Our staff publish research in reputable and established journals from around the world. Here is a recent selection of such papers.
"Changes in Household Wealth Over the Process of Widowhood Across European Countries"
The Journals of Gerontology: Series B | October 2024
Widowhood often harms a spouse's financial well-being, but most studies focus on income rather than wealth or how this changes over time. This study examines changes in total, housing, and non-housing wealth during widowhood in 11 European countries. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, we analyzed wealth changes from three years before to six years after spousal death. Household wealth generally stayed stable, except in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland, where it declined. Housing wealth dropped across most countries, linked to downsizing or leaving homeownership. Widowhood reduces wealth, especially housing, even before spousal loss.
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"How large language models can reshape collective intelligence"
Nature Human Behaviour | September 2024
Collective intelligence drives the success of groups, organizations, and societies by enabling outcomes beyond individual abilities, often with help from technology like prediction markets and online forums. However, large language models are changing how information is gathered and shared online. This shift presents both opportunities and challenges for collective intelligence. Drawing from experts in academia and industry, this work explores the benefits, risks, and key research questions, calling for a deeper look into how these models impact our ability to solve complex problems together.
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"(No) time to engage: an exploratory mixed-method study into factors predicting the engagement of postgraduate research students in Ireland"
Higher Education | September 2024
Higher education institutions (HEIs) aim to provide quality training for postgraduate researchers (PGRs), whose engagement is crucial for success. However, research on PGR experiences is limited, especially regarding differences between international and local students. This study addresses this gap by examining factors that affect PGR engagement. It focuses on three areas: student-supervisor relationships, departmental engagement, and cognitive involvement, using survey data and interviews from Trinity College Dublin. Findings show that financial security, familiarity with institutional structures, and supervisor relationships affect engagement, especially for international students. These insights can help policymakers and HEIs improve support for PGRs.
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"Upward Mobility and Class Inequities among Filipino Migrant Nurses in the Republic of Ireland"
Sociology | June 2024
This study uses Bourdieusian class analysis to explore the upward mobility of Filipino nurse migrants in Ireland. It highlights how transnational connections create divisions among nurses as a micro-class and shows how their family's social class affects their experiences. Migrants from lower-income backgrounds face challenges, while those from wealthier families enjoy better opportunities, enabling them to invest in economic capital and improve their status. This reflects the transnational reproduction of inequality, shaping both current and future class conditions. The article contributes to discussions on class and mobility from a transnational perspective.
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"Negative social tipping dynamics resulting from and reinforcing Earth system destabilization"
Earth System Dynamics | September 2024
Recent research has focused on positive social tipping points in response to the climate crisis, but less attention has been given to negative tipping points that could worsen social and environmental instability. This paper explores potential negative tipping dynamics, such as conflict, displacement, radicalization, and financial instability, driven by a destabilizing Earth system. It highlights how these processes could harm societies and worsen the climate crisis. The aim is to encourage further research into these under-explored risks to prevent negative dynamics from blocking positive social change.
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"International student mobility within Europe: responding to contemporary challenges"
Higher Education | April 2024
This article introduces the special issue on “Challenges to International Student Mobility within Europe.” It discusses the current state of mobility and explains the focus on Europe by highlighting its unique characteristics. The article then summarizes the contributions of the issue, focusing on the challenges identified, theories of student mobility, and proposed responses. It also incorporates existing literature on international student mobility throughout the discussion.
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"Black Unsettlement: Embodied Blackness and Black Studies in the Irish Context"
Irish Journal of Sociology | April 2024
This article provides a personal perspective on Black Studies in Ireland, emphasizing how lived Black experiences shape knowledge. In Ireland, anti-blackness, not just racism, addresses systemic violence against Black people. While Black presence challenges racial homogeneity, anti-blackness is embedded in academic materials and systems. The author introduces concepts like "xeno/miso-phenotypic prejudice" (bias against Black bodies) and "unexpected Irishness" (discomfort in traditionally white spaces). As a Black academic, the author highlights the risk of tokenism in higher education and calls for elevating Black Studies to challenge academic complacency.
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"The creation of culturally responsive school environments in Ireland: Factors that assist in reducing the gap between policy and practice"
Policy Futures in Education | March 2024
Ireland's cultural identity has shifted due to large-scale migration, making culturally responsive school environments a key policy issue. However, research on how Ireland's four primary school types address this need is limited. This study fills that gap by examining data from teachers, principals, and parents to explore factors that help culturally and religiously diverse students feel a sense of belonging. It also identifies challenges in implementing culturally responsive classroom policies. The findings are relevant beyond Ireland, offering insights into how schools across Europe can adapt to growing migration trends and support diverse student populations.
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"Inclusion and Agency in Ghanaian Schools: The Case of West African Child Migrants"
Comparative Education Review | February 2024
This article explores factors affecting the inclusion of migrant students in Ghana's education system and how they respond to challenges. Using agency and inclusion theories, the study analyzes interviews and observations from 68 migrant students in 30 schools. The findings reveal that language barriers, exploitation, labeling, and teasing harm migrant students, highlighting the lack of inclusive structures. The study shows that migrant students often form friendships with those from similar backgrounds to cope with challenges. This research adds to the understanding of migration and education in postcolonial Africa, emphasizing the negative impact on both migrant and local students.
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"Structural opportunities or assortative mating? "
European Societies | January 2024
This study looks at trends in how people choose marriage partners based on education in Europe. Focusing on Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Italy from 2000 to 2020, it explores how partner choices (assortative mating) and available partners (structural opportunities) shape marriage patterns. The results show stable or rising marriages between equally educated people, while marriages where women are less educated than men have declined. The reasons for these trends differ by country, with assortative mating being the main driver of differences across nations. This research highlights the role of partner choice in shaping marriage trends.
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