Dr Peter Kerr

Dr Peter Kerr

Department of Political Science and International Studies
Associate Professor

Contact details

Address
Department of Political Science and International Studies
School of Government
Muirhead Tower
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham,
B15 2TT, United Kingdom

Peter Kerr is a Associate Professor in Politics. He specialises and teaches in the area of British politics, with a particular focus on UK political parties, political leadership and ideology in the UK and changes and continuities in British governance and public policy since 1945.

Feedback and office hours

  • Tues 2 – 3.30 (via zoom)
  • Thurs 2 – 3.30 (Room 326)

Qualifications

  • BA (Hons) Politics and Sociology (University of Strathclyde)
  • PhD Political Science (University of Birmingham)

Biography

Dr Peter Kerr's research interest lies broadly in understanding the impact of state projects on the development of British politics. His recent work has focussed on examining the relationship between processes of politicisation and de-politicisation within the broader context of neo-liberalism in the UK. Relatedly, his work also focusses on party change and modernisation. To date, this has mainly focussed on Conservative party modernisation, though Peter has also written recently about the politics of Corbynism. He has also published work on governmental discourses around Brexit and the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In previous work Peter has attempted to critically interrogate some of the dominant assumptions that underpin postwar British political history, including a critical focus on the idea of the postwar consensus and the broader impact of Thatcherism.

Peter is also co-founder of the Palgrave journal, British Politics, which he co-edited from 2005 – 2020. He is currently part of the journal’s senior editorial team.

Teaching

  • POLS 101: Foundations of Politics
  • POLS 315: Topics in British Politics

Research

Research interests include:

  • British politics
  • UK party politics and party modernisation
  • Political leadership and governing strategies in the UK
  • The politics of populism in the UK
  • State theory and theories of social and political change
  • Citizenship and political participation

Other activities

In 2005 Peter was a founding member of the Palgrave journal, British Politics, which he co-edited from 2005 – 2020. He is currently part of the journal’s senior editorial team.