Find Academic Supervisors

Timothy HildebrandtView profile

Associate Professor

• Social Policy
• Development
• NGOs
• +7 more

Dr. Timothy Hildebrandt is an Associate Professor of Social Policy and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His work focuses on social policy, development, NGOs, activism, and China studies. He teaches courses on NGOs, social policy, and social movements. Trained as a political scientist, his research examines how policies affect marginalized groups like LGBT communities and how NGOs address inequalities in policy processes. His expertise includes China, with comparative studies in Southeast Asia, Africa, the UK, and the US. Education: PhD in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Louisville and University of Southern California. Prior roles include staff at the Woodrow Wilson Center, managing editor of the China Environment Series, and teaching in China. Research Interests: NGOs, civil society, China's social policies, activism, public health (including HIV/AIDS), and the intersection of sexuality and policy. His work combines qualitative and quantitative methods, addressing real-world policy challenges. He has published widely in journals like China Quarterly and The China Quarterly. Roles: Executive Committee member of The China Quarterly editorial board, LSE-Fudan Research Centre governing council member, and editorial board member of Global Public Policy and Governance. He frequently serves as an expert witness in asylum cases and is a sought-after media commentator on China-related issues. Labs/Teams: Affiliated with LSE's Department of Social Policy, contributing to international collaborative research networks. His research often involves cross-national comparative analysis.

Clement ImbertView profile

Professor

• Development Economics
• Labour Economics
• Public Economics
• +4 more

Clement Imbert is a Full Professor of Economics at Sciences Po (Paris), holding positions since 2023. Previously, he served as a Full Professor (2022-2023), Associate Professor (2020-2022), and Assistant Professor (2015-2020) at the University of Warwick. His research focuses on development economics, labor markets, public policy, and political economy, with affiliations to CEPR, J-PAL, and BREAD. He holds a PhD in Economics from the Paris School of Economics (2012) and completed his education at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan (2003-2007). His research explores topics such as social program effectiveness, migration impacts, tax compliance, and governance reforms. Notable contributions include experimental studies on India’s employment guarantee schemes, tax compliance in Belgium, and urbanization effects in Ethiopia. He has received grants from institutions like the International Growth Center and the European Union, and his work appears in top journals like the American Economic Review and the Journal of Development Economics. Teaching: Development Economics, Policy Analysis, and Advanced Development Topics at Sciences Po and Warwick. Grants: Over £500K in funding for projects on migration, governance, and labor markets. Awards: Becker-Friedman Fellowships, Excellence in Refereeing (AER), and AMID/LSE Scholarship. Imbert advises PhD candidates and serves on editorial boards of leading journals. His work bridges theory and policy, addressing critical challenges in development and public economics.

Katarzyna Radzik-MaruszakView profile

Professor

• Public Administration
• Comparative Local Governance
• Local Co-governance
• +7 more

Katarzyna Radzik-Maruszak is a Professor in the Department of Public Administration at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS) in Lublin, Poland. She serves as both Director of the Institute of Political and Administrative Sciences and Head of the Department of Public Administration. She holds a habilitation degree (2019) and has led numerous national and international research projects, including those funded by the National Science Centre (NCN) and the German Research Foundation (DFG). PhD in Political Science, UMCS (2010) Habilitation in Political Science, UMCS (2019) LL.M. in Law, UMCS Her research focuses on comparative public administration, local governance, citizen participation, and sustainable urban development, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe and the Arctic. She has conducted extensive empirical research in countries such as Poland, Finland, the UK, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic. Her recent work explores participatory budgeting, advisory councils, and transnational cooperation in remote urban regions. She has published in journals such as Critical Policy Studies , Politics and Governance , and Studia Regionalne i Lokalne , and has co-authored a 2025 open-access monograph on sustainable urban development in the European Arctic. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong thematic focus on citizen engagement, local co-governance, and democratic innovation, with a methodological emphasis on qualitative research and comparative analysis. She investigates how local institutions evolve, how citizens participate in decision-making, and how governance models differ across national contexts. Award of the Minister of Education and Science (2021) First Prize in the Czesław Mojsiewicz Competition (2022) Multiple Rector’s Awards from UMCS for research and teaching First Prize for best doctoral dissertation from Wolters Kluwer Polska (2011) She has supervised and collaborated with numerous researchers and has led externally funded projects such as Ponad granicami (NCN OPUS-LAP, 2025–2027) on refugee integration and Milczący świadkowie (NCN OPUS, 2022–2025) on youth engagement in local governance. She has also contributed to transnational projects like SUDEA on sustainable development in the Arctic, funded by NCN and DFG. She is an active member of the Polish Political Science Association (PTNP), where she chairs the Public Administration Section, and serves on the editorial board of Ocean & Society . She has also served on expert panels for NAWA and the Polish Fulbright Commission. She is involved in several research teams and networks, including the SUDEA project team on Arctic urban development and collaborative governance research with scholars from Tampere, Prague, and other European institutions. She has participated in summer universities and Erasmus teaching missions across Central Europe.

