Ewan Robertson

Ewan Robertson is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science, working on the project 'Studying Parliaments and the Role of Knowledge' under Principal Investigator Dr Marc Geddes. His research focuses on the comparative politics of social and labour market policy reforms, with particular interest in policies that aim to 'make work pay' and tackle in-work poverty.

Robertson's research interests span across several key areas in social policy and political science:

• Comparative politics of social policy reforms
• Labor market policy and in-work benefits
• The role of ideas and knowledge in policy making
• Welfare state development in mature democracies
• Covid-19 social policy responses

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on in-work benefit reforms across European welfare states, particularly comparing France and the United Kingdom. His research employs comparative analysis to trace the logics behind policy changes, examining whether ideational power or political demand drives reforms. He has also conducted significant research on Spain's social policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic, analyzing the tension between encompassing aspirations and dualist delivery mechanisms.

Robertson has received several notable awards for his scholarly work:

• Excellence in Doctoral Research Award, Winner 2024, UK Social Policy Association
• MSc Policy Studies Prize for Best Performance (University of Edinburgh, 2017)
• Caithness Prize in History (University of Aberdeen, 2009)

He has been awarded multiple research grants supporting his work, including an Erasmus+ Grant for a Visiting PhD Student position at SciencesPo Paris, a grant for the PROMEBI Summer School at the University of Oviedo, and an Economic and Social Research Council +3 Award for his PhD studies. Robertson serves as the Communications Portfolio Lead for the UK Social Policy Association, demonstrating his active engagement with the academic community.

Robertson completed his PhD in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh in 2023 (passed with no corrections), following an MSc in Policy Studies (Distinction, 2017), an MLitt in Latin American Studies (Distinction, 2010), and an MA in History & International Relations (1st Class Honours, 2009) from the University of Aberdeen.