Dr Tabitha Baker
- talicebaker at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
- http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2131-8953
- Senior Lecturer in Humanities and Law
- Weymouth House W404, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB
Biography
I am a social science researcher with a specialist focus on qualitative research methods. My research engages critically with contemporary political and social issues and has resulted in a growing body of publications that span regional, national, and international contexts.
In addition to academic publishing, I am deeply engaged in knowledge exchange and public scholarship. I have extensive experience in communicating research to non-academic audiences through a variety of platforms and formats. These include writing articles for The Conversation, delivering talks in schools, presenting at public engagement events, and contributing to forums targeting policymakers, politicians, and civic audiences. I have also participated in radio interviews and provided expert commentary for national and local media outlets, ensuring that research findings reach and inform broader societal conversations.
I have an emerging track record of securing external research funding in both Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator capacities... Notably, I have been awarded funding from bodies such as the British Academy.
In my role as Senior Lecturer at BU, I undertake a number of duties that include teaching, curriculum design, programme leadership, and the strategic oversight of teaching team delivery and student data evaluation. My programme leadership within the faculty has involved enhancing teaching quality, improving student outcomes and experience, and programme innovation.
Alongside my role at BU, I serve as a trustee for Citizens Advice Central Dorset, where I provide strategic oversight for the organisation’s research and campaigns function. This position reflects my commitment to applied research and community engagement, and allows me to contribute to the use of evidence in advocacy and policy-related work at the local level.
I also serve as a convenor for the Political Studies Association (PSA) Political Psychology Specialist Group, where I contribute to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and supporting the development of scholarship at the intersection of politics and psychology.
I can be contacted at: talicebaker@bournemouth.ac.uk
moreExpertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:
Peace, justice and strong institutions
"Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels"
Journal Articles
- Baker, T. and Gwinn, I., 2025. Political resistance, representation, and identity during English local government re-organisation: a micro-case study. LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES.
- Baker, T.A., 2024. ‘We all just want a flag to get behind’: the politics of English national identity. National Identities, 26 (2), 123-139.
- Baker, T.A., 2022. The EU's Impact on Identity Formation in East-Central Europe Between 2004 and 2013. Perceptions of the Nation and Europe in Political Parties of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia. EUROPE-ASIA STUDIES, 74 (5), 877-879.
- Baker, T., 2021. Is there hope for the West Country? Political sentiment amongst rural voters. Renewal: Journal of Social Democracy, 29 (3), 73-83.
Chapters
- Baker, T. and Lilleker, D., 2022. “Not One Rule for Everyone”: The Impact of Elite Rule-Breaking on Public Trust in the UK. In: Maarek, P., ed. Manufacturing Government Communication on Covid-19 A Comparative Perspective. Springer.
Reports
- Baker, T., 2024. Who defines Britain? National identity at the heart of the 2024 UK General Election, In: UK Election Analysis 2024: Media, Voters and the Campaign. Centre for Comparative Politics and Media Research (Bournemouth University). Available from: https://www.electionanalysis.uk/.
Internet Publications
- Baker, T., 2024. Politics ‘beneath the surface’.
- Baker, T., 2022. Tiverton and Honiton byelection: rural voters are itching for a chance to cast a protest vote. The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/tiverton-and-honiton-byelection-rural-voters-are-itching-for-a-chance-to-cast-a-protest-vote-185236?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton.
- Baker, T., 2021. What to expect from post-pandemic voting behaviour. The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/what-to-expect-from-post-pandemic-voting-behaviour-162293.
Theses
- Baker, T., 2022. The psychosocial relationship between national identity and political sentiment in England: 2016-2020. PhD Thesis. Bournemouth University, Faculty of Media and Communication.
Films
- Local Democracy in Times of Crisis: Exploring the Politics of BCP Council, 2024. Film. Available from: https://vimeo.com/922525384?share=copy.
Others
- Baker, T., 2020. The othering of migrants has negative consequences for society at large. LSE. Published online.