Joan E. ChoView profile

Associate Professor

• Authoritarianism
• Democracy Studies
• Social Movements
• +3 more

Joan E. Cho is an Associate Professor (with tenure) of East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University, with a courtesy appointment in Government. She holds adjunct roles at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as a Non-Resident Fellow and at Yale University’s Council of East Asian Studies as an Associate-in-Research. She serves on the APSA Committee on the Status of Asian Pacific Americans in the Profession (2024-2027). Her education includes a Ph.D. and A.M. in Political Science from Harvard University’s Department of Government (2016), and a B.A. (cum laude with honors) in Political Science from the University of Rochester. Her research focuses on authoritarianism, democracy, and social movements in Korea and East Asia, with a current project on partisan polarization in the region. Her book Seeds of Mobilization (2024) explores South Korea’s democratization trajectory through industrialization and tertiary education. Her work has been published in journals like Electoral Studies and Journal of Democracy , and featured in media outlets such as the Washington Post and Nikkei Asia . Her research has been supported by grants from the Korea Foundation and the Academy of Korean Studies. She previously served as Vice President of the Association of Korean Political Studies (2022-2024) and held visiting fellowships at institutions including Korea University and Seoul National University.

Valentina CardoView profile

Associate Professor

• Political Communication
• Gender Politics
• Identity and Citizenship
• +4 more

Valentina Cardo serves as Associate Professor of Politics and Identity at the University of Southampton, holding multiple leadership positions including Faculty and Arts and Humanities Equality, Diversity and Inclusion co-lead, Winchester School of Art Director of Internationalisation, and Co-Director of the Centre for Democratic Futures (CDF). Her academic profile reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research at the intersection of political science, gender studies, and media analysis. Dr. Cardo's research expertise spans three interconnected strands: questions of power, identity and difference; the changing relationship between media and modes of political and civic agency; and the impact of digital technologies on traditional communication strategies. Her work consistently applies intersectional frameworks to analyze political representation, citizenship, and democratic processes, with recent publications focusing on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected political representation through gendered and intersectional lenses. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward increasingly interdisciplinary work that bridges political science with public health, medical research, and digital technology studies. Her scholarship demonstrates how intersectional methodologies can be productively applied across diverse fields, from analyzing social media's impact on political representation to examining gender bias in skeletal health research. Dr. Cardo actively supervises PhD students across multiple departments including Engineering & Environment, Design, and Fine Art, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of her work. She is affiliated with several research groups including the Institute for Life Sciences, The India Centre for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development, and the Centre for Democratic Futures. Her research portfolio includes significant projects such as 'Gendering Bone: Changing Policy through Public Engagement,' 'Pandemics: Covid, Obesity and Poverty in Public Health and Government Communications,' 'Belonging and Research Culture,' 'Understanding the Impact of Cultural Diversity and Internationalisation at the University of Southampton,' 'Centre for Democratic Futures (CDF): Communication Internship,' 'Irvine -Jazz as Social Machine,' and 'Intersectional Research Methodologies: Towards a Sustainable Post COVID 19 Future.'

