Valerie Ledwith

DR

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

My research examines geographies of opportunity, exclusion and privilege, focusing particularly on the socio-spatial marginalization of young migrants within the context of education. I use both qualitative and quantitative methodologies (including GIS) to examine educational achievement, access and aspiration.

More broadly, I am interested in geographical enquiry across the sub-fields of population, political, social and cultural geographies.

Calculated based on number of publications stored in Pure and citations from Scopus

Personal profile

Biography

Valerie completed her BA at NUI, Galway and then moved to the United States, where she received her MA in geography from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Upon graduating, she moved to Los Angeles and worked in the urban programme of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profitenvironmental advocacy organisation. Before returning to Ireland,Valerie completed her PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research in both Los Angeles and Ireland focuses on the geographies of education, particularly onthe socio-spatial marginalisation of young migrants. Her work engages withqualitative and quantitative methodologies (including GIS)to examine the emergenceof educational disparities between young migrants and their non-migrant peers.Shealso examineshow hierarchies of privilege, opportunity and difference are produced and maintained through the geopolitics of school choice.

Research Interests

My research examines geographies of opportunity, exclusion and privilege, focusing particularly on the socio-spatial marginalization of young migrants within the context of education. I use both qualitative and quantitative methodologies (including GIS) to examine educational achievement, access and aspiration. More broadly, I am interested in geographical enquiry across the sub-fields of population, political, social and cultural geographies.

Teaching Interests

My teaching interests span political, social and cultural geography. I also have a keen interest in teaching students how to do geographical research, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In the course of my career I have been involved in the design and delivery of the following modules:UndergraduateTI150 - Principles of Human GeographyTI11001101 - Geography in Practice TI224 - Residential Field ClassTI238 - Global UrbanisationTI212 - Methods in GeographyTI251252 - Theory and Practice in GeographyTI330 - Globalisation and DemocracyTI370 - Elements of Human Geography TI3117 - Migration, Mobility and BelongingTI 335 - Research Project Design and DevelopmentTI358 - Research Seminar in Social GeographyGraduate TI702 - Geography and GeographingTI703 - Geopolitics and SecurityTI6130 - Research Project and Dissertation

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 1 - No Poverty
  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities

Education/Academic qualification

BA,MA,PhD.

Accepting PhD Students

  • Accepting PhD Students

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