Academic staff

I am an Associate Professor in the Division of Social Sciences, where I teach Politics and International Relations. I originally studied Contemporary European Studies before taking an ESRC-funded MA in Political Sociology at Leeds University. I was awarded my PhD in International Relations by LSBU in 2005.

My main research interests are in the areas of International Relations and International Political Economy. I have written two books - a short book on the foreign policy of the European Union and a substantial critique of neo-Gramscian international relations theory. I have also co-edited a book on the relationship between sport and international relations and produced numerous articles and chapters, most recently focussing on China and the implications of its economic rise.

I am currently working on two articles. Firstly, a comparative analysis of the responses of ECOWAS to the 2016-17 Gambia crisis and ASEAN to the 2021 Myanmar crisis. Secondly, a critique of the new dependency theory, focusing in particular on the concept of super-exploitation. My major current project is a book on China, focusing on developments in the 21st Century. Promoting an understanding China’s political economy as a form of state-capitalism the book will analyse China’s economic rise since the 1980s and emerging problems and contradictions (including in the areas of environmental degradation, gender relations, ethnic and religious oppression and labour struggles).

Courses taught

Social Sciences - PhD / MRes

International Relations (Black Studies) 2022/23

International Relations - BA (Hons)

Politics 2022/23

International Relations (Social Policy) 2022/23

International Relations (Sustainability) 2022/23

Politics (Black Studies) - BA (Hons)

Politics (Social Policy) - BA (Hons)

Politics (Sustainability) - BA (Hons)

Politics and International Relations - BA (Hons)

Postgraduate Research Supervision

Current