Paolo SpadaView profile

Lecturer

• Democratic Innovations
• Governance
• Public Administration
• +3 more

Paolo Spada is a Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Southampton. He holds a PhD in Economics from Bologna University (2006) and a PhD in Political Science from Yale University (2012). His research focuses on governance and social innovations, particularly democratic innovations in public administration, parties, and organizations. He employs comparative methodologies, including large surveys, field experiments, and mixed-methods analysis. Current projects include the Horizon2020 PHOENIX initiative evaluating democratic innovations for the European Green Deal, alongside studies on digital participation platforms and randomized controlled trials. Spada teaches modules on comparative methods, democratic innovations, collective intelligence, research design, and randomized controlled trials at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His academic career includes fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School (2011-2013) and the University of British Columbia (2013-2015). He has contributed to projects like the Citizens’ Assemblies (2015-2016) and the Empatia and Scholio initiatives in Portugal and the UK. His external roles include reviewing for Horizon 2020 and speaking on collective intelligence at institutions like UM6P. Spada’s research spans global case studies in Brazil, the U.S., Cameroon, Iceland, Canada, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and the Czech Republic. His work emphasizes the diffusion and impact of participatory governance tools, blending empirical rigor with practical applications in policy design.

Sunniva Cristina Bragdø-EllenesView profile

Professor

• Administrative Law
• Comparative Administrative Law
• Child Welfare Law
• +3 more

Professor Sunniva Cristina Bragdø-Ellenes holds a Professorship in Administrative Law at the Department of Law, University of Agder (UiA). Her expertise spans administrative law, comparative administrative law, child welfare law, constitutional law, civil procedure, and legal cultures. She completed her PhD on 'Review of administrative decisions in Norway, Sweden and France' at the University of Oslo in 2009. Research & Teaching: Focuses on administrative law mechanisms, legal cultures, and comparative legal systems. Her work emphasizes Nordic legal traditions and cross-border legal comparisons. She advises on public sector legal reforms and chairs the Visual Artists' Aid Fund (2023–present) and the Council for Confidentiality and Research (2014–present). Key Publications: Includes Handbook on Legal Cultures (2023, Springer), Comparing Legal Cultures (2020, Fagbokforlaget), and articles on child welfare law, environmental administrative decisions, and competition law appeals. She has contributed to NOU policy reports on university law and competition boards. Awards & Recognition: While no specific awards are listed, her extensive advisory roles and prolific publication record highlight her influence in legal academia and policy-making. Grants & Labs: Engaged in research funded by UiA and external bodies like Oxford Research. Her work often intersects with policy implications, such as legal frameworks for universities and child welfare systems.

Anne MoreyView profile

Professor

• Film Studies
• Cultural Studies
• American Literature and Culture
• +3 more

Dr. Anne Morey is a Professor at Texas A&M University's College of Liberal Arts, specializing in film studies, cultural studies, and American literature. Her research focuses on American silent and early sound films, British film history, and the representation of women in early cinema. She has taught courses on film noir, women's cinema, and global film traditions. Education : Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 1998 M.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1993 A.B., Bryn Mawr College, 1983 Her work explores spatial metaphors in children's classical narratives, gender dynamics in film history, and the cultural impact of franchises like Twilight . Recent publications include Topologies of the Classical World in Children’s Fiction (2019) and Hollywood Outsiders (2003). Awards : 2013 Association of Former Students Teaching Award Her research also examines cultural institutions like the Junior Literary Guild and their role in shaping canonical works. She has contributed to film reviews and interdisciplinary analyses of media's societal impact.

• Political Ecology
• Natural Resource Politics
• Energy and Development
• +13 more

