Martin is a writer, researcher, and urbanist focusing on religion, culture and community in contemporary cities. His research centres around how London’s Hasidic Jewish community grapples with the pulls of zionism, tradition, and multiculturalism. Having worked across journalism, technology, marketing, and academia, Martin's work brings an interdisciplinary critical lens to contemporary social issues in cities.

Beyond academia, Martin writes on multiculturalism, religion, and contemporary urban life, as well as on the relationship between Judaism, Zionism, and Palestine/Israel.

Research

Thesis title: 'Radical Traditionalism: Religion, Identity, and Belonging in Stamford Hill, London'

Martin's project proposes a participant-based ethnography of the Ultra-Orthodox (specifically Hasidic) Jewish community in Stamford Hill, London, looking at members' relationship to Zionism, traditionalism, and multiculturalism. While often excluded from mainstream media discourse except as a curiosity, Hasidic Jews play an important role within urban and global politics. The broader gentrification of their surrounding areas, make this community a key agent and victim of larger processes of urban change in London.

Within the community, the internet has led to questions on how to best balance tradition and modernity. And despite being largely excluded from mainstream Jewish politics, the Ultra-Orthodox - long divided on questions of Judeo-Nationalism - may soon constitute one fifth of the world's Jewish population. Firmly rooted in the politics of multicultural London, looking at the community's habitus is valuable tool for looking at multiculturalism, London, and the global city.

PhD supervision

• Principal supervisor: Professor Phil Hubbard
• Secondary supervisor: Professor Adam Sutcliffe

Further details

See Martin's research profile