLI101 British Politics I, which introduces students to UK parties, rhetoric, gendered issues, media relations, devolution, general elections, and foreign policy. I also convene two signature modules looking at political communication. The first specialist module (POLI252 Political Communication and Public Speaking) offers students practical experience of speech writing and delivery on a political issue that they are passionate. The second specialist module (POLI323 Theory and Practice of Rhetoric in British Politics) links ancient rhetorical theories with contemporary practice in the UK. The module covers critical discourse analysis, oratorical arenas, and drivers of ideological language. I am also the module leader of a team-taught second year module (POLI263 British Foreign Policy) which looks at Britain's historical and contemporary global roles, and from September 2025 I shall be the module leader of POLI550 Public Policy Dissertation, which is part of a new MA in Public Administration and Policy (led by Prof Andrew Russell) that is launching in September 2025.
I have also examined internal and external doctoral vivas on subjects such as Northern Ireland political parties and their depths of support; and on Jeremy Corbyn's leadership style of the Labour Party.
My current leadership roles include acting as the Alumni Officer for Politics.. As I am the first Alumni Officer within the department, the development of an alumni presence involves initiating contact and setting up an online presence alongside organising events for alumni as a way of growing this part of our community. I am also a member of the Faculty Scrutiny Board which examines module changes across HLC, and makes recommendations for change (if required); plus, I am also a member of the School Ethical Review College, and also the EDI Committee whereby I aim to promote LGBTQ+ and mental health issues.
At School level I am the Chair of the HLC Board of Examiners for the School. Thus far, I have established the 'Board of Examiners Working Group' which is comprised of education leaders across the School. The Group acts as a Forum to discuss proposals and make decisions for changes to practice across the School with the aim of enhancing student experience through implementing innovations such as Strategy 2031 and the Liverpool Curriculum Frameworks. The Working Group also coordinates means of protecting the integrity of all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the School, alongside maintaining the overall degree quality of our graduates. The Group has pioneered the introduction of an auditing policy across the School for all students at any stage of their education, whilst the Group is continually reflecting and revising practice to ensure institutional aims are delivered as effectively as possible. Over the coming year, further reforms to Module Review Board practice and leadership will be discussed.
Prior to these roles, my departmental responsibilities included a four year term as Politics' Undergraduate Curriculum Lead (2016-2020) whereby I worked with colleagues to oversee the reform and expansion of the undergraduate politics curriculum through embedding core components of Curriculum 2021 into our authentic assessments, global citizenship agenda, digital skills, enhancing student confidence, prioritising research led-teaching and digital skills across our existing and new module provision. I also completed a successful three year term as the Departmental Lead for Postgraduate Teaching (2019-2023) which included developing and acting as the Director of Studies for a new and highly popular MA in Political Science and International Relations. The popularity of the new MA programmes can be attributed to the design of new modules that places students first with innovative and professional teaching and assessment methods. I was also a member of the 'Politics Leadership Team' between 2019 and 2022 which acted as the forum for strategic decision making and planning. I have also acted as the Moderator for the Department of International Studies at XJTLU (2019-2024), and externally, I have acted as the Examiner for the Department of Politics at York St John (2018-2022).
I also regularly appear on national and international broadcast media such as BBC television/radio news to provide academically-led expert analyses of political events/controversies. My expertise is focused on British Politics, Conservatism, Labourism, Liberalism, and rhetoric/language. I have also researched and published on the rise of Reform UK, the decline of the SNP at Westminster, and political attitudes to social policy and mental health policy, amongst other areas. Within these areas I contribute expertise on political speeches, general election(s), local election(s), leadership styles, controversial moments (such as unscheduled reshuffles or resignations), and wider challenges facing parties and/or individual politicians. I have also contributed to national (eg - The Daily Express) & international (eg - Xinhua) print media within these areas of expertise. As such, I am more than happy to provide expert insights to national and international news organisations. Please email me directly or contact the University Media Office if you would like me to discuss booking me for an appearance.
Prizes or Honours
- Richard Rose Prize (Political Studies Association, 2017)
- Learning and Teaching Team Award (University of Liverpool, 2017)