John Andrew McNeish is a Professor of International Environment and Development Studies at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Landscape and Society. His research explores the political ecology of natural resources, energy governance, indigenous rights, and the development-security nexus, primarily through long-term fieldwork in Latin America. His research interests include: Political ecology of extractivism and energy Indigenous sovereignty and legal pluralism Gender justice in development contexts Community-based policing and post-conflict reform The socio-political implications of low-carbon energy transitions Emerging governance challenges in outer space McNeish's recent publications reveal a consistent focus on legal innovations in environmental governance (e.g., rights of rivers), extractive conflicts, and community resistance in Latin America. His work increasingly draws parallels between terrestrial resource politics and emerging controversies in space infrastructure development. Key research projects he has led include: Contested Powers: Political Anthropology of Energy in Latin America (NFR) Empowered Futures: Global Research School on Low Carbon Energy Transition (NFR) Riverine Rights: Legal Innovations on the Rights of Rivers (NFR) Green Curses and Violent Conflicts: Renewable Energy in Africa (NFR) Community Based Policing and Post-Conflict Reform (EU Horizon 2020) He has extensive consultancy experience with NORAD, SIDA, the World Bank, and the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. McNeish holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of London and has held research and teaching positions at the University of Bergen, CMI, and international institutions including American University and FLACSO Guatemala. He is currently on a teaching break while serving as Vice-Dean for Research at NMBU.

Pedro Gabriel SilvaView profile

Assistant Professor

• Socio-Environmental Conflicts
• Environmental Justice
• Social Movements
• +2 more

Pedro Gabriel Silva is an Assistant Professor at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD). He holds a BA in Anthropology from ISCTE-IUL (1996), a DEA and PhD in Contemporary Studies from the University of Santiago de Compostela (2011), and a dual PhD in Social Work from ISCTE-IUL (Portugal) and the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) via co-tutelle (2023). His research focuses on socio-environmental conflicts, environmental justice, social movements, refugee reception policies, and the history of social work. He has conducted visiting research at UC Berkeley’s Institute of European Studies (2006) and the University of Roskilde’s Department of Environmental, Social & Spatial Change (2011). Education Highlights: B.A. Anthropology, ISCTE-IUL, 1996 DEA/PhD Contemporary Studies, University of Santiago de Compostela, 2011 PhD Social Work (co-tutelle), ISCTE-IUL & University of Jyväskylä, 2023 Key Research Projects (2013–2023): SYMBIOS: Demographic Crises & Livable Territories (Galician/EU, 2013–2017) MINECO: Mining Externalities in Iberia (Spanish Government, 2015–2017) PIMA: Environmental Monitoring Program (EDP, 2015–2022) INTEGRURAL: Rural Resilience Education (EU Erasmus+, 2021–2023) His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary social issues, emphasizing radical social work practices in revolutionary contexts and systemic challenges in refugee integration. He leads the Territorial Transitions & Wellbeing (T2WELL) research group, focusing on socio-ecological transitions in marginal regions. Key contributions include analyzing Portuguese social workers’ roles during the 1974 revolution, comparative studies on refugee policies in Portugal and Finland, and transnational social movement dynamics. His research often intersects with participatory methodologies and critical policy analysis.

• Belgian Federalism
• Political Reform
• Decentralization
• +3 more

Dave Sinardet is a Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) affiliated with the Centre for Democratic Futures. He specializes in Belgian federalism, political reform, and democratic participation. His research focuses on institutional reforms, public opinion dynamics, and the governance challenges in multilingual Belgium. His work includes analysis of federal-state relations, political party financing reforms, and participatory democracy mechanisms. Key projects include the 'Federalism and participatory democracy' initiative (2022-ongoing) and 'Deliberative participation on reform of political party financing' (2022-ongoing). Recipient of Expert de l'année (2019) Elected to Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts - Humanities Class (2023) Active in policy discussions through 38+ activities including expert talks on multilingualism in democracy (April 2024) and European election analyses (April 2024). Supervised 75 works including thesis on NGO social media strategies (2014). Engaged in cross-institutional collaborations like the VUB-UAntwerpen doctoral project (2023-2027).

• Political Science
• Media Studies
• Sociology
• +3 more

Maike Dinger is a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant at Bournemouth University, affiliated with the VOICES research group. Her work focuses on political communication, media studies, and cultural policy, with a particular emphasis on discourse analysis and public participation in political processes. Her research has explored themes such as the Scottish independence referendum, media representations of political movements, and the role of public transport in fostering community cohesion. She completed her PhD at the University of Stirling in 2024. Dinger's publications span interdisciplinary topics including visual political communication, cultural regeneration, and public policy. While her recent work addresses political discourse and socioeconomic factors, no scientific awards or honors are mentioned in the provided texts.

