Professor Matthew Flinders PhD, FAcSS, FPSA

• PhD in Governance and Public Policy, University of Sheffield, 1999
• BA (Hons) European Studies, Loughborough University, 1994.

Matthew Flinders is a 125th Anniversary Chair and Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Birmingham, and Vice President of the Political Studies Association of the United Kingdom. His main research interests are governance, public policy, anti-politics and democratic change. He is currently focused on progressing the scientific study of policy success, as part of an international project on ‘positive public administration’.

The notion of being ‘positive’ (but not naïve) about the achievements and potential of democratic politics has formed the foundation of Prof. Flinders research, writing and teaching. His book, Defending Politics (Oxford University Press, 2012), has been translated and published all over the world, and formed the basis of a three-part series on BBC Radio 4. In relation to teaching, back in 2010 he worked with the then Speaker of the House of Commons to develop and pilot the first university module in the world to be formally co-taught and accredited by parliament. Not only is this module now taught in 25 universities in the United Kingdom, but it has allowed students to observe the inner workings of day-to-day politics and to gain a level of experiential understanding that could never be achieved solely by reading and discussing the topic. 

Professor Flinders served as Chair of the Political Studies Association (2014-2016), was a member of the Economic and Social Research Council (2018-2020), and was chair of the Universities Policy Engagement Network from 2020-2023. In 2025 he was appointed to the Advisory Panel for the Government’s independent Police Leadership Commission and he currently chairs of sub-panel 19 (Politics and International Studies) for REF2029. 

In April 2026, he was awarded the Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize. 

Professor Flinders is keen to supervise PhD students and to mentor post-docs with inter-disciplinary interests in public policy and governance.

Research interests

•    Governance and Public Policy
•    British politics
•    Depoliticisation
•    Anti-politics
•    Policy Success, Effective Leadership and Public Value

Current projects

Beyond Blame
Working with academics and practitioners from across the UK to explore dimensions of successful public policy, and to harness insights for positive policy learning. 

Democratic Drift
Developing long-standing research interests around democratic change and evolution, notably in relation to the politics and management of public expectations and the role of emotional dynamics. 

The Politics of Political Studies
This project explores the role of political studies as an academic discipline in the twenty-first century. It engages in debates concerning the social impact, policy relevance and public value of the discipline while also seeking to open-new normative and empirical terrain that redefines the role and reach of the discipline in society. 

Awards and Prizes

• Harrison Prize, 2002
• Richard Rose Prize, 2004
• WJM Mackenzie Prize, 2009
• Best Article in British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Prize, 2011
• Political Studies Association ‘Communicator of the Year’ Award, 2012
• Sam Aaronovitch Memorial Prize, 2012
• ESRC (Runner-up) Overall Impact Champion Prize, 2013
• Democratic Innovation of the Year Award, 2016
• ESRC – Overall Impact Champion Prize, 2018
• Best Article Prize (Runner Up) Representation, 2018
• Best Article Prize, European Political Science, 2019
• Founding Fellow of the Political Studies Association, 2025
• Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize, 2026

Fellowships

• Leverhulme Research Fellowship, 2005-2006
• Whitehall Fellowship (Cabinet Office) 2005-2006
• Visiting Fellow, University of Sydney, 2010
• Elected Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences, 2011
• Fellowship of the Royal Society for Arts, 2012
• Visiting Professor, Utrecht University, 2014
• Visiting Professor, Murdoch University, Australia, 2014-2016
• ESRC Knowledge Exchange Fellow, 2015-2016
• Global Associate, Sydney Democracy Network, University of Sydney, 2016
• House of Commons Professorial Research Fellow, 2016-2019
• ESRC Professorial Leadership Fellow, 2018-2020
• Civic Fellow, Institute for Community Studies, Young Foundation, 2020-2023

Professional service

• Executive Committee of the Political Studies Association of the UK (2011-2018)
• Board Member, Academy of Social Sciences (2012-2017)
• Governor, Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Trust, (2008-2011)
• Founding Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics, University of Sheffield (2013-2022)
• Board Member, Academy of Social Sciences (2015-2018)
• ESRC Capability Committee, ESRC (2016-2018)
• Professorial Fellow, Houses of Parliament (2017-20)
• Council Member – International Political Science Association (2018-2021)
• Board Member, UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (2018-20)
• ESRC Leadership Fellow (2018-20)
• REF2021 – Panel Member, Sub-Panel 19 (2018-22)
• British Academy, Research & Higher Education Policy Committee, (2019-22)
• Chair, University Policy Engagement Network (2020-2023)
• Chair, Sub-panel 19, Politics and International Studies, REF2029 (2025-present)

Writing, Presenting and Commissioning work for BBC

• 2010 – ‘In Defence of Politics’, writer and presenter. Three-Part Series, BBC Radio 4. 
• 2013 – ‘When Politics and Comedy Collide’, writer and presenter. One-hour documentary as part of the Archive Hour, BBC Radio 4. 
• 2016 – BBC Radio 4 – Analysis programme, Special edition ‘Parliament – A Building Catastrophe?’ on the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster, 23 October 2017.  
• 2017 – BBC Radio 4 ‘University Unchallenged’, writer and presenter. Focusing on viewpoint diversity within academe. Broadcasted on 12 November 2018.
• 2018 – BBC Radio 4 ‘Who needs politicians anyway?’, adviser and contributor. Broadcasted on 13 February 2019. 
• 2019 – BBC Radio 4 ‘MPs’ Expenses: The Legacy of a Scandal’, 7 May 2019. Writer and presenter.