I am a researcher of democracy and culture. I am also and artist and writer.

I am currently leading an AHRC-funded Research, Development and Engagement Fellowship titled ‘Mediated climate change politics in the post-truth era: the epistemology and performance of contested digital truth claims’.

My current research focuses on the relationship between citizens and public representatives as it pertains to questions of knowledge and truth and especially as it is enacted on digital platforms. I also do research on polarisation and populism, and am increasingly focusing on climate politics, especially as it intersects with online platforms, culture and democracy. I am currently exploring new creative methods of generative writing, portraiture and participatory arts in social science research.

My first book, Populist Communication: Ideology, Performance, Mediation, was published with Palgrave in 2021 and won the ICA Global Communication and Social Change Division’s Best Book Award in 2022. I have published a number of journal articles, book chapters and handbook entries on populism, democratisation and mediatisation, and democratic listening on social media. 

Previous to my academic career, I worked in publishing and online communication as a content manager, web editor and writer and owned and managed an eco-hotel and associated development projects in the Malawian rainforest.