• Social Inequality
• Gender Studies
• Social Class
• +3 more

Cristina Sanchez Miret is a Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Girona , where she has been a faculty member since 1995. She serves as Director of the Department of Business (2018–present), a member of the Strategic Plan Working Group UdG 2030 (2019–present), and the Gender and Diversity Coordinator at the Faculty of Economics (2020–present). Her research focuses on social inequality, gender, class, and participatory democracy. Department of Business, University of Girona IGESI Research Group (Gender and Social Inequalities) ARPA Research Group (Audiovisual Media Analysis) Her work spans gender-based violence prevention, linguistic sociology, and participatory budgeting. She collaborates with advisory councils in Catalonia and Barcelona, contributes to media outlets like El Nacional and TV3, and has led research projects such as SOL.NET and Temps Retrobat . She holds a PhD in Sociology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (1994). Key Research Themes: Intersectionality of gender, class, and social inequality Impact of digital technologies on violence Participatory democracy and policy reform Linguistic usage patterns in Catalonia

Yoon PakView profile

Professor

• History of Intercultural Education
• Asian American Education
• Systemic Racism in Education
• +3 more

Yoon Pak is a Professor in the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with concurrent appointments in Asian American Studies and the Center for Global Studies. She specializes in the history of American education, focusing on racial minorities and immigrant groups, particularly Asian Americans. Education Policy, Organization and Leadership , University of Illinois Asian American Studies , University of Illinois Center for Global Studies , University of Illinois Research Interests: Her research examines intercultural education from the 1930s-1950s, Asian American education history, and systemic racism in educational systems. Past work includes analysis of Japanese American schooling during WWII incarceration. Teaching: Pak teaches courses on Asian American education, diversity and equity, thesis seminars, and general/special field research seminars for doctoral students. Scientific Awards: Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (TEAACH) Act Grant (2022) Publications: Her recent work spans topics including cultural wars in education, online graduate student engagement, social justice in literature instruction, and systemic racism critiques. She also contributes to editorial work as an associate editor for the History of Education Quarterly. Service & Leadership: She serves as Head of the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership and mentors doctoral students through thesis development processes.

Debbie BecherView profile

Associate Professor

• Sociology of Law
• Economic Sociology
• Urban Sociology
• +7 more

Debbie Becher is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Barnard College, Columbia University, with a research focus at the intersection of economic sociology, the sociology of law, and urban and rural sociology. She is affiliated with the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP) and the Barnard Center for Research on Women, and teaches courses in law and society, urban inequality, social theory, and social justice. Her research centers on private property, particularly the social and institutional dynamics of land ownership, eminent domain, and resource extraction. She explores how property rights are constructed, contested, and valued in both urban and rural contexts, emphasizing the role of emotional, financial, and cognitive investment in shaping property claims. Author of Private Property and Public Power: Eminent Domain in Philadelphia (Oxford University Press, 2014) Current book project: A Fractured Nation (under contract with Oxford University Press), examining property rights in oil extraction zones in the Northern Plains Research investigates how institutions enforce a 'logic of investment' in property, shaping legitimacy and claims of injustice Focus on how power imbalances and uncertainty affect property negotiations in energy development Her recent publications analyze land inequalities, property and identity, race in eminent domain, and the valuation politics of privatization. The articles reflect a consistent engagement with legal institutions, social justice, and the lived experience of property. Zelizer Award for Best Book in Economic Sociology (2016, Co-Winner) Hart Socio-Legal Prize for Early Career Academics (2015) National Science Foundation Grant (2015) Visiting Scholar, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2009–10) Fellow, Brookings Institution, AAUW, Princeton University programs Debbie Becher has advised numerous students and contributed to public discourse through interviews, podcasts, and book reviews. Her work is supported by competitive grants and fellowships, reflecting its interdisciplinary reach and scholarly impact. She is actively engaged in mentoring and public sociology, connecting academic research to broader social issues. She is involved in interdisciplinary research teams through ISERP and the Barnard Center for Research on Women, contributing to collaborative projects on urban citizenship, social inequality, and legal sociology.