Professional activities

I have worked with a wide range of political parties in Northern Ireland on party membership surveys.

I chaired the Youth Citizenship Commission, 2008-9, designed to better engage young people in politics and am now engaged with a wide range of stakeholders in respect of the votes-at-16 debate

Conference Roles

‘Dissident Republicanism since the Agreement: Aims, Tactics and Levels of Sympathy, , by Invitation (University of Ulster/NUI Galway, 2013)
Loyalist (lack of) innovation in the Northern Ireland conflict, by Invitation (University of St Andrews, 2011)
The Political Context to the Republican Hunger Strikers, Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (University of Rennes, 2011)
Improving Youth Civic Engagement, Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (University of Huddersfield, 2011)
Loyalist-Republican Interfaces conference, by Invitation (Queen's University Belfast, 2011)
The Political Resources of Dissident Irish Republicanism, by Invitation (University of St Andrews Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, 2010)
Involving Young People in Politics, by Invitation (Citizenship and Democracy Group, 2008)
The inadequacy of existing conflict resolution theories in the Northern Ireland peace process, by Invitation (Political Studies Association annual conference, 2008)
'Sectarian and Ethnic Divisions in Liverpool', Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (University of Liverpool, 2008)
New Pluralism or Old Ideological Certainties: Paramilitary ideological change in N Ireland, by Invitation (Queen's University Belfast, 2007)
Plus ca change? Evaluating Ideological Change among republican and loyalist paramilitary prisoners, by Invitation (University of Brest, 2007)
The Legacy of Tony Blair, by Invitation (British Politics Group, APSA, 2007)
Evaluating Ideological Change within Sinn Fein, by Invitation (University College Dublin, 2007)
"Who is winning the Northern Ireland Peace Process?", Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (Queen's University, 2007)
Explaining Unionist electoral realignment since the Belfast Agreement , by Invitation (University of Ulster, 2006)
Nuffield College, Oxford University Politics seminars, by Invitation (Nuffield College, 2006)
"Perceptions of Former Combatants in the Northern Ireland Peace Process, by Invitation (University of Ulster, 2006)
The Future of Politics research and teaching, Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (Politics Association, 2006)
Passing a Viva and Getting Published, Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (Political Studies Association of Ireland, 2006)
Explaining the Electoral Realignment of Nationalism, by Invitation (University of Ulster, 2006)
Changing electoral politics and the implications in Northern Ireland, by Invitation (University of York, 2006)
Conference paper, by Invitation (PSA Territorial Politics Group, 2006)
Seminar paper, by Invitation (University of Glasgow, 2006)
The EU and the Peace Process: the case of Northern Ireland, by Invitation (EU Borders Project, 2005)
Lecture on 'The New Politics of Northern Ireland', Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (University of Keele, 2005)
'The triumph of the new moderates? The 2005 Election in Northern Ireland', by Invitation (University of Manchester, 2005)
Seminar paper on The Realignment of Unionism and Orangeism, by Invitation (University of Ulster, 2005)
Shaping Aid and Attitudes: The EU and the conflict in Northern Ireland, by Invitation (EU Borders Project, 2004)
No Prime Minister? Recent Changes in the Civil Service, Keynote/Plenary by Invitation (Politics Association, 2004)
'The realignment of orangeism' seminar paper, by Invitation (ESRC, 2004)
Orangeism and Unionism in Northern Ireland, by Invitation (University of the West of England, Bristol, 2004)
'Party Politics and Rural Issues in Northern Ireland', by Invitation (ESRC, 2004)
The Devolution versus Integration Debate in Northern Ireland seminar paper, by Invitation (ESRC, 2004)
Sinn Fein and the Good Friday Agreement seminar paper, by Invitation (ESRC, 2003)

Editorships

Irish Historical Studies (Editorial Board)
Liverpool University Press (Editorial Board Member, 2013 - present)
Parliamentary Affairs (Co-Editor, 2012 - present)
Politics Review (Editorial Board Member, 2006 - present)
Parliamentary Affairs (Associate Editor, 2005 - 2011)

Examination Roles

University College Cork (National University of Ireland), MA (PGT, 2011)
University College Dublin (National University of Ireland), PhD (2011)
University of Calgary, Canada, MA (PGT, 2010)
Queen's University Belfast, UK, PhD (2010)
University of Ulster, PhD (2008)
University of Ulster, PhD (2007)
The Queen's University of Belfast, PhD (2007)
The Queen's University of Belfast, PhD (2006)
University of Huddersfield, PhD (2006)
Liverpool John Moores University, BA (UG, 2005)
The Queen's University of Belfast, BA (UG, 2005)
University of Strathclyde, BA (UG, 2004)
University of Hull, MA (PGT, 2004)
University of Ulster, PhD (2003)
University of Birmingham, PhD (2002)
University of Lancaster, PhD (2002)
The Open University, PhD (2002)
Edge Hill, BA (UG, 2001)
National University of Ireland, PhD (2001)
University College Cork (National University of Ireland), PhD (2001)

Internal Administrative or Committee Roles

Director of Postgraduate Research, Politics

Organisations I have been associated with

Arbuthnot Committee, chaired by Sir John Arbuthnot (2004)
Various inc Stonyhurst, Charterhouse, Withington Girls, St Mary's Blackburn, Ridge Danyers Cheadle, (1999 - present)
Politics Association (1997 - present)
BBC TV and Radio, ITN, commercial radio (1997 - present)

Professional Body Memberships

Political Studies Association of the UK (Vice President, 2011 - present)
Political Studies Association of the UK (President, Political Studies Association, 2008 - 2011)
Political Studies Association of the UK (Chairperson, 2005 - 2008)
American Political Science Association (Member, 2005 - 2011)
Academy of Social Sciences (Member, 2004 - 2010)
Political Studies Association of Ireland (Member, 1997 - present)