Richard McMahon

Dr. Richard McMahon is a Lecturer in EU Politics at the Department of Political Science, University College London (UCL). He specializes in the intersection of political narratives, cultural identity, and European integration. His research focuses on how conceptualizations of Europe and national identities shape political dynamics, with current emphasis on China-EU mutual representations. Previously, he held roles at the University of Portsmouth, University College Cork, and others. McMahon earned his PhD in History and Civilisation from the European University Institute, analyzing transnational race scientists' efforts to classify Europeans by race.

His research spans EU narratives, counter-narratives in populist politics, and the historical context of race classification. Recent work includes co-editing special issues on EU narratives and Chinese-EU relations. He has taught widely across institutions, covering EU studies, international law, and cultural studies. McMahon's interdisciplinary approach bridges political science, history, and anthropology, addressing topics like Brexit, enlargement, and transnational scientific networks.

Publications include monographs such as The Races of Europe: Construction of National Identities in the Social Sciences, 1839-1939 and edited volumes on transnational power struggles and European integration narratives. His work frequently appears in journals like Journal of Contemporary European Studies and European Societies.