Susan McDonnell

Susan McDonnell is a Lecturer in Sociology at the Department of Social Sciences, Athlone Technological University Sligo Campus, and serves as Principal Investigator at the Centre for Research in Social Professions (CRiSP). Her research focuses on narrative, migrant childhoods, and the micropolitics of social structures, employing art-based methods and qualitative analysis to explore themes like meaning-making, fixity of nuclear family constructs, and ambiguity in children’s play/ful narratives. She has an h-index of 21, reflecting her impactful contributions to fields such as children’s geographies and sociological studies of youth.

Key research interests include the intersection of narrative with cultural identity, everyday politics affecting migrant families, and how language and friendship shape belonging in educational settings. Her work highlights innovative methodologies and critical perspectives on social dynamics.

McDonnell’s publications from 2016–2021 consistently engage with childhood experiences, emphasizing spatial and linguistic dimensions. Notably, her 2021 articles address migrant families and participatory research with youth, while earlier work (2016) examines language and social belonging in Irish schools.

Labs/Teams: She leads research at the Centre for Research in Social Professions (CRiSP), focusing on social professions and applied sociological inquiry.