Sean McDaniel

Dr Sean McDaniel is a Lecturer in British Politics at the School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds, since September 2023. Previously, he worked at Manchester Metropolitan University from 2019 to 2023. He holds a PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick (2014-2019), an MA in Governance and Public Policy, and a BA in History (Hons) from the University of Sheffield.

• Areas of Expertise: The Labour Party, Labour's climate agenda, British climate politics, European industrial decarbonisation, European social democracy, British capitalism, French capitalism

His research focuses on political economy and party politics, examining how British and European economic growth models and progressive politics are influenced by post-crisis capitalist adjustments and the transition to Net Zero. Recent projects analyze the UK and European political economies' adjustments to decarbonisation, particularly the underdevelopment of the UK’s Lithium-ion battery sector.

He has published in journals like the Journal of European Public Policy, Socio-Economic Review, and New Political Economy, addressing topics such as Brexit's impact on financial centers and social democratic parties' responses to austerity. In 2024, he guest-edited a climate-focused issue of Renewal: a journal of social democracy.

• Professional Memberships: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), Member of the Political Studies Association (PSA), Convener and Treasurer of the PSA British and Comparative Political Economy Specialist Group

His research has garnered attention from The Guardian, Le Monde, and parliamentary reports. He teaches undergraduate modules on British Politics and EU policy, and supervises PhD projects aligned with his expertise.