Dr Stephen Williams PhD

• PhD, Political Science, College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, 2021
• MA, Research Methods (Social Sciences), University of Birmingham, 2015
• BA (Hons), Politics, University of Leicester, 2010

Stephen completed his PhD in Political Science at the University of Birmingham in 2021, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. His research focused on applying deliberative principles to improve the inclusion of mental health service users in policymaking. Specifically, his research examined the intersection of deliberative democracy, emotions, and inclusion in decision-making processes.

After completing his PhD, Stephen became a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. He worked on a Wellcome Trust funded project examining how shame affects experiences of healthcare (SAMP). This interdisciplinary project involved collaboration with patients, doctors, and medical students to understand the influence of negative emotions in medical settings.

In November 2025, Stephen joined the Health Economics Unit to work on the NIHR funded project exploring the hidden costs associated with hospital discharge. This project aims to explore the financial and economic implications of unexpected costs that patients aged 65 and over, their families and local authorities, may face after being discharged from hospital.

Co-Supervisor for Emily C. Harle’s PhD, “Sexual consent amongst young men who have sex with women: conceptualisation, practice, and influence.” Graduated Winter 2025.

Research Fellow, NIHR funded study, Hidden Costs of Hospital Discharge: Understanding the costs and outcomes associated with hospital discharge from the perspective of people, carers and local authorities, (October 2025- May 2027).

Research Fellow, Wellcome Trust funded study, The Shame and Medicine Project (May 2021 – February 2026).

Doctoral Research, Economic and Social Research funded studentship, Exploring deliberation in the real world: a case study of constructing a service user discourse in mental health (Graduated summer 2021).