Mick Finlay

Professor Mick Finlay is a Professor of Social and Applied Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), affiliated with the School of Psychology, Sport and Sensory Science within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He leads the Empowerment and Social Justice Research Group at the ARU Centre for Societies and Groups. His research focuses on political communication, group conflict, and intellectual disabilities, with notable work on intergroup relations, hate speech, and empowerment strategies for marginalized communities. He holds a PhD in Psychology and an MSc in Social Psychology.

Research interests include conflict between groups (e.g., hate speech, political discourse), intellectual disabilities (communication, identity, support), and applied social psychology in complex environments. His recent projects include a UNDP-funded study on transitional justice in The Gambia’s witch-hunt aftermath. He has published extensively in journals like British Journal of Social Psychology and Sociology of Health & Illness, and serves as an Associate Editor for the British Journal of Social Psychology.

Finlay has supervised five PhD students to completion and is actively involved in teaching modules on group conflict and qualitative research methods. He has received the Fellow of the Higher Education Academy award, recognizing his contributions to teaching excellence. His work bridges academic research with practical applications, including consultancies for organizations like the NHS and HM Government.