School of Social and Political Science

Dr Saskia Smellie

Research Fellow

Saskia Smellie
Saskia.Smellie@ed.ac.uk
https://twitter.com/@S_Smellie/
4.12
Chrystal Macmillan Building
15a George Square
Edinburgh
UK
EH8 9LD

Research interests

European Union Studies International Relations Research Group Migration and experiences of displacement

Politics of Migration and Asylum Policy, Responsibility-Sharing, European Union, Foreign Policy Analysis, Role Theory

Background

I am a Research Fellow on the EU collaborative project BRIDGES (2021-24), which explores the construction and impact of narratives on migration and integration in Europe. The project is led by the Barcelona Institute for International Affairs, and Professor Christina Boswell and I are leading a work package on how migration narratives are deployed in political debate, and how they influence policy-making.

My own research examines variations in refugee policy among EU Member States. Adopting a Role Theory approach, it explores the impact of political elites’ national role conceptions on decision-making. Domestic political constraints, including political fragmentation, party competition and public opinion are also examined, offering a holistic explanation for variations in responsibility-sharing and provision for refugees and asylum seekers.

Qualifications

PhD in Politics, University of Edinburgh

MSc International & European Politics (distinction), University of Edinburgh

BA Honours German Studies (2:1), University of Birmingham

Awards

2018; Sue Grant Service Award

2016-2018; Politics and International Relations Career Development PhD Stipend & Scholarship

2007; Eleanora Allen Travel Scholarship

Research Experience

2024, Research Fellow, Immigration Detention: Investigating the Expansion and Global Diffusion of a Failed Project, UKRI project, University of Edinburgh

2021-2024, Research Fellow, BRIDGES H2020 project, University of Edinburgh

2021; Research Assistant, BRIDGES H2020 project, University of Edinburgh

2016-2017; Research Assistant, Professor Juliet Kaarbo, University of Edinburgh

2016-2017; Research Assistant, Professor Christina Boswell, University of Edinburgh

2005-2007; Research Assistant, Roger Moorhouse, College of Europe, Warsaw

Teaching

Lecturing:

2016-2019; 'Asylum and Refugees; History and State-level Responses', Honours Undergraduate Course 'Europe and International Migration'

Tutoring:

2016-2019; Honours Undergraduate Course 'Europe and International Migration'

Relevant Work Experience

10/2015 – 06/2021; Communications Manager, Built Environment Forum Scotland, Edinburgh

2009 – 2015; Public Relations and Policy Officer, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Edinburgh

Skills:

  • Facilitation training at Kinharvie Institute (6-day course)
  • Policy consultation, advocacy, and mediation between the Scottish Government and stakeholders, event organisation and political delegations
  • Media engagement strategies, social media and website management

Languages

English – native speaker

German – fluent

Membership

Member of the International Studies Association (ISA)

Member of the Council of European Studies (CES)

Member of Citizens, Nations and Migration Network, University of Edinburgh

Role Research Group (Founding member), University of Edinburgh

International Relations Research Group, University of Edinburgh

Europa Research Group, University of Edinburgh

Works within

Publications by user content

Publication Research Explorer link
Boswell C, Smellie S. Migration narratives in political debate and policy-making. Zenodo. 2023 Oct 30, p. 1-27. (BRIDGES Working Papers). doi: 10.5281/zenodo.10066255
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Smellie S, Strycharz D. From staunch opposition to refugees to a state of refuge: Poland’s national role conceptions and response to the Ukrainian crisis. 2023. Paper presented at International Studies Association 2023 Annual Convention, Montreal, Canada.
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Smellie S, Thiers Huerta C. Chile’s role during the Venezuelan migrant crisis: Sebastián Piñera and the Cúcuta debacle. 2023. Paper presented at International Studies Association 2023 Annual Convention, Montreal, Canada.
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Smellie S. Migration narratives in media and social media: The case of the UK. Zenodo. 2023 Jan 13, p. 1-90. (BRIDGES Working Papers). doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7937160
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Smellie S. From Willkommenskultur to ‘shut that door’: The contested selection of Germany’s national role conceptions during the European ‘Migrant Crisis’. 2022. Paper presented at ISA 2022 Annual Convention, Nashville, United States.
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Smellie S, Guiraudon V. Narrating the UK-French Border: Media representation of responsibility for the displaced in Calais. 2022. Paper presented at 28th International Conference of Europeanists, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Boswell C, Smellie S, Maneri M, Pogliano A, Garcés-Mascareñas B, Benet-Martínez V et al. The emergence, uses and impacts of narratives on migration: State of the art. Zenodo. 2021 Nov 22, p. 1-26. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5720313
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Smellie S. National role conceptions and the EU ‘refugee crisis’: Explaining variation in refugee protection policy. 2019. Paper presented at ISA Annual Convention 2019, Toronto, Canada.
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Smellie S. Merkel, coalition politics and negotiating the common European asylum system: Constrained by domestic actors? 2018.
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Smellie S. Explaining variation in refugee policy decision-making in the EU: International and domestic expectations. 2018. Paper presented at UACES Graduate Forum Conference 2018, Leuven, Belgium.
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Boswell C, Kyambi S, Smellie S. Scottish immigration policy after Brexit: Evaluating options for a differentiated approach. 2017 Jun 20.
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Smellie S. Explaining variation in refugee protection policy and responsibility sharing in the EU: A role theory approach. 2017. Paper presented at ISA Annual Convention 2017, Baltimore, United States.
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Smellie S. After Brexit: Reflections from a migration perspective. 2016.
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Saskia Smellie's Research Explorer profile