I am currently Lecturer and former Programme Director for the MA in Community Development 2000-2016. My studies included aBachelor of Social Science (1988-91) from UCC, a MA (Community Development; 1993-95) from NUI Galway and a PhD (Land Economy; graduating in 2005) from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.I teach at undergraduate level and contribute towards the teaching programme and research supervision of the five taught MAs in the School of Political Science and Sociology. My work combines both qualitative and quantitative methods of investigation, across a range of areas. Currently I am interested in coastal and marine issuesdisputes, such as aquaculture and the relationship people have with the sea and the coast. I also have an interest in human-nonhuman relations. My past work has also revolved around generating stronger understanding and research evidence in such areas as: social support, policy interventions, civic engagement and educational inclusion. My research has been published in a number of international journals, including: Journal of Youth Studies, Journal of Rural Studies, Folk Life, Sociologia Ruralis, Community Development Journal, Child amp; Family Social Work and Journal of Community amp; Applied Social Psychology . I have also been involved in a number of international collaborations with academics in the UK (at Newcastle University), the United States (Penn State University; Purdue University) and Australia, in exploring and publishing on themes of: youth civic engagement, educational inclusion, community connectedness and community development. I have co-editeda book for Routledge (with Susan Kenny, Australia and Rhonda Phillips, USA) entitled: Handbook of Community Development, which was published in 2018. I have previously supervised to completion PhDs in the following areas: Muslim immigrant youth; youth transitions among farming youth, the traditional sailing boat (the Galway Hooker) and its social significance in a Gaeltacht community; and the role of digital capital and youth leadership for rural community development in Canada.

sociology and politics of community coastal and marine issuesdisputescommunity development welfarewellbeing studies