Dr Kathrin Thomas

Biography

I joined the Department of Politics and International Relations in September 2019 as Lecturer in Politics and have been promoted to Senior Lecturer in August 2023. Previously, I was Senior Research Specialist in the Department of Politics at Princeton University, working on the Arab Barometer. I also worked as Research Associate in Survey Methodology in the Department of Sociology at City, University of London (I remain a good friend of the European Social Survey); Research Associate on the Austrian National Election Study hosted by the Department of Methods in the Social Sciences at the University of Vienna; and Teaching Fellow at Aberdeen.

I obtained my PhD in Politics from the University of Exeter within the Marie Curie ITN on Electoral Democracy (ELECDEM) in 2013. As Early Stage Marie Curie Researcher, I was able to spend time as Visiting Scholar in the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan working on the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems and in the Politics Department at the European University Institute.

I was Co-chair of the ECPR Standing Group on Political Methodology from 2015--2020 and Board Member of the European Survey Reserach Association from 2019--2021. I taught survey design at the ECPR Methods Schools for several years.

My substantive research interests are (comparative) public opinion, electoral politics, participation, and social and political psychology. I have also build expertise in the politics of the Middle East and North Africa over the past few years. My methodological interests are in improving data quality for all kinds of research projects, including survey methodology.

Current projects:

Toke, D, Thomas, K, Duffy, P, Vergunst, J (2023) ESRC Standard Scheme "Solar Power in the UK -- Planning for a sustainable future" (ES/X001512/1).

British Academy Talent Development Award: "Enhancing quantitative analysis skills in Politics and International Relations using digital delivery" (TDA21\210018)

PhD applications welcome!