Mark Roberts

Dr. Mark Roberts serves as a Lecturer and Research Fellow at De Montfort University within the School of Humanities and Performing Arts, Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities. His academic career at DMU began in 2008, following a distinguished 29-year career in local authority social work.

Dr. Roberts' educational background reflects his interdisciplinary expertise:

• PhD in Local Government, University of Birmingham (2004-2008)
• MSc in Public Sector Management, Aston Business School (1995-97)
• MA in Social Sciences and Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, Nottingham University (1976-78)
• BA in Psychology, Sheffield University (1971-74)

His research program centers on urban politics and governance, with particular expertise in neighborhood structures, citizen participation, and institutional theory. Dr. Roberts has conducted extensive field research across Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, and Leicester, examining how community organizations navigate power dynamics and develop effective resistance strategies. His work bridges theoretical political science with practical governance challenges, informed by his extensive experience in social work and public administration. A key theme across his publications is the tension between centralized control and local autonomy in urban governance.

Dr. Roberts' scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of institutional theory and practical governance. His publications demonstrate expertise in analyzing policy narratives, partnership governance, and the impact of neoliberal approaches on neighborhood management. The research shows an evolution from theoretical explorations of institutionalism to more applied studies of citizen participation and urban governance challenges during economic recession.

His contributions to the field have been recognized through several prestigious honors:

• His PhD thesis was recommended by the external examiner for nomination for a best dissertation prize from the Political Studies Association
• A co-authored paper "Partnership governance and democratic effectiveness" was commended by the judges of the 2009 UKPAC prize
• He received Aston University Business School's Public Sector Management Prize for the best student from the MSc Public Sector Management Programme (1996-97)

Dr. Roberts has secured significant research funding, most notably as Principal Investigator on the £120,000 AHRC/RSA Citizen Power in Peterborough project. He has also collaborated on the Derby Community Safety Partnership evaluation and research on neighborhood structures in Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Nottingham. Currently, he serves as second supervisor for two PhD students at De Montfort University, guiding the next generation of political science researchers. His teaching portfolio includes Introduction to Politics, Global Comparative Politics, The Politics of the Environment, and Public Sector Strategic Management.

Dr. Roberts' unique career trajectory—from 29 years in local authority social work, including serving as Head of Child Care in Sandwell MBC, to academic research—provides him with distinctive insights into the practical applications of political analysis. His consultancy work for the Football Association on equal opportunities policies further demonstrates his commitment to translating academic knowledge into real-world impact.