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Dr Tom O'Brien
Senior Lecturer in Political Sociology

Biography

I grew up on a farm in New Zealand’s King Country region. I was inspired to complete a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree at the University of Waikato by a charismatic lecturer on a polytechnic course, who pushed us in new directions. I followed this with an Honours year at Victoria University Wellington and a Masters at the University of Auckland. After two years working in the New Zealand Ministry of Health, I moved to Melbourne to pursue a PhD, exploring whether democratisation leads to improved environmental standards and factors that may influence such outcomes. I travelled to Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria and Romania for extended fieldwork, speaking to officials, civil society representatives and experts about democratisation and the environment.

I joined the Department of Sociology in August 2018, as lecturer in political sociology.

Career

I have previously held academic posts in the UK, New Zealand and Australia, most recently at Cranfield University at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.

External roles

Associate Editor of Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online.

Tom O'Brien

Contact details

Dr Tom O'Brien
Senior Lecturer
Department of Sociology LMB/243
University of York
YO10 5GD

Tel: +44(0)1904 32 3048