PhD Students
- Callum Blades. The Psychodynamics of Conspiracy Culture and Contemporary Politics
- Kieran Clarke. A Historical Analysis of 1960 – 1963 and Ethnicization in Post-Colonial Kenyan Politics
- Madhumita Nandi. Psychoanalytic Journeys: Colonialism and English Identity
- Ruth Llewellyn. Playing through the pandemic: Psychoanalysis and Gaming
Profile of Teaching PG
- Issues and Debates in Political Psychology
- Dissertation supervision
- International Relations and Public Diplomacy
- Psychodynamics of Emotion
Profile of Teaching UG
- Psychology of Politics
- International relations, state power and public diplomacy
- Understanding Contemporary Britain
- Dissertation supervision
- Foundations of International Relations
- Law and Government
- Media and Society
- Academic and Professional Practice
- Introduction to Communication Theory
Invited Lectures
-
The Politics of English Identity in Rural England more
'A countryside for all?' - Centre for English Identity - University of Southampton organised by Professor John Denham -
The Political Psychology of Defence Mechanisms, Edinburgh, Scotland, 13 Oct 2022 more
‘The Political Positions Between Us: Can Psychology Depolarise the Public?’ Royal Society of Edinburgh
Grants
- Skatillite Towns: An Oral History of Two Town and Ska in Regional England (British Academy, 01 Jul 2025). Awarded
- Local Democracy in a Time of Crisis (British Academy, 01 Nov 2023). Completed
- Two Tone Towns: A Social History of Ska in Dorset (ESRC Festival of Social Science, 01 Oct 2023). Completed
- Research visit to Center for Social and Cultural Psychology, Université libre de Bruxelles (Erasmus+, 01 May 2023). Completed
External Responsibilities
- Citizens Advice Central Dorset, Trustee (2024-)
- Dorset Race Equality Council, Trustee (2024-)
- Political Studies Association - Political Psychology Specialist Group, Committee member (2021-), https://www.psa.ac.uk/specialist-groups/political-psychology
Honours
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE, 2021)
External Media and Press
- UK General Election announcement - analysis of Sunak's speech, BBC Radio Solent, 22 May 2024. https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmy.tvey.es%2FJx53S&data=05%7C02%7Cinternalcomms%40bournemouth.ac.uk%7C0439a40008104aa6bd6f08dc7afee378%7Cede29655d09742e4bbb5f38d427fbfb8%7C0%7C0%7C638520482347402806%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=PYTp4iX%2B57mtemtSrg0yhR5yQ%2FSjsVDsiP7gQrCxYBw%3D&reserved=0
- General Election 2024 - political parties and their strategies, Greatest Hits, 22 May 2024. https://mms.tveyes.com/MediaView/?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
- Politics ‘beneath the surface’, British Psychological Society Magazine, 24 Apr 2024. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/politics-beneath-surface
- Why do English people love oppression?, Dazed, 20 Sep 2022. https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/56983/1/nation-of-bootlickers-why-do-the-english-love-oppression-queen-royal-family
- Boris Johnson resignation analysis, BBC Solent Dorset, 08 Jul 2022. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0ccwx3d
- By-election analysis, BBC Radio Solent, 24 Jun 2022. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0c97csj
- Tiverton and Honiton byelection: rural voters are itching for a chance to cast a protest vote, The Conversation, 20 Jun 2022. https://theconversation.com/tiverton-and-honiton-byelection-rural-voters-are-itching-for-a-chance-to-cast-a-protest-vote-185236?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton
- What to expect from post-pandemic voting behaviour, The Conversation, 28 Jul 2021. https://theconversation.com/what-to-expect-from-post-pandemic-voting-behaviour-162293
- The othering of migrants has negative consequences for society at large, LSE Blog, 19 Aug 2020. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2020/08/19/the-othering-of-migrants-has-negative-consequences-for-society-at-large/
- The affective nature of Brexit’s geographical polarisation, NEXTEUK - Queen Mary University London, 10 Jun 2020. https://www.qmul.ac.uk/nexteuk/publications/blog/items/the-affective-nature-of-brexits-geographical-polarisation-.html