Felicity Matthews

Professor Felicity Matthews is Head of School for the Department of Politics & International Relations and the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield. She specializes in the exercise of power in policy processes and relationships between government, parliament and citizens, with expertise in British politics, constitutional rules, and institutional norms.

Her research examines:

• Executive politics and public administration
• Parliamentary scrutiny mechanisms
• Constitutional change and democratic practices
• E-petitions systems and citizen engagement

Professor Matthews has held leadership roles including Director of the ESRC-funded White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (2022-2024) and co-editorship of Policy & Politics (2015-2020). She has received prestigious fellowships including ESRC Post Doctoral Fellowship and Leverhulme Fellowship. Her parliamentary work includes an ESRC-funded Academic Fellowship with the House of Commons Petitions Committee examining democratic engagement through e-petitions systems.

Her research has influenced parliamentary practice through advisory roles to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and Committee on Standards in Public Life. She has over 130 media appearances analyzing political events for outlets including BBC, ITV, and Washington Post.