Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Dr James Silverwood
Senior Lecturer
James Silverwood joined LBU as Senior Lecturer in Politics in December 2023 teaching across undergraduate politics provision on modules such as Introduction to Governance, Global Inequalities, and British Politics.
Previously employed at Bishop Grosseteste (Lincoln) and Coventry University, James has prior experience teaching modules across the subject of international political economy, also becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Whilst employed at Bishop Grosseteste, he was the Lead Applicant for the institutions first ever successful bid for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (£162,000). He also acted as Course Director across several programmes at postgraduate and apprenticeship level at Bishop Grosseteste and Coventry University.
James conducts research into key themes of British political economy, especially the role of the state in British economic development, something that he examines through the prism of industrial policy. His research also encompasses environmental and educational policy in Britain. He is interested in accepting PhD students in any of these areas of British political economy. His recent research articles have been published in journals such as Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, the British Journal for Educational Research, and the British Journal of Politics and International Relations.
James completed his doctorate in Politics at the University of Hull under the supervision of Dr. Simon Lee and Dr. Richard Woodward submitting a thesis on the evolution of macroeconomic policy in Britain since the 19th century. He also completed a postgraduate degree on Global Political Economy, and undergraduate degree on History and Politics, at the University of Hull.
Current Teaching
- Level 4 - Introduction to Governance
- Level 5 - Global Inequalities
- Level 6 - British Politics
Research Interests
James conducts research into key themes of British political economy, especially the role of the state in British economic development, something that he examines through the prism of industrial policy, as well as environmental and educational policy in Britain.
Most recently, James has successfully published (with co-authors) work on industrial policy in journals such as Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space and the British Journal of Politics and International Relations. These works, respectively, examined the role of industrial policy between 1821-1914 and 1958-2016 (critiquing the view that economic development in these periods were determined by the market, rather than the state) and during the governments of Margaret Thatcher (arguing that industrial policy, despite the rhetoric of her government to the contrary) was a key component of neoliberal statecraft in Britain.
James has also recently published work on British educational policy. Using archival research, an article in the British Educational Research Journal challenged conventional wisdom that a speech on education delivered by James Callaghan at Ruskin College in October 1976 can be considered the origin of development of the modern educational system in England.
Ask Me About
- Political Economy
- Education
- Government policies
- History
- Politics
