Prior to joining King’s, Helen was a Research Fellow with the Political Economy of Education Research Network (PEER) at the University of Sussex. Before moving into academia, she worked for over 10 years in policy, advocacy and research roles on issues of education justice, conflict and international development. She has worked with universities, civil society organisations and international development agencies in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Central Asia.

Research

Helen’s research interests include critical and historical perspectives on education, with a focus on the issues and challenges facing higher education in times of conflict and crisis. She is particularly interested in what makes education institutions 'public' in a political sense, linked to wider conditions and struggles of democracy in different contexts.

Her ESRC-funded PhD research looked at the history of the national university in Lebanon and the relationship between universities, conflict and the public sphere.

Research interests:

• Philosophical and political economy approaches to education research.
• Higher education in times of conflict and crisis.
• International and comparative education perspectives.
• Histories of education institutions and narrative research methods.

Teaching

Helen is currently teaching on the following MA modules:

• Critical Perspectives on Education.
• Education and International Development.
• Research Methods and Dissertation (MA Education sessions).