Lucy Mayblin

Dr. Lucy Mayblin is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations at the University of Sheffield. She serves as Co-Director of the Migration Research Group and is actively engaged in research on borders, human rights, policy-making, and the legacies of colonialism.

Dr. Mayblin's research focuses on how policymakers imagine the world and how this shapes bordering projects with significant social justice implications. A central theme in her work examines how the legacies of 500 years of European colonialism continue to shape contemporary Britain. Her work spans postcolonial theory, migration studies, asylum policy, and the political sociology of borders. She is particularly interested in the relationship between colonial history and current border enforcement practices.

Her extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of colonialism, borders, and asylum policy. Recent work has increasingly addressed contemporary issues surrounding Channel crossings, border security, and the 'border-industrial complex' that has emerged in UK border policy. Her research shows a clear trajectory from theoretical examinations of colonial legacies to applied research on current border enforcement practices and their human consequences.

Dr. Mayblin has received significant recognition for her scholarly contributions:

• British Sociological Association's Philip Abrams Memorial Prize (2018) for 'Asylum After Empire: Postcolonial Legacies in the Politics of Asylum Seeking'
• Philip Leverhulme Prize for Sociology (2020)

Dr. Mayblin has successfully secured substantial research funding, including an ESRC Project Grant (£585,000) on Channel Crossings and a Philip Leverhulme Prize (£100,000). She serves as Principal Investigator on multiple projects and has supervised numerous PhD students. Her research partnerships extend beyond academia to include collaborations with campaigning groups and NGOs at local, national, and international levels. She is also a trustee for the Sheffield-based charity ASSIST.

As Co-Director of the Migration Research Group, Dr. Mayblin helps lead one of Sheffield's key research centers focused on migration studies. The group is committed to creating spaces for conversations within the university where community learning and thinking between and across the university/non-university divide can take place.