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Current Research Students
The Institute has a lively community of postgraduate students undertaking research in a wide variety of fields.
| Wei-Chung Chen |
Floor 1, Room 024, 63 University Road Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5308
Supervisors: Dr John Barry and Dr Peter Doran
Title: Sustainable Development in Taiwan - A Critical Analysis of State Policy
This research focuses on the divergence of policy making and implementation of sustainable development in Taiwan, in which people have distinct concepts and beliefs. Consequently, there are various practices and approaches towards social and political development from those in western states. I attempt to deploy a radical, systematic analysis of SD, as a concept, in policy making and implementation in this single case study. Starting from differentiation of values, beliefs and emphases in local tradition (Confucianism) followed by a study of domestic economic development and the natural environment, this research exhibits a grass-rooted investigation crucial for a comprehensive explanation on policy making and implementation. Particularly, in assessing a foreign nation within a global framework.
| Elena-Simona Davidescu | e.s.davidescu@qub.ac.uk |
Floor 1, Room 024, 63 University Road Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5308
Topic: Green politics in the making. Hungary and Romania in transition
| George Dunwoody | g.dunwoody@qub.ac.uk |
Floor 1, Room 021, 63 University Road Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 3947 Topic: Differences in methodogical approaches to participation affect the way young people engage in public decision-making processes; a case study of Northern Ireland.
Sarah Machniewski |
Room G018 Tel 9097 2549
Supervisors : Dr Paddy Hilliard and Dr Una Lynch
Completion date: Sept 2009
Title: A hidden problem: Social harms affecting the elderly in Northern Ireland.
This research aims at highlighting significant forms of harm that may affect the elderly in Northern Ireland. These harms can be physical (falls, accidents, injuries), financial (income poverty, fuel poverty), and psychological (fear of crime). Figures have shown that these types of harm are occurring at a much higher rate than crime, and are often much more detrimental. While looking at the figures on mortality, injuries and crime, this research will also incorporate the role of the media in our persistent focus on the battle with crime, and how the media have come to construct our one dimensional view of what dangers exist to the elderly. The media highlight criminal acts against the elderly, but as a result may be creating a psychological harm (fear of crime). Also by maintaining focus on crime emphasis will remain on crime reduction strategies, increased spending in the police service, and policies of social control, resources which could be relocated to fulfilling the governments responsibility towards older people through improved public polices and health care.
| Karen McAuliffe |
Floor 1, Room 021, 63 University Road Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 1322
Topic: Language and European law: translation at the European Court of Justice.
Before joining the Institute of Governance, Public Policy and Social Research in January 2002, Karen worked for the Court of Justice of the European Communities (Translation Directorate: English language division) in Luxembourg. In addition, during 2002 and 2003 Karen studied at the Academy of European Public Law in Greece where she received a Diploma in European Public Law for her thesis entitled "Law in Translation: Lawyer-linguists at the Court of Justice of the European Communities".
| Ruth McCormick |
Room G018 Tel 9097 2549
Supervisor:Professor Sally Wheeler
Topic: Economic Rights and the Elderly
Following the introduction of the age discrimination legislation in Northern ireland the study will focus on the impact of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations intoduced in October 2006. The study will look into what actions corporations will take to ensure they are complying with the law and the extent to which corporations actively embrace the new legislation.
| Caroline Nolan | c.nolan@qub.ac.uk |
Topic: Accessibility/economic, social and cultural rights/European influence and all-Ireland developments
| Fiachra O'Brolchain | fobrolchain01@qub.ac.uk |
Floor 1, Room 021, 63 University Road Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 1322
This research focuses on the way in which certain political philosophies determine the development and distribution of genetically modified crops. Due to the TRIPs agreement patents have been granted to GM crops. The position of GM crops as intellectual property has significant political and economic implications. As well as examining the specific legal reasoning that has resulted in this situation, the thesis will focus on the moral and political philosophies that underpin the position of GM crops as private property.
| Brendan Sturgeon |
Room G018 Tel 9097 2549
Supervisors : Prof Richard English and Prof Sally Wheeler.
Topic : Anti-social activity in contemporary Northern Ireland: a political analysis of political and community responses'
The aim of this study is to inspect the levels of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in British society today; and examine the responses of our politicians, police force and community groups. The Home Office defines ASB as any ‘activity that impacts on other people in a negative way’, over 66,000 cases are reported to the authorities on a daily basis and 16.7% of the UK population sees ASB as a major problem. The core hypothesis of the study will be to question whether our politicians and police force have efficiently offered effective solutions to ASB, or have the failings of our authorities left the pursuit of ASB resolution to community groups? Has the failure of our politicians and police force to eliminate ASB led to certain sections of society taking the problem into their own hands, with the formation of community groups across the breadth of the UK? It will also focus on the after affects of ASB, looking at how people have recovered from incidents of ASB, particular attention will be given to the elderly.
| Avila Kilmurray (part-time) |
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| Pat McGinn (part-time) | pmcginn@globalnet.co.uk |
Topic: The role of social capital in explaining the development trajectories followed by communities experiencing disadvantage
| Patrick McGee |
Floor 1, Room 024, 63 University Road Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5308
Supervisors : Dr. John Barry, Dr. Peter Doran
Title: An Ecological Modernisation theory and practice analysis of the Irish Government’s response to Climate Change.
My research will consider the extent of Ecological Modernisation (EM) theory in the Irish response to climate change; how this can be used to explain current measures; how the response is affected by energy policy; and whether industrial sector / elite pressure to ensure capital accumulation has forced Government to adopt a weakened climate change mitigation position. This process should also allow consideration of other policy drivers at work in the system.
Areas of interest: Climate Change politics; UNFCCC / Kyoto Protocol; Ecological Modernisation; Sustainable Development.