Political behaviour, political psychology, Northern Ireland politics, consociationalism, post-conflict democracy, deliberative democracy, legislative studies, electoral studies, comparative politics, quantitative methods.

My research focuses on the way citizens interact with democratic decision-making, including through elections, mini-publics and referendums. How can democratic deficits be addressed? What factors strengthen or weaken citizens' perceptions of legitimate decision-making? Can democratic innovations, such as citizens' assemblies and participatory budgeting, complement the functions of established representative institutions? I approach these questions in a comparative context, while maintaining a particular interest in the politics of Northern Ireland. Other recent projects have explored public opinion towards Brexit. 

I am affiliated with the Democratic Innovations and Legitimacy Research Group at KU Leuven, Belgium. 

I currently convene the following modules:

HAP2001 The Northern Ireland Conflict and Paths to Peace

PAI7021 Politics and Institutions of Northern Ireland

PAI7100 Democratic Innovations

I have also convened or taught on the following modules:

PAI1001 Contemporary Europe

PAI1009 Comparative Politics

PAI2002 British Politics in Crisis?

PAI2043 Studying Politics: Skills and Methods

PAI2044 Democracy, Ethics & Economics

HAP7001 Approaches to Research Design (Quantitative Methods) 

PAI7022 Politics of the Republic of Ireland

I am the Study Abroad Coordinator for visiting students in the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen's. If you are a student at another institution and are considering spending a year or semester with us in Belfast, please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

I have also served on the Advisory Group of the Citizens' Assembly for Northern Ireland, a civil society initiative organised by Involve (a public participation charity) and funded by the Building Change Trust, Open Society Foundations, the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.