Sam Sharp Email & Phone Number

London, Gb

London, United Kingdom

I'm a Research Fellow in the Politics and Governance programme. My research has two main themes. One, contemporary challenges to democracy and civic space, particularly how these manifest in emerging democracies, and the implications for international democracy and civil society support. And two, understanding the politics of development challenges, and how public organisations can be better equipped to navigate these dynamics and work in more adaptive and politically smart ways.Recent… Show more I'm a Research Fellow in the Politics and Governance programme. My research has two main themes. One, contemporary challenges to democracy and civic space, particularly how these manifest in emerging democracies, and the implications for international democracy and civil society support. And two, understanding the politics of development challenges, and how public organisations can be better equipped to navigate these dynamics and work in more adaptive and politically smart ways.Recent research has explored: how civil society in Ethiopia and Tanzania have navigated shifting civic spaces; the role of social movements in Malawi's democratic resilience; how feminist movements globally resist attacks on democracy and navigate politicised religion; and lessons on working politically in practice from a Malawian governance programme. Show less

I am a Senior Research Officer for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance within the Politics and Governance team. My research focuses on understanding the politics of development challenges, and how public organisations can be better equipped to navigate these dynamics and work in more adaptive and politically smart ways.Recent projects have explored how adaptive approaches intersect with bureaucratic politics and processes, both within aid donors and the public sector more broadly. I… Show more I am a Senior Research Officer for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance within the Politics and Governance team. My research focuses on understanding the politics of development challenges, and how public organisations can be better equipped to navigate these dynamics and work in more adaptive and politically smart ways.Recent projects have explored how adaptive approaches intersect with bureaucratic politics and processes, both within aid donors and the public sector more broadly. I also conduct political economy analyses in various sectors, most recently on civil society engagement in tax reform and phasing out of plastic production. Show less

London

Alongside my study I have worked in multiple research assistant roles:• Contributed to a chapter, 'Changing Dynamics of International Development Cooperation', for the 2017 South-South Cooperation Report.• Literature reviews on the politics of bureaucracies and faith-based approaches to countering violent extremism.• Worked with Sir Richard Jolly on data analysis of the relationship between human development and GDP.• Brexit and development: contributed to the… Show more Alongside my study I have worked in multiple research assistant roles:• Contributed to a chapter, 'Changing Dynamics of International Development Cooperation', for the 2017 South-South Cooperation Report.• Literature reviews on the politics of bureaucracies and faith-based approaches to countering violent extremism.• Worked with Sir Richard Jolly on data analysis of the relationship between human development and GDP.• Brexit and development: contributed to the development of a research proposal, and authored a blog post engaged with by the UN Assistant Secretary-General.• Collected data for the International Centre for Tax and Development’s annual reporting.• Copy- edited reports on informal authorities in local governance. Show less

UnLtd is the leading provider of support to social entrepreneurs in the UK and I produce research to inform the charity's delivery and strategic thinking. My projects and responsibilities include:• Managing the evaluation of three programmes of social entrepreneur support: including designing the evaluation methodology; conducting focus groups, interviews, data analysis, report writing.• A comprehensive report on opportunities for social entrepreneurs to tackle UK poverty, and… Show more UnLtd is the leading provider of support to social entrepreneurs in the UK and I produce research to inform the charity's delivery and strategic thinking. My projects and responsibilities include:• Managing the evaluation of three programmes of social entrepreneur support: including designing the evaluation methodology; conducting focus groups, interviews, data analysis, report writing.• A comprehensive report on opportunities for social entrepreneurs to tackle UK poverty, and for UnLtd to support them. On the back of this: engaging parliamentarians, stakeholders, and developing funding opportunities.• Data analysis and report writing for a British Council funded research project to establish baseline information on the state of social enterprise activity in Bangladesh, Ghana, India and Pakistan.• Leading on responses to policy consultations from major funders and stakeholders. Show less

Mzuzu, Malawi

On the International Citizen Service programme I volunteered in Malawi for three months, working with APAUSE, a local charity promoting good sexual health.I took the lead on a monitoring and evaluation project for three charities: designing a programme to collect qualitative and quantitative data and working with a team of Malawian and British volunteers to implement it. I was also responsible for the analysis and visualisation of the data, presenting it to the charities with… Show more On the International Citizen Service programme I volunteered in Malawi for three months, working with APAUSE, a local charity promoting good sexual health.I took the lead on a monitoring and evaluation project for three charities: designing a programme to collect qualitative and quantitative data and working with a team of Malawian and British volunteers to implement it. I was also responsible for the analysis and visualisation of the data, presenting it to the charities with recommendations for improvements.The results of this work were submitted to the Malawian National Research and Best Practices Dissemination Conference for HIV and AIDS under the title 'Best Practice in Sexual Health Education for Form One: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study'.As a team of volunteers we were fully involved in the running of the charity: taking sexual health classes in local schools; organising, fundraising and promoting an awareness raising event; and working on lesson development among other duties. Show less

University College London

The Constitution Unit is the UK's leading research body on constitutional change.Working on the Parliamentary Candidates UK project, I led the initial research into a paper to be published on the career trajectories of MPs. This involved producing literature reviews to help determine the methodology and focus of the paper, with sequence analysis - a new method to political science - being used. I also created a detailed hierarchy of House of Commons roles to allow a more nuanced… Show more The Constitution Unit is the UK's leading research body on constitutional change.Working on the Parliamentary Candidates UK project, I led the initial research into a paper to be published on the career trajectories of MPs. This involved producing literature reviews to help determine the methodology and focus of the paper, with sequence analysis - a new method to political science - being used. I also created a detailed hierarchy of House of Commons roles to allow a more nuanced analysis and collected and coded data on pre-parliamentary occupations.Other duties including writing posts for the Unit's blog and newsletter; contributing to team meetings on the progress of the PCUK project and assisting with the running of events in Westminster and at the Unit.http://parliamentarycandidates.org/ Show less

I planned and delivered regular lessons for eight pupils around work hours, in order to fund working voluntarily to build my experience in research and international development.

My main responsibility was running economics classes for prospective university applicants. In particular, I intensively tutored ten Oxbridge applicants through the whole process, including mock interviews and test practice, with seven receiving offers.I taught KS3 Geography and Religious Studies on demand and provided cover supervision across the full range of subjects and ages. I also assisted with administrative duties including designing a new, less painful, format for risk… Show more My main responsibility was running economics classes for prospective university applicants. In particular, I intensively tutored ten Oxbridge applicants through the whole process, including mock interviews and test practice, with seven receiving offers.I taught KS3 Geography and Religious Studies on demand and provided cover supervision across the full range of subjects and ages. I also assisted with administrative duties including designing a new, less painful, format for risk assessment forms. Show less

Ma Governance, Development, And Public Policy, Distinction

Dissertation (distinction): To develop or to repress? Elite responses to threat in authoritarian regimes Modules: Political Economy.

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Philosophy, Politics And Economics, 2.1

Activities and Societies: Korfball, Darts, Oxford University Labour Club Final papers: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Ethics, Knowledge.

A-Level (A*A*A*A), As-Level (A), Gcse (9 A*S, 3 As)

Activities and Societies: Basketball, Football A-Level Subjects: Economics, Geography, Mathematics, Further Mathematics AS-Level Subjects.