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Katherine Brickell is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), where she serves as Research Lead for the Department of Geography. She is editor of the journal Gender, Place and Culture and former Chair of the RGS-IBG Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group. Her work spans social, political, development, urban and legal geography with a feminist orientation. Brickell's research centers on three interconnected themes: home and home unmaking, labor precarity, and feminist legal geographies. Her longstanding interest in the domestic sphere and home unmaking aims to reaffirm the home as a political entity. Her monograph Home SOS: Gender, Violence and Survival in Crisis Ordinary Cambodia brings together 15 years of research on domestic violence and forced eviction. Since 2017, she has conducted collaborative work in London and Dublin on modular housing for homeless families. She has also led significant research on labor conditions in Cambodia, including the ESRC-DFID funded 'Blood Bricks' project (2016-2019) studying climate change impacts on rural families migrating to brick kilns. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on debt, microfinance, and climate vulnerability in Cambodia, with multiple 2022-2024 articles examining how over-indebtedness intersects with social reproduction and climate adaptation. Her work consistently applies feminist lenses to understand spatial dimensions of power, particularly in Southeast Asia. Brickell has published in top journals including Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers , Progress in Human Geography , Antipode , and Annals of the American Association of Geographers . Gill Memorial Award (2014) Philip Leverhulme Prize (2016) Times Higher Education Research Project of the Year (2020) Brickell has supervised numerous doctoral students and mentored postdoctoral fellows working on topics including remittances during COVID-19, climate mobilities, moral geographies of garment work, and women's experiences with domestic violence. Her research has been funded by ESRC-DFID, UKRI GCRF, and the Urban Studies Foundation, among others. She collaborates extensively with colleagues in Cambodia and across Europe, with current projects examining climate resilience, credit-taking, and nutrition in Cambodia and South India, as well as the economic impacts of the pandemic on Cambodian garment workers.

• Social Geography
• Cultural Geography
• Historical Geography
• +10 more

Patricia M. Thornton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) at the University of Oxford and a Fellow and Tutor in Politics at Merton College. She specializes in Chinese politics, focusing on state-society interactions, authoritarian governance, and the legacies of the Cultural Revolution. Her research explores institutions, practices, and networks shaping governance in China, including works like *Disciplining the State* (2007) and *Red Shadows* (2017). She has held leadership roles at Oxford, including Chair of the Sub-Faculty of Politics and International Relations, and served on editorial boards such as *The China Quarterly*. Her work addresses contemporary challenges like authoritarian resilience, social control mechanisms, and political dissent. Research Interests: - State formation and governance in China - Authoritarian political systems - Memory and legacies of the Cultural Revolution - Party-state dynamics and social movements - Comparative political institutions Publications highlight themes like economic governance, social movements, and policy implementation. She has supervised numerous PhD students, many now leading academics in Asia-Pacific studies. Her contributions to understanding China’s political evolution are complemented by media commentary on current events, including analysis of Xi Jinping’s governance strategies and societal trends. Awards: Merton College Fellowship Key Projects: Edited *To Govern China* (2017) and *Red Shadows* (2017)

• Chinese Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Political Sociology
• +4 more

Dr. Mark B. Smith is an Associate Professor in Modern European History at the University of Cambridge’s Department of History. His research focuses on Soviet and European history, particularly the Soviet Union’s social structures, welfare policies, urban development, and cultural dynamics from Stalinism through late socialism. He teaches courses on welfare states, Soviet life, and 20th-century European violence. Key research areas include Soviet urban housing programs, welfare state evolution, and Cold War-era cultural exchanges. His publications analyze topics like Khrushchev’s housing reforms, post-Stalin urban welfare systems, and Soviet pension policies. Smith has co-edited special issues on European urban societies and authored books such as *The Russia Anxiety* (2019) and the forthcoming *Exit Stalin* (2026). He advises doctoral students on Soviet history, welfare states, and Cold War topics. His work bridges legal history, social policy analysis, and cultural studies, emphasizing how everyday life reflected broader ideological and structural changes in Soviet society.

