Dr John Stanton is a Reader in Law at City St George's, University of London, with a focus on Constitutional Law and Comparative Constitutional Law. He has held academic roles since 2010, previously at Kingston University and City University, and is a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Malta since 2018. PhD in Law (Kingston University London, 2010) LLB Law (University of Surrey, 2007) His research spans Maltese constitutional history , local government dynamics , democracy , and central-local relations . Recent projects include Law, Localism and the Constitution (2023) and co-editing The Constitution of Malta at Sixty (2024). John’s publications and conference presentations (e.g., at Melbourne and Texas) address themes like constitutional decay , autocracy , and democratic resilience . He contributes to journals such as Legal Studies , Public Law , and Environmental Law Review . Learning Enhancement Award for Teaching (2017) Fellow, Higher Education Academy He testified before the UK Parliament on devolution and is active in the Society of Legal Scholars , UK Constitutional Law Association , and the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple .
Hasan Dindjer is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Law and the Blanesburgh Fellow and Tutor in Law at Balliol College. His research focuses on public law, philosophy of law, and related areas of moral and political philosophy. He has specialized in administrative law standards, particularly the 'reasonableness' standard, and has engaged with foundational questions in legal positivism. Education: BA and BCL (New College, Oxford) LLM (Harvard Law School, as a Fulbright Scholar) Previously served as Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford Research Interests: Public Law and Administrative Law Standards Philosophy of Law and Legal Positivism Moral and Political Philosophy in Legal Contexts Publications: Over a decade of scholarship includes journal articles, book chapters, and blog posts analyzing administrative law theory, constitutional principles, and debates over legal positivism. Recent work includes contributions to Modern Law Review and Legal Theory . Affiliations: Member of the Jurisprudence in Oxford Research Group and actively involved with blogs like the UK Constitutional Law Blog and ICONnect.
Professor Gabrielle Lynch is a leading scholar in Comparative Politics and African Studies at the University of Warwick. She holds the academic rank of Professor and serves as PAIS Impact Director, Comparative Politics cluster lead, and Warwick UCU Equalities Officer. Her research focuses on ethnic identities, elections, transitional justice, and social media's role in African politics. Lynch earned her BA, MPhil, and DPhil from the University of Oxford. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda, supported by grants from the ESRC, Warwick Policy Support Fund, and others. Her awards include the ESRC Award for Outstanding International Impact (2019) and the Market Research Society’s President’s Medal. Lynch is editor of African Affairs and a member of the African Studies Association of the UK and British Institute in Eastern Africa. Lynch’s work bridges academia and public engagement, including columns in The Saturday Nation and The East African . She founded the African Judiciaries Research Network and co-authored influential books like Performances of Injustices and The Moral Economy of Elections in Africa . Her research emphasizes democratization challenges, electoral integrity, and the intersection of technology and politics in Africa.
Dr. Heidi Ashton is an Associate Professor in Cultural and Creative Ecologies at the University of Warwick's Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies (CCMPS). She holds a concurrent role as a global research fellow at the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC). Her work bridges academic research with practical insights from over 25 years of experience as a freelance dancer, choreographer, and producer across global creative sectors. Key affiliations include Director of Education for SCAPVC and external PhD evaluator at Bahria University, Pakistan. Research interests focus on freelance workers' rights within creative industries, social security access, and policy impacts on arts education and cultural participation. Notable projects include collaborations with Equity Union on social security challenges and with Prof. Prue Huddleston on arts education policy. Her work has influenced UK policy debates, including House of Lords citations and Guardian features. Teaching responsibilities span undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including modules on creative industry workplaces and policy analysis. Current PhD supervision explores cultural policy-labour dynamics and digital platforms' role in creative work. Recent projects include the 'Urban Village' community arts initiative in Coventry and pandemic impact studies on cultural sectors. Publications address freelance worker vulnerabilities, comparative cultural policies (e.g., UK vs USA), and educational apartheid critiques. Her 2024 co-authored 'State of the Arts' report provides a UK-wide cultural sector health check, presented to DCMS officials and arts leaders.
