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Dr Darrin McDonald

Lecturer

Darrin is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, specialising in the Political Economy of Global Development. He joined Leeds Beckett in September 2023. His research primarily focuses on the interplay between conflict, institutional arrangements, and development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Darrin obtained his PhD in Politics from the University of York, applying theories on neopatrimonialism, stability, and state capacity to analyse factors behind disparate conditions and performance among select central African states. This work drew on (post-)colonial histories and theories on formal-informal institutional arrangements to assess factors behind persistent civil conflict and underdevelopment through comparison of Gabon, Republic of Congo, Chad, and Central African Republic.

Before joining Leeds Beckett in September 2023, Darrin taught and undertook research at a few different UK universities, including teaching positions at the University of York and York St John University as well as postdoctoral research with the University of York and the Interdisciplinary Global Development Centre (IGDC). He has served as Country Expert on the Republic of Congo for the Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) since 2018 and has most recently undertaken research focused on the increase in coups among Central and West African states.

Darrin has taught on a wide range of modules in Politics and International Relations during his career, including most recently on Security, Conflict and Development (Level 7), Theorising Development (Level 7), and Politics of Human Rights (Level 6). His areas of expertise are centred broadly on the Political Economy of Global Development, and he has experience teaching on a wide range of modules including introductory Politics and International Relations modules and Political Theory and modules on Development, Security and Human Rights.

Current Teaching

Politics of Human Rights (Level 6)
Theorising Development (Level 7)
Security, Conflict and Development (Level 7)

Research Interests

Darrin’s research revolves around the Political Economy of Global Development and the intersection between (broadly) security, colonialism, capitalism, corruption, and development. His main focus lies in the interplay between (in)security and (under)development in sub-Saharan Africa, with an emphasis on Francophone African states. He has also done research on post-Brexit UK trade relations and similar political-economic work building on his multidisciplinary background.

Darrin thrives to make as much of an impact as possible with his work and the findings from his research, particularly through calling attention to understudied countries or circumstances in Africa and building connections with individuals and civil society groups in his countries of interest to capture and promote these vital perspectives. He maintains particularly intimate connections with groups in the Republic of Congo and Gabon and has actively promoted projects including rural agricultural cooperatives in Congo and civil society efforts to tackle corruption in Gabon.