Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR)

Profile

My main areas of interest are Languages, European Thought and History (post-bellum in the main), and I have always been particularly interested in the French and Italian Communist Parties in terms of ideology, their roles; both national and international, orientation and strategies. My previous work includes studies on French Marxism and the PCF: ideological developments 1968-78, and on ways in which myths and memories of WW2 are used in political debate.

My current thesis has given me the opportunity to conduct an in-depth study of a specific and under-researched aspect of French and Italian communism in looking at reactions to the Soviet interventions in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 amongst ordinary communist party members in the ports of La Seyne and Monfalcone. That year was punctuated by a series of events that shook the world and constituted a watershed for the communist movement.  Via a series of oral interviews with former party members I am able to recover their thoughts, feelings and opinions on the events and assess the impact of these at local, grass-roots levels. The cross-cultural, transnational perspective to the study highlights the role of historical experience and other factors in explaining variations in the responses in the two locations. 

Qualifications

• PG Cert Social Research Methods, University of Portsmouth, 2008
• MA Translation Studies in French and Italian, University of Portsmouth, 2006
• PGCE in French, University of Portsmouth, 2000
• MA History, University of Portsmouth, 1999
• BA Hons. Area Studies 1st Class, University of Portsmouth 1997
• London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Advanced French / Italian
• HEA (Fellow)
• Member of the Institute of Linguists

Research Clusters

• Francophone
• Language Across Borders

Research CV 

Current Research Projects

• PhD Thesis: Reactions to the Soviet interventions in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, amongst rank and file communist party members in the communist controlled ports of La Seyne and Monfalcone.

Grants Received

• ESRC Full Time PhD Studentship 2007