Dr Andrew Hoolachan is a Lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Glasgow's School of Social and Political Sciences. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, an MSc from UCL, and an MA from the University of St Andrews. His research focuses on urban governance, sustainability, and political ecology, particularly exploring localism, devolution, and scalar politics in UK cities. He has conducted fieldwork in East London examining the Localism Act's impact on sustainable urban development and the Olympic Legacy. His methodological expertise includes visual and digital methods, policy analysis, and urban political ecology frameworks. Theoretical interests span scale constructions, cultural geographies, and phenomenology. He is affiliated with the Socio-Environmental Action and Place & Built Environment research groups. Recent outputs include studies on urban flood resilience, housing retrofitting, and walking-based pedagogy. His work bridges academic research with policy practice, contributing to reports for institutions like the Royal Town Planning Institute and the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence. He teaches modules on spatial planning strategies and urban economics, emphasizing experiential learning approaches.
Professor Aileen Mcharg is a leading academic in Public Law and Human Rights, holding a professorship at Durham Law School since 2019. Previously, she held chairs at Strathclyde, Glasgow, and Bristol Universities. Her research focuses on UK and Scottish constitutional law, devolution, and administrative law. She co-edits Public Law and serves on committees like the UK Constitutional Monitoring Group and the Scottish Government’s Expert Panel on Environmental Charges. Her research interests emphasize the UK’s territorial constitution, devolution dynamics, and Brexit’s legal implications. Notable contributions include analyses of the Miller Case, the Sewel Convention, and the UK Internal Market Act 2020. She frequently engages in interdisciplinary work, exploring energy law and policy post-Brexit. Recent publications include Constitutional change and territorial consent: The Miller Case and the Sewel Convention (2024) and The Silence of Constitutions (2024). She also contributes to blogs and journals on topics like the 2024 UK General Election’s constitutional implications and Scottish independence pathways. Her esteem indicators include roles as Research Excellence Framework panel member (2020), co-chair of the British-Irish Chapter of the International Society of Public Law (2018), and editorial board positions for Public Law and Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law . Professor Mcharg advises PhD students and collaborates on grants exploring devolution, Brexit, and constitutional resilience. She is affiliated with Durham’s legal research networks and contributes to interdisciplinary projects on energy policy and constitutional futures.
Deborah M. Weissman is the Reef C. Ivey II Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law. Her work focuses on domestic violence, gender and human rights, political economy, and critical legal theory. She has published extensively on intersections between law, social control, and marginalized communities. Research Interests: Her scholarship examines the political economy of gender-based violence, neoliberalism's impact on legal advocacy, and the criminalization of survivors. She advocates for community-driven legal reforms and human rights frameworks. Collaborations: Weissman frequently collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and institutions like the University of Miami School of Law, Syracuse University, and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Scientific Awards: Reef C. Ivey II Distinguished Professor of Law Recent Publications: Highlights include analyses of lifelong criminalization of gender violence survivors (2025), economic justice in domestic violence policy (2023), and critiques of carceral systems (2021). Her work spans journals like Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy and North Carolina Law Review .
Professor Patrick Diamond is a leading academic in Public Policy at Queen Mary University of London's School of Politics and International Relations. He holds a BA, MPhil from Cambridge, and a PhD from Sheffield. His work focuses on UK productivity, regional inequality, governance structures, and social democratic ideologies. He has held senior roles in UK government, including Head of Policy Planning in Downing Street, and has been a Local Councillor in Southwark. Currently, he chairs Policy Network, advises international organizations, and serves on boards of think-tanks and trusts. His research explores policy advisory systems, Brexit impacts, and Labour Party evolution. He has authored over 20 books and numerous articles, including seminal works on British political history and governance reform. He has secured significant research funding from ESRC, Research England, and others. Educational Background: BA, MPhil (Cambridge); PhD (Sheffield). Research Interests: UK productivity, regional inequality, comparative governance, policy advisory systems, Northern Ireland governance, social democracy, and British Labour Party dynamics. He has led projects on English governance post-Brexit, well-being mapping in London, and economic change in East London. Awards and Grants: ESRC Productivity Institute grant (2022-25), Research England Impact Fund (2023-24), multiple ESRC Impact Acceleration Awards. Fellowships include Visiting Fellow at Kellogg College (Oxford), Policy Fellow at the Ministry of Justice Strategy Unit, and Academy of Social Sciences membership. Students and Supervision: Supervised PhD candidates including Matthew Lloyd, Fathima Sulaiman, and Karl Pike, focusing on British politics, governance, and policy analysis. Active in mentoring doctoral research on political leadership and spatial policy. Public Engagement: Advises international bodies like the Latin American Development Bank and Humana International. Serves on boards of Dartington Service Design Lab and Prisoners’ Education Trust. Regularly contributes to media outlets including BBC Radio 4, Guardian, and Financial Times.
