My research explores the relationship between knowledge and public policy. I examine how policy actors produce and draw on different kinds of knowledge to makes sense of policy problems, and to legitimise their responses. My work draws on theories from public policy, organisational sociology, science and technology studies, and Luhmann's systems theory.

Much of my work has focused on the production and uses of knowledge in immigration and asylum policy. I have been researching and writing on various aspects of immigration and asylum for almost two decades, both as an academic, and in various consultancy roles for governments and international organisations.

I recently founded and now co-direct the new Centre for Science, Knowledge & Policy - SKAPE - which was launched in June 2014. SKAPE brings together colleagues from Politics, Sociology, STS, Law and Business, to critically explore the relationship between knowledge and governance. I also currently serve as Director of Research for the School of Social and Political Science.

I am currently leading an ESRC-funded project on "The Politics of Monitoring: Information, Indicators and Targets in Climate Change, Defence and Immigration Policy", April 2013 - March 2016. It brings together a team of researchers from Politics and STIS. You can watch a 1-minute spiel on the project here. I am working on a monograph book on the project, entitled "Performance Measurement and the Production of Political Trust".