Ms Elise Boyle Espinosa

Biography

Elise Boyle Espinosa has an interdisciplinary background in international studies and global development, and prior to her time at the University of Aberdeen, she studied and researched at the Universities of Sydney, Cape Town, and Copenhagen.

Her research has primarily concerned education and politics in conflict-affected areas, and she has an interest in sustainable development and education more generally. In early 2025 Elise successfully defended her PhD thesis, ‘Diversity of Destinies’: The Impact of Islamic State on Higher Education in Eastern Syria. The research was funded by the EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under a Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement, and supervised by Dr Rachel Shanks, Professor Pamela Abbott, and Dr Hanifi Bariş. This built on experience and knowledge gained from previous long-term research and fieldwork on the education system established as part of the ‘Rojava Revolution’ in North East Syria, and the implications this has had for governance of the region.

is currently providing support to the Centre for Citizenship, Civil Society, and Rule of Law, and has previously been employed as a Teaching Fellow (2024/2025) in the School of Education.

Parallel to her research, she is involved in activism and media work related to Kurdish issues, minority and refugee rights, and environmental and social justice. She also has experience working with various Non-Governmental Organisations, including the Amy Foundation (South Africa) and the Danish Refugee Council.  

External Memberships

Elise is a member of the Education, Peace and Politics in the Middle East network.

Teaching Responsibilities

• ‘Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities’ (2021/2022, 2022/2023, 2024/2025)
• ‘Body, Mind and Nature’ (2024/2025)
• Support to courses in the Master’s in Education programme and the Professional Graduate Diploma in Primary Education (2024/2025)