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Dr Stuart Fox

Senior Lecturer in Politics

I joined the department of Humanities and Social Sciences as a Senior Lecturer in Politics in 2023, having previously worked in the Department of Social and Political Sciences in Brunel Unviersity, London, and the Wales Institute for Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods. My research focuses primarily on political engagement and participation, and examining the ways in which we interact with and try to influence politics is evolving over time and across generations. My previous research has examined generational trends in political behaviour, Euroscepticism, political apathy and political alienation in Britain, and challenged the conventional view of young people as highly active yet highly alienated citizens. My current projects include examining the potential for policies and schemes - such as youth volunteering programmes - to reduce inequalities in political participation between younger and older generations, and within generations between those from different social, economic and educational backgrounds. In addition, I am also involved with a study of the enduring influence of religion on social and political behaviour in Britain, including the role it played in shaping vote choices in the EU Referendum and general elections, and its influence on the civic participation and social capital of today's young people.

Research interests

My broad research interests include the study of:

  • Political engagement and participation, primarily in Britain, and how they are evolving over time and across generations
  • The political engagement and participation of young people
  • Political alienation and apathy, and how they shape political engagement and behaviour
  • British electoral and party politics
  • Euroscepticism, including the contribution that generational differences in Euroscepticism and turnout made to the outcome of the UK's 2016 Brexit Referendum
  • Political socialisation, and how our early childhood experiences and socialising influences shape our lasting political characteristics
  • The influence of religion on political and social activity in Britain, including its role in shaping the civic participation and social capital of different generations, and its influence on voter behaviour and ideology

My current research proejcts include Social Action as a Route to the Ballot Box, a study of the potential for volunteering among young people to reduce inequalities in turnout and other forms of political expression between young and old, and between young people from different economic, social, political and educational backgrounds. I am also involved with a study of the enduring influence of religion on social and political behaviour in Britain, including its impact on voter behaviour in the forthcoming general election and voters' identification with and attachments to political parties.

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