Professor Richard Rawlings FBA FLSW is Professor of Public Law at University College London and Senior Fellow at Melbourne Law School. A leading scholar in public law, his work spans constitutional implications of regulatory states, devolution dynamics, and EU administrative procedures. Research examines legal aspects of territorial governance, administrative justice systems, and regulatory enforcement. Authored influential texts including 'Law and Administration' and 'Delineating Wales'. Served as Legal Adviser to UK House of Lords Constitution Committee and on multiple government law reform bodies.
Dillon Newton is a Research Fellow at the School of Human and Health Sciences , University of Huddersfield, and a member of the Centre for Applied Research in Health . His work focuses on interdisciplinary research in social policy, addressing contemporary societal challenges through policy and practice responses. Joined University of Huddersfield in 2020 PhD from University of Salford's Sustainable Housing & Urban Studies Unit Active in research commissioned by UK government, local authorities, and NGOs Research Interests include: Migration : Integration of international nurses, pandemic impacts on healthcare workforce Housing : Housing quality, homelessness, pandemic-related mental health effects Social Inequalities : Devolution, community health outcomes in Northern England Regional Food Systems : Food security and policy intersections Article Trends highlight interdisciplinary work across Public Health , Social Policy , and Migration Studies , with a focus on acculturation , pandemic effects , and structural equation modelling . Scientific Metrics : Scopus h-index: 125 Google Scholar h-index: 6 (from 69 citations) Advising : Accepting PhD students in areas related to migration, housing, and social policy. Collaborates with institutions like University of Salford and University of Huddersfield on grants from UK government departments and charities. Labs & Teams : Collaborates with the Centre for Applied Research in Health and Sustainable Housing & Urban Studies Unit. External collaborations span countries including Nepal, New Zealand, and England.
Professor Anne Keegan is a Full Professor of International Human Resource Management at University College Dublin (UCD), leading the HRM and Employment Relations Group within the School of Business. She previously held roles at the Amsterdam Business School and Erasmus University Rotterdam, and completed her PhD at Trinity College Dublin. Her research focuses on HRM in online labor platforms, gig economies, project-based organizations, and institutional/paradox theories. Education: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Trinity College Dublin Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), Trinity College Dublin Research Interests: HRM in digital labor platforms and gig economies Institutional complexity and paradox theory applications HR practices in project-based organizations Career dynamics in non-traditional work environments Awards: EGOS Award in Honour of Max Boisot (2014) Van der Schroeff Award for Best Lecturer (2013) Professional Activities: Editorial Board roles for International Journal of Human Resource Management and International Journal of Project Management Committee memberships: UCD Academic Council, Faculty Promotions Committee, Widening Participation initiatives Keynote speaker at NEON Annual Conference (2019) Grants: UCD School Funded Research Account (2024-2027) Labs/Teams: Leading research on algorithmic management, platform ecosystems, and gig economy ethics through collaborative international projects.
Dr. Jeffrey Morgan is a Researcher at Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences, specializing in multidisciplinary research at the intersection of computer science, social science, and geography. His work emphasizes human-computer interaction, visualization, and big data analytics. He holds a Research Software Engineer role, combining technical expertise with academic inquiry. Key research interests include AI-driven patent analysis, IoT applications in rural citizen science, and geospatial Twitter demographics. He has contributed to studies on Hadoop infrastructure optimization and social media conflict detection, often collaborating with institutions like Xiamen University and the University of Bremen. His publications span topics like energy-efficient big data processing, digital geography of Welsh identity, and scalable social media analysis frameworks. Notable projects include COSMOS (a cloud-based social media analysis platform) and studies on post-devolution cultural narratives in Wales. Award-winning work includes computational Twitter analysis for detecting online community tensions and geotagging behavior patterns. His research often bridges technical innovation with societal impact, addressing challenges in rural technology deployment and digital sociology.