• Modern European History
• Soviet Union History
• Social Welfare
• +7 more

Dr. Doyle D. Calhoun serves as University Assistant Professor of Francophone Postcolonial Studies within the Department of French at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge, where he is also a Fellow of Peterhouse College. His scholarly profile spans African and Caribbean literary studies, cinema analysis, and historical sociolinguistics with a focus on resistance narratives. His educational trajectory includes a Ph.D. in French from Yale University (2022), an M.A. in Linguistics from KU Leuven, and undergraduate studies in Linguistics and French Literature at Boston College. Additional academic development occurred through residencies at Fondation Camargo (Cassis) and Bibliothèque Marmottan (Paris). Calhoun’s research centers on Francophone postcolonial resistance, particularly suicidal acts against French colonialism as documented in The Suicide Archive (2024). His work excavates silenced histories of Atlantic slavery, abolition movements, and Négritude philosophy through literary and cinematic archives, emphasizing Senegalese and Caribbean contexts. He explores how contemporary writers reconstruct erased narratives of enslaved resistance through transmedia practices. His recent publications reveal a methodological convergence between literary analysis, historical recovery, and decolonial theory. Articles frequently address archival silences in colonial documentation while examining how contemporary artists reimagine resistance through linguistic innovation, cinematic storytelling, and embodied protest. Key thematic clusters include the weaponization of silence, subversive uses of missionary linguistics, and the politics of memory in postcolonial contexts. 2024 Malcolm Bowie Prize (Society for French Studies) 2024 William R. Parker Prize (Modern Language Association) 2021 Ralph Cohen Prize (New Literary History) 2016 Vivien Law Prize (Henry Sweet Society) Calhoun actively mentors graduate students in African/Caribbean literatures and cinema studies, with current projects including Africa after 1848 and Florence . His grant history features academic residencies at Fondation Camargo and Bibliothèque Marmottan, alongside a 2021 scholarship from the latter institution. Public engagement includes the 2025 La Noire de... film symposium and contributions to Los Angeles Review of Books and Salon . He contributes to the Cambridge Language Collective and Polyglossia Magazine while organizing events through Peterhouse. His 2025 podcast appearances on Stegi Radio and New Books Network demonstrate active knowledge dissemination beyond traditional academic channels.

• Francophone Postcolonial Studies
• African Literature
• Caribbean Literature
• +5 more

Professor Beatrice Heuser is a distinguished academic in the Department of Politics within the School of Social & Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow. Her career spans multiple prestigious institutions across Europe, including King's College London, University of Reading, and visiting professorships at Sciences Po Paris, Bundeswehr University Munich, and MGIMO. She maintains significant affiliations with major strategic research institutes including Chatham House, RUSI, IFRI, and IRSEM. Education: BA from Bedford College London, MA from LSE, DPhil from Oxford (St Antony's/St John's), Habilitation from University of Marburg Professional Experience: Former Director of Studies at German Bundeswehr's military history research office, NATO Headquarters consultant, and extensive teaching across European institutions Her research centers on strategic studies with particular focus on the cultural dimensions of warfare, nuclear strategy, and the historical evolution of strategic thought. Key research areas include strategic culture, military exercises as political instruments, laws of war development, and European defense policy. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary security challenges, examining how cultural narratives shape strategic decision-making from antiquity to the nuclear age. Professor Heuser's recent publications demonstrate consistent scholarly output across strategic theory, military history, and contemporary security issues. Her work shows particular emphasis on the conceptual foundations of strategic culture, historical analysis of warfare evolution, and practical applications to modern security challenges including nuclear deterrence and asymmetric warfare. The interdisciplinary nature of her research connects political theory, historical analysis, and security studies. She actively supervises graduate students in strategic theory, nuclear strategy, insurgency studies, and defense policy-making within NATO/EU contexts. Her teaching portfolio includes War and International Relations, Defense Policy, and Strategic Theory courses.

• Strategic Studies
• War Theory
• Nuclear Strategy
• +7 more

Professor Adam Yuet Chau is a Fellow and Director of Studies at St John's College and holds the Professor of the Anthropology of China position at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge . His academic journey includes training at Stanford University (PhD in Anthropology, 2001) and teaching roles at Oxford and SOAS before joining Cambridge in 2008. Focus on Chinese religions and their social dimensions Specializes in ritual theory and cultural transformations Develops comparative frameworks for understanding religious practices His research spans religion under socialism , hosting in political/religious contexts , and ritual polytropy . Recent projects include editing Chinese Religious Culture in 100 Objects and analyzing 'spheres' (界) in Chinese society . Publications like Miraculous Response (2006) and Religion in Contemporary China (2011) establish him as a key figure in religious anthropology. Current and past PhD/MPhil students explore topics from temple festivals in Taiwan to religious subjectification . He actively reviews for leading presses (Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard) and journals ( Ethnos , Modern China ), and participates in international academic workshops.

