Michael Toomey is a lecturer in International Relations. Prior to joining University of Glasgow in January 2022, he had held teaching positions at Rutgers University, Wenzhou-Kean University, University of Limerick, University of Reading, and Aberystwyth University. In addition, he has worked as an external consultant for Freedom House, having contributed to the 2016 and 2017 Freedom in the World and Freedom of the Press reports.

Having recently completed work on a book project entitled "European Union Enlargement and Democratisation: The Normative Disconnect in Hungary and Czechia" (forthcoming with Edinburgh University Press), Michael's current research interests revolve around three broader themes. He has an ongoing interest in the use of narratives of cultural trauma in populist political messaging, having previously published research related to this in Global Studies Quarterly and New Perspectives. He is currently working on a second project on the 21st Century globalisation of racism, political extremism, and the far-right. Finally, he has an ongoing interest in the pedagogy of politics and international relations, and particularly on the use of simulations in politics and international relations teaching, having previously published research in International Studies Perspectives and on several T&L blogs.

Finally, Michael is particularly interested in the scholarship and dissemination of best practice in social sciences teaching. He is a founding member and co-convenor of the School of Social and Political Science Innovative Pedagogy Hub, and organises an annual workshop on Best Practices in Social Sciences Teaching.

• Cultural Trauma and Populism
• Globalisation of Racism, Extremism, and the Far-Right
• Simulation Design in Politics and International Relations Teaching

Research groups

• International Relations
• Innovative Pedagogy Hub
• Elections, Public Opinion & Parties

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I welcome proposals for projects related to the global far-right, cultural trauma, myth- and narrative-making in international politics, and democracy and democracy promotion in the European Union. I am also potentially interested in supervising projects broadly connected to nationalism, identity politics, and regime contestation.

Sole-convened modules:

• POLITIC5007- Human Rights and Global Politics
• POLITIC5077- Comparative European Politics (Nankai University)

Co-convened modules:

• POLITIC4176- International Relations Concepts (with Ty Solomon, Alister Wedderburn, and Rebecca Tapscott)
• POLITIC4190- Challenges to Democracy (with Sergiu Ghergina)

• Associate Fellowship of Advance HE
• Member of the British International Studies Association
• Member of the International Studies Association