Professor John Bone is a Personal Chair in the Department of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen, School of Social Science. His work bridges sociology, political economy, neuroscience, and environmental policy, with a strong focus on just transitions, social well-being, and the biosocial impacts of contemporary capitalism. PhD in Sociology, University of Aberdeen (2004) MA Hons in Sociology, University of Aberdeen (1998) John Bone’s research centers on political economy, social and biosocial theory, and energy justice. He has developed an original biosocial framework known as the 'social map' to analyze how human biological capacities interact with social structures, affecting identity, health, and cohesion. His recent book, The Great Decline (2024), critiques the psychological and societal harms of hyper-mediated, neoliberal societies and warns of unpreparedness for AI and climate change. His empirical work examines energy transitions, particularly in Aberdeen, where he leads the Aberdeen Just Transitions Lab. His recent publications span interdisciplinary themes in just transition, climate governance, and social theory. Key trends include the development of metrics for equitable energy transitions, stakeholder engagement in nuclear decommissioning, and the role of deliberative democracy in climate assemblies. His work frequently addresses regional policy, social inequality, and the psychological impacts of economic precarity. Philip Abrams Memorial Prize 2007 (Joint Winner, Best First Book in Sociology) John Bone has supervised numerous PhD students, including David Magee, Karen Lumsden, and Lorna Watson. He has been a co-applicant on major grants such as UKRI’s Just-Systems project (£5.7M) and NIHR’s Aberdeen Health Determinants Research Collaborative (£1.3M). His leadership roles include Head of Department (2013–2019), Social Science Enterprise Champion, and Coordinator of the Aberdeen Just Transitions Lab. He has also served as Chair of the British Sociological Association (2018–2021). He leads the Aberdeen Just Transitions Lab and collaborates with the Aberdeen Health Determinants Research Centre. His research teams engage with policymakers, NGOs, and community groups, including Aberdeen City Council, NHS Grampian, and the Just Transition Commission, to ensure research has real-world impact on policy and social equity.
Ahmad Al-Hiari is a Lecturer in Leadership and Management at De Montfort University (DMU), affiliated with the Leicester Castle Business School within the Faculty of Business and Law. He also holds a Visiting Research Fellow position at the Centre for the Study of Corruption, University of Sussex. He plays a key leadership role at DMU as Chair of the Staff Assembly and founder of the DMU Policy Unit, an academic-led network designed to mobilize research for urgent policy challenges such as post-crisis recovery and evidence-based policing. PhD in Public Sector Governance, De Montfort University (2018–2022) MA Housing, Development & Urban Management, Leeds Beckett University (2017–2018) BSc Architecture, German-Jordanian University (2011–2017) Ahmad’s research centers on public governance, policy transfer, and anti-corruption, with a regional focus on the Middle East. He investigates how informal practices like Wasta challenge Western governance models and explores the effectiveness of decentralization and collaborative governance in Jordan. His methodological expertise lies in elite interviewing with senior policymakers, enabling deep insights into administrative reform and political stewardship. His recent publications and ongoing projects reflect a strong trend in policy-relevant research, particularly in corruption, informal governance, and crisis-responsive policy frameworks such as CRISP and RCFP. His work bridges academic rigor with real-world policy impact, especially in international anti-corruption and post-conflict recovery contexts. Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) Fellow of The Institute of Leadership (FIoL) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIHCM) Certified Management & Business Educator (CMBE) Ahmad actively supervises postgraduate research and has led several funded projects, including a Knowledge Exchange Policy Fellowship from Research England to support anti-corruption policy development in Jordan. He has organized high-level policy conferences attended by ambassadors and ministers. He leads the DMU Policy Unit and is involved in initiatives like the Society of Evidence-Based Policing and the Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN). His work emphasizes building sustainable, responsive research-policy partnerships across sectors and borders.
Professor Jonathan Murray is a Personal Chair of Film Theory, History, and Criticism at the School of Design , University of Edinburgh . As a renowned scholar in Scottish and British cinemas, he co-edits the Journal of British Cinema and Television and contributes to Cineaste . Active in film festivals as a host and curator, he has influenced both academic and public engagement with cinema. PhD and MA in Film and Television Studies and Scottish History, University of Glasgow Research Interests : Jonathan specializes in contemporary Scottish and British cinemas, focusing on cultural identity, adaptation, and espionage themes. His work bridges academic criticism with public discourse, emphasizing animation, documentary, and historical analysis. He explores intersections of film with popular music, design, and societal narratives. Article Trends : His recent publications highlight European cinematic duality, American adaptations, and Scottish cultural heritage. Themes span from Martin Scorsese’s ethical storytelling to Agnieszka Holland’s political narratives and Scottish film’s evolution from Whisky Galore! to Trainspotting . Scientific Awards : 2016 BAFTSS Best Monograph Award 2017 BAFTSS Best Journal Article Award (Shortlisted) 2018 BAFTSS Best Journal Article Award 2019 BAFTSS Best Journal Article Award Supervision : He supervises PhD students Dan Castro and Nelson Correia. His editorial leadership and festival involvement underscore his commitment to advancing film scholarship and practice.
