Olivia Petie

Olivia PetieUnderstanding the immediate effects and longer-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the integration of refugee women in the UK

Supervisors: Professor Jenny Phillimore and Dr Jennifer Allsopp

Olivia’s PhD research aims to understand the immediate and longer-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the lives of asylum-seeking women in the UK; and how government structures and policies, and non-governmental support influenced integration outcomes for asylum-seeking and refugee women within the context of Covid-19. Using qualitative, participatory methods her research aims to take a multi-dimensional approach to integration research, focussing not only on refugee women themselves but also the role of the receiving society in shaping integration outcomes.

Qualifications

  • BA Combined Honours – Human Geography with English Literature (Newcastle University)
  • MA Human Geography Research (Newcastle University)

Research interests

  • Forced migration and refugee studies (integration, welfare, asylum support and provision, accommodation)
  • Migration studies
  • SGBV and human trafficking
  • Covid-19 and pandemic research
  • Gender and feminism
  • Creative and narrative research methods

Biography

Olivia is a part-time PhD student with over 5 years of experience working in applied social research and evaluation across the third and public sector. In her role as Senior Evaluation Officer at the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Olivia is involved with research, monitoring and evaluation for a government funded scholarship scheme awarding international students the chance to study at UK universities. Previously as Research and Evaluation Project Manager in the consultancy team at Renaisi, Olivia worked with a wide range of community projects including evaluating Hackney Borough Council’s Integrated Communities Project, and North and South London Cares. Her voluntary experience includes being a befriender and trustee for the national refugee befriending charity, HostNation.

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