Research Institute for Social Sciences

I chose this area of research because of my own interest in the area stemming from my expatriate, TCK, childhood, and because I could see a significant gap in migration literature where the experiences of expatriate children were simply not discussed. It seemed to me that expatriate children had something important to add to the discourse around migratory belonging and identity, so I set out to lend a platform to their stories.

2008 Sociology Prize Winner, and Student of the Year Award winner

2009 Awarded ESRC funding for PhD studies.

Future Plans

I would like to set up an independent mentoring service for Third Culture Kid returnees, and their families - to support them through the adjustments inherent in moving between, and embedding into multiple cultures.

I would be interested in teaching and seminar work related to my work with expatriate children and adults, but also more widely in the field of Sociology.

Thesis Title

‘Third Culture Kids’: A Case Study in Nomadic Identities, Place, and Transnational Belonging

Through life stories I'm exploring the implications of an expatriate, Third Culture Kid, childhood on adult experiences of identity, belonging, and relationship to place.

I would like to set up an independent mentoring service for Third Culture Kid returnees, and their families - to support them through the adjustments inherent in moving between, and embedding into multiple cultures.

I would be interested in teaching and seminar work related to my work with expatriate children and adults, but also more widely in the field of Sociology.

• Postgraduate Conference at Keele 2009: “Third Culture Kids: Another Mode of Migration”

• African Studies at Keele Group 2010: “Third Culture Kids: In Niger but not of Niger”

• Postgraduate Conference at Keele 2011: “The Internet as Method: Researching Geographically Dispersed Populations”

• Social Sciences Lunchtime Seminar at Keele, June 2011: 'The identity of the researcher and getting at the truth'

Media Work

• EuroTCK Forum Spain April 2010: “Third Culture Kid Stress: Presentation of Initial Research and Findings""

• Global Connections Conference 2010: “Beyond School: What About Adult Third Culture Kids?” -  presented initial findings from analysis. Also asked to present my own TCK story.

Coming up:

• ""TCKs and Relationships"" and "" Adult TCK Identity"" to be co-presented at EuroTCK Forum, Germany - April 2013"