• Chinese Religion and Ritual
• Ritual Theory
• State-Society Relations
• +7 more

Akanksha Mehta is a Lecturer in Gender, Race and Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London , where she co-directs the Centre for Feminist Research. She joined Goldsmiths in September 2018 after lecturing at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex (2016-2018). Research Focus: Intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and everyday politics/violence; affective and material structures in nationalist movements; decolonial pedagogies. Key Projects: Co-founded the 'Mind the BAME Gap' initiative at Sussex; ongoing book project on right-wing women's mobilizations. Recognition: Recipient of the EISA Best Dissertation Award (2018) and Rachel Tanur Memorial Prize (2016). Publication Trends: Her work spans feminist critiques of Hindutva, queer rights in post-377 India, ethnographic analyses of right-wing women, and decolonial pedagogical frameworks. Recent outputs engage with racial justice in universities, affect theory, and visual sociology. Scientific Awards: Best Dissertation Award, EISA (2018) Rachel Tanur Memorial Prize, ISA (2016) Collaborative Work: Engages with decolonial visual practices, collective complaint mechanisms in academia, and intergenerational feminist dialogues through the podcast 'The F Less Travelled'.

• Gender Studies
• Cultural Studies
• Feminist Theory
• +4 more

Professor Stephen Chan is a faculty member at SOAS University of London in the Department of Politics and International Studies (POL) . With a focus on African political thought and international relations, his work critically examines postcolonialism, decoloniality, and global governance. Key research themes include: Decolonizing international relations theory Sino-African political dynamics Election observation and democratic processes Non-Western cosmopolitanism Comparative diplomatic practices His recent publications analyze the ideological ambiguity of decoloniality (2023), pluralist visions for global security (2017), and the legacy of African liberation movements (2021). He has advised multiple theses on topics ranging from parliamentary governance in Kenya/Zimbabwe to China-Africa media interactions. Notably: Critiqued the misuse of 'decoloniality' as ideological rhetoric (2023) Authored a poetic autobiography of political engagement (2022) Traced Africa's intellectual history of freedom (2021) Examined Zimbabwean elections (2017) Explored non-Western modernity (2018)

• African Political Thought
• International Relations
• Decoloniality
• +4 more

Professor Benjamin Ziemann of the University of Sheffield , holds a Ph.D. and Habilitation from German institutions. His research spans Modern German History, with a focus on the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany , labor movements, and anti-nuclear pacifism . He has received grants from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation , British Academy , and others. His work includes a definitive biography of Martin Niemöller , analyzing themes like antisemitism , nationalism , and postwar moral reckoning . He has authored and edited seminal texts such as The Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic and co-edits journals like Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft . Research Interests : Social history of German workers in WWI, Weimar/Nazi political culture, religious movements. Teaching : Imperial Germany (1871-1918), Weimar Republic, Gender and Violence in WWI. Supervision : PhD on German army combat, refugee camps in postwar Germany, Catholic discourses on war/peace. Public Engagement : Frequent lecturer in Europe, Japan, USA; media appearances in Deutschlandfunk and rbb Kulturradio .

• Modern German History
• Weimar Republic
• Nazi Germany
• +5 more

Philip Schlesinger is a Professor in Cultural Theory at the University of Glasgow and holds roles at CREATe, a Centre for Regulation of the Creative Economy. He previously held the inaugural Chair in Cultural Policy at Glasgow (2007–present), directed the Centre for Cultural Policy Research (CCPR) until 2013, and led the Stirling Media Research Institute. His research focuses on digital platforms’ regulation, cultural policy, and the interplay between expertise and power in governance. Collaborations span institutions like the London School of Economics, Complutense University of Madrid, and the European University Institute. His work critiques the 'post-public sphere' and explores neo-regulation frameworks for digital platforms, emphasizing UK policy dynamics. Key publications include analyses of generative AI governance, platform power, and the creative economy’s global orthodoxies. He has held fellowships at the Nuffield Foundation, European University Institute, and Maison des Sciences de l’Homme in Paris. As a leader in cultural policy research, Schlesinger has advised on UK film policy, media transitions, and digital challenges. His interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, media studies, and law, addressing topics like public service media, creative industries, and transnational cultural frameworks. Ongoing projects include policy responses to AI and platform regulation, reflecting his commitment to shaping evidence-based cultural and digital policies.

