POLSIS PhD doctoral researchers

Doctoral researchers are integral to the research activities of the department. A research degree is a unique opportunity to develop new skills, develop problem-solving abilities and make a valuable contribution to new knowledge.

Some current PhD profiles from across the department

Abdiweli Garad

Description
Abdi Garad is undertaking doctoral research into state-building and interventions using a case study approach and process-tracing method to unstructured interviews.

Alejandra Garcia Diaz Villamil

Description
Feminist Political Transformational Leadership: Evaluating the impact of Bolivian women leaders in advancing the social justice agenda.

Alexander Samuel Popowich

Description
Sam Popowich is investigating the role of artificial intelligence in the financial sector through the lens of 'Italian Theory'.

Alice Spilman

Description
Alice joined the ICCS at the University of Birmingham on the MSc Global Cooperation and Security, graduating with a Distinction in 2017.

Altin Gjeta

Description
The Peace to Statehood Conundrum: Investigating Multiethnic Statebuilding in Kosovo

André Vella

Description
The Limits of Parliamentary Privilege: Transparency and Accountability

Bruno Sowden-Carvalho

Description
Bruno Sowden-Carvalho is researching the idea of a global island: emoceans, ontological security and Britain's political subjectivity in world politics

Darcy Luke

Description
From 'funny money' to 'hard cash': Cash limit reforms to Treasury control of public expenditure in the context of the global crisis of capital in the 1970s

D'arcy Ritchie

Description
D'arcy Ritchie is a doctoral researchers in the Department of Political Science and International Studies. D'arcy is researching the feminist politics of shame.

Darren Murphy

Description
Understanding the causal mechanisms generating cross-community ratification of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement in the May 1998 referendum

David J. Zell

Description
Major cultural commemorations and the construction of cultural & political identity in the GDR, 1959-1983.

Edward Affainie

Description
Does (Income) Inequality Predict Conflict Between Ethnic and Religious Groups in Africa?

Elio Di Muccio

Description
State management of technological and economic performance in industry: The Ministry of Technology in Britain, 1964-1970

Francis Barnett

Description
The Role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Supporting Russian Foreign Policy Objectives and Shaping Geopolitical and Religious Dynamics in Europe.

Francisco Figueiredo de Souza

Description
South-South Cooperation

Ioana Cerasella Chis

Description
Ioana Cerasella Chis is working on a qualitative research project that focuses on the politics of disablement and precarious work in the UK.

Ivor Bolton

Description
The implementation of German heritage policy and the representation of the German Democratic Republic through memorials and museums.

Jaroslava Barbieri

Description
Jaroslava Barbieri research into Russian foreign policy and post-Soviet affairs to European studies and political philosophy.

Jonathan Pettifer

Description
Norm Contestation and the European Union

José Pascal da Rocha

Description
José Pascal da Rocha is investigating the role of mediators in mediated ceasefires in the Sudan negotiations

Joseph Ward

Description
Why risk a referendum? Reassessing the politics of the referendum in the UK

Karma Lama Tamang

Description
Karma's doctoral research is about ethics of nonviolent political actions. The project seeks to demonstrate how methods of nonviolent politics share similar morally troubling features with violent political methods.

Koffi Henry Sawyer

Description
Enhancing Electoral Democracy in Africa: The Impact of Intergovernmental Organisations in Promoting Credible Elections

Marianna Karakoulaki

Description
Marianna joined the University of Birmingham in 2019 to study a PhD in International Relations

Paul Michael Graystone

Description
From 'Bridge of Cooperation' to Russia's Baltic Bastion: Exploring the Role of State Identity in Contemporary Russian Security Policy in Kaliningrad, 2000-2018.

Paul Rogers

Description
Paul's research focuses on how institutions mediate the capabilities of disabled people when confronted by extreme droughts and floods.

Paula Schwevers

Description
Eurodollars and the British Route to Financialisation

Pourya Nabipour

Description
Pourya Nabipour is undertaking doctoral research into the role of national identity in Iran's nuclear policy

Solomon Bunting Caulker

Description
Solomon Bunting Caulker is undertaking doctoral research focused on Post-Conflict security sector governance in Sierra Leone: Deficits as Inhibitors of National Development

Thomas Bobo

Description
The politics of 'green' in civil conflicts: The environment as a political opportunity.

Umer Karim

Description
Saudi Foreign Policy

Yishu Ren

Description
Yishu Ren's research focusses on the impact of foreign investments from emerging economies on the norms of global environmental governance and considers the resulting political affects.