Rille Raaper

Dr. Rille Raaper is an Associate Professor and Director of Research in the School of Education at Durham University. She concurrently serves as Co-Director (Social Sciences and Health) at the Institute of Advanced Study and holds an Associate Fellow role there. Her research focuses on the sociology of higher education, particularly exploring marketization's impact on student identity, political agency, and consumerism. Key projects include a longitudinal ESRC-funded study on student politicization and a major IAS project examining student influencers in digital spaces.

Education: Rille Raaper earned a BA (Cum Laude) and MA (Cum Laude) in Adult Education from Tallinn University (Estonia) and a PhD from the University of Glasgow's School of Education. Prior to academia, she worked on adult education programs for the Estonian National Agency.

Research Interests: Her work critically examines student agency in neoliberal contexts, including activism, consumer rights, and digital engagement. Methodologically, she employs qualitative approaches and critical discourse analysis, informed by theorists like Foucault and Arendt.

Publications: Raaper has authored monographs like Student Identity and Political Agency and edited volumes such as The Bloomsbury Handbook of Student Voice. Recent articles address topics like student influencers, disabled activism, and pandemic-era support networks.

Awards & Roles: She holds editorial positions at Critical Studies in Education, British Journal of Sociology of Education, and Teaching in Higher Education. Notable recognitions include the 2021 Emerald Literati Award and 2018 BJSE Best Early Career Paper Award.

Teaching: She leads modules on higher education inclusion/exclusion dynamics and empowerment strategies for postgraduates.