Research Overview

I analyse politics as puzzles. My current puzzle—the First Ladies of Authoritarianism project—examines how the wives of leaders in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, Argentina, the Philippines, China, and Zimbabwe have contributed to, or undermined, the durability of authoritarian regimes. It also compares the roles, powers, and identities of first ladies in both democratic and authoritarian systems.

This project has produced publications in leading journals, including the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies (where my article ranked first on the journal’s “Most Read” list for the year), the Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies (JMEWS), Women’s Studies International Forum, and DIGEST. Forthcoming outputs include an article under review with Third World Quarterly and a book manuscript, First Ladies in Authoritarian States: Roles, Powers and Identities (under review with an academic publisher). I have received £60,000 in research grants and have presented this work at Durham University (UK), the University of Westminster (UK), the Doha Institute (Qatar), Newcastle University (UK), and Lund University (Sweden).

My second puzzle is sectarianism—an ever-elusive concept that becomes harder to define the more it is studied. This project seeks to develop a more inclusive and comprehensive definition, adopting a bottom-up approach that introduces concepts such as micro-sectarianism and intra-sectarianism. I have published related work in Politics, Third World Quarterly, Religions, DIGEST, and Orient, with further outputs forthcoming, including a book manuscript with a leading academic press. Collaborations with colleagues have secured $850,000 from the Carnegie Corporation and $160,000 from the Luce Foundation as part of the SEPAD initiative. I have presented this research at the University of St Andrews and the University of Leeds.

This work earned me the Dean’s Award in 2022, with the panel commending my “very strong research achievements with an exemplary record of publications.”

My research is characterised by strong internal and external engagement. I have delivered policy-focused talks at the Foreign Policy Centre, briefing academics, researchers, and policymakers on how to understand and address sectarianism. I write opinion pieces for Al Jazeera and The Conversation, and I have appeared on Al Jazeera, the BBC, and Sky News. I co-author publications with colleagues within my department (e.g., Professor Simon Mabon) and internationally, including a joint report with 15 scholars from ten countries. I have co-organised three major conferences, one of which attracted around 300 participants from across the globe.

Within the department, I collaborate with colleagues on core teaching modules such as Politics of the Modern World (delivered with a six-member team) and contribute to the design and delivery of modules across the faculty/school that develop students’ skills and enhance their employability.

In teaching, I was shortlisted for a Teaching Excellence Award. My background as a BBC correspondent covering major political events worldwide enriches my teaching by integrating experiential and reflective learning. I have also worked as a press officer and researcher at the European Commission and as a consultant with firms such as Albany Associates, combining theory with practical insights.

I take a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding politics—drawing on gender studies, psychology, and sociology—and collaborate widely across these fields, as reflected in my publications and research projects.

I have won the prestigious Lorenzo Natali Prize and was shortlisted for the Kari Blackburn Award. I was also awarded the Chevening Scholarship to study for an MA at SOAS.