• Cultural Policy
• Digital Media Regulation
• Creative Economy
• +3 more

Emily Butterworth is a Professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at King’s College London, within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She holds a prestigious position in Early Modern French literature studies, focusing on speech practices, women’s writing, and cultural analysis. Her career includes roles at the University of Sheffield (2002–2006) before joining King’s, where she has been a core faculty member since 2006. Education: Emily studied French at University College London (UCL) and the University of Cambridge, establishing her foundation in French literary and cultural studies. Research Interests : Her work centers on early modern literature and thought, particularly deviant speech, gossip, and the role of scandal in French Renaissance texts. Key focuses include: Analysis of Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptameron and its cultural context Montaigne’s exploration of ethics and skepticism Gendered discourse in early modern women’s writing The intersection of print culture, censorship, and obscenity Projects & Engagement : Co-Investigator on the AHRC-funded Gossip and Nonsense in the French Renaissance (2012–2015), she collaborated on artistic projects such as Spinning Stories and Chinese Whispers . She has contributed to BBC programs like Radio 4’s Something Understood and Radio 3’s Free Thinking , discussing gossip’s cultural significance and early modern news. Publications : Her scholarship includes monographs like The Unbridled Tongue (2016) and Marguerite de Navarre: A Critical Companion (2022). Her articles span topics from Renaissance book history to the ethics of speech in Montaigne’s essays. Affiliations : She is part of King’s Centre for Early Modern Studies and contributes to research groups on textual representation and visual culture.

• Early Modern Literature
• Renaissance Studies
• French Literature
• +7 more

Professor Phil Clark is a Professor of International Politics at SOAS University of London, specializing in conflict and post-conflict issues with a focus on transitional justice, peacebuilding, and reconciliation after mass atrocity in Rwanda, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi. He holds a DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and a Bachelor of International Studies from Flinders University. His research focuses on international, national, and community-based responses to mass violence in Central Africa, particularly examining the gacaca community courts in post-genocide Rwanda and the International Criminal Court (ICC). Professor Clark has advised multiple governments (Danish, Sudanese, Swedish, Ugandan, and UK), international organizations (ICC, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda), and NGOs (Human Rights Watch, Crisis Group) on conflict issues in Africa. Professor Clark's work spans several key areas including the History, Politics and Law of the African Great Lakes; Transitional Justice Theory and Practice; the Politics of Violence; Community-Based and Customary Law; Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation; the Politics of International Criminal Justice; Peacebuilding, Security and Post-Conflict Reconstruction; and Moral and Political Philosophy. His approach often combines theoretical analysis with practical fieldwork in post-conflict societies. His publications reveal a consistent focus on the tension between international legal frameworks and local justice mechanisms, particularly examining how post-genocide societies navigate complex reconciliation processes. Over time, his work has evolved from documenting specific cases (like the gacaca courts) to analyzing broader patterns of transitional justice and international criminal law across the African continent. Shortlisted for the Raphael Lemkin Award for best book on genocide and mass violence (for "Distant Justice: The Impact of the International Criminal Court on African Politics") Regular contributor to major media outlets including The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Washington Post, The Guardian, and BBC Frequent media commentator on international news networks including BBC, France 24, Al Jazeera, CNN, and Deutsche Welle Professor Clark has supervised multiple PhD students working on topics related to conflict analysis, women's access to transitional justice, China-Africa relations, and conflict transformation. His current research includes "Intergenerational Justice in Eastern Africa" and "Reframing Justice after Atrocity," which examines justice interactions beyond the linear international-to-national transmission of norms and practices. He has led significant research projects, including serving as technical advisor and co-author of a 2007 UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights project surveying popular perceptions of transitional justice and peacebuilding in northern Uganda. His ongoing work continues to shape academic and policy discussions about justice mechanisms in post-conflict societies.

• Conflict and Post-Conflict Issues
• Transitional Justice
• Peacebuilding
• +9 more

Dr. Bahar Baser is a Professor in Politics and International Relations at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs, where she joined in 2021. She is also a member of the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. Previously, she served as Associate Professor at Coventry University's Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, leading the "Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation Research Group," and was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Warwick. Dr. Baser completed her PhD in Social and Political Sciences at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. During her doctoral studies, she was a Visiting Research Fellow at multiple institutions including Humboldt University in Berlin, REMESO in Sweden, and the Instituto de Ciencias Sociais in Lisbon. Dr. Baser is an expert in diaspora studies, peacebuilding, and conflict transformation with a regional focus on the Middle East. Her research examines diaspora engagement in peace processes, post-conflict reconstruction, and state-building in the Global South. She has extensively studied stateless diaspora activism in Europe, particularly regarding host states' counterterrorism policies, radicalization of diaspora members, and transnationalization of homeland conflicts. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on Kurdish diaspora studies, diaspora governance by authoritarian states, intergenerational trauma in diaspora communities, and peacebuilding processes. Her work spans multiple disciplines including political science, international relations, migration studies, and Middle Eastern studies, with particular attention to how diasporas interact with homeland conflicts and host state policies. Dr. Baser serves as editor of the Kurdish Studies Series published by Lexington Books and co-editor of the Diasporas and Transnationalism Series published by Edinburgh University Press. She is also a senior associate research fellow at the Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa (SIGLA), Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and a visiting professor at Tampere Peace Research Institute, Tampere University, Finland. Dr. Baser has supervised multiple doctoral students including Abdullah Al-Khonaini, Mengqi Sun, Nannan Li, and Shorooq Al Zaabi. She has secured numerous research grants including projects funded by the British Academy, Academy of Finland, Allan and Nesta Ferguson Trust, and Horizon 2020 Marie Curie Fellowship. Her research projects span topics such as diaspora engagement in peace processes, youth violence and conflict transformation, and diasporic identity formation. Dr. Baser is actively involved with the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at Durham University, contributing to research initiatives focused on the Middle East and Islamic studies. Her multilingual capabilities (Turkish, English, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Azerbaijani) support her extensive fieldwork and collaborative research across multiple countries.

• Comparative Politics of the Middle East
• Diasporas and Transnationalism
• Ethnic Conflicts
• +4 more

Professor Jolyon Mitchell is a Professor of Communications, Arts, and Religion at the University of Edinburgh, affiliated with the School of Divinity. He serves as Director of the Centre for Theology and Public Issues (CTPI) and President of Theology and Religious Studies - UK (TRS UK). Previously, he worked as a BBC producer and journalist before joining academia. His research focuses on religion, violence, peacebuilding, and the arts, exploring media's role in fostering peace or inciting conflict. Mitchell holds degrees from the Universities of Cambridge, Durham, and Edinburgh. Education: BA and MA, University of Cambridge MA and Certificate in Theology, University of Durham PhD, University of Edinburgh Research Interests: Mitchell's work intersects theology, media studies, and peacebuilding. He examines how film, theater, and digital media influence religious narratives and societal conflict. Recent projects include interdisciplinary studies on arts-based peace initiatives and communication ethics in multicultural contexts. Awards: Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) Advising & Grants: Supervised over 20 doctoral students and 100+ postgraduates. His advisees now work globally in academia, media, and religious institutions. Mitchell leads grants exploring media's role in post-conflict societies and faith-based peacebuilding. Labs & Teams: Directs CTPI, collaborating with IASH (Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities) and Global Justice Academy. Hosts public lectures, workshops, and international conferences on theology, media ethics, and global justice.

• Religion and Media
• Peacebuilding through the Arts
• Communication Ethics
• +3 more

Nicola Pratt is a Professor of International Politics of the Middle East at the University of Warwick's School of Politics and International Studies (SPAIS). She previously served at the University of East Anglia and has extensive field experience in Egypt focused on human rights and democratization. Her work bridges feminist international relations theory with Middle Eastern politics, emphasizing grassroots activism, gender dynamics, and popular culture's role in political movements. Pratt's research explores democratization, gender politics, and peace/security in the Middle East, with notable projects like the digital archive documenting Egypt's 2011 uprising. She has held leadership roles, including President of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (2024-). Her 2020 book Embodying Geopolitics won the BISA Susan Strange Prize, analyzing women's activism across Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Her recent articles address feminist responses to Israel's actions in Palestine, the political economy of tourism-related violence, and decolonial praxis in academia. Pratt also advises PhD students on Middle Eastern studies and critical approaches to international relations.

• International Politics of the Middle East
• Feminist International Relations Theory
• Democratization
• +4 more