Professor Lisa Russell

Lisa Russell profile image

Professor Lisa Russell

Professor

My profile

Biography

I am a Professor in Education and Employment at The Manchester Metropolitan University and the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal Ethnography and Education. My teaching and research interests focus mainly on issues of social justice and education policy. I hold a long-standing, internationally recognised publication record and represent a global leading figure in the areas of NEET young people and ethnography.

As Principal Investigator (PI) I currently hold a Leverhulme Trust funded project (£357,704) - Mapping Interventions for young people at risk of becoming NEET in England (MINE). This project offers the first national-level analysis of early intervention programmes in England for young people aged 14-16 considered vulnerable to becoming Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET). This longitudinal study (running from 2021 to 2026) builds on over fifteen years worth of knowledge derived from externally funded research expertise working to further understand how young people who fall outside of mainstream education and employment spaces experience their career journeys and life trajectories. 

In relation to the MINE project I currently work closely with a number of organisations such as The Youth Employment Group (YEG); Northorpe Hall Child and Family Trust, as well as acting as advisor for a number of NEET Local Authority Networks across England to offer expertise in the area of Elective Home Education. A recently awarded ESRC and AHRC grant facilitated the co-design of a nationally available Elective Home Educated Resource designed with EHE young people and families and Local Authorities for EHE young people and their families. 

Since gaining my PhD in 2005 at Aston University (Business School), as PI, I have a sustained record of attracting significant external grant income from some of the most prestigous awarding bodies related to the field of education, pertinently these include The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and The Leverhulme Trust.

I have international teaching expertise having taught postgraduates in three countries including England (University of Huddersfield, University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and Aston University), Canada (The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto) and Jamaica (University of the West Indies). I have also acted as external examiner for The University College, London (UCL), Warwick University, Sheffield Hallam, Salford University, The Open University and Teeside University.

Since 2007 I have been a leading member of the Oxford Ethnography and Education Conference organising team and now act as Editor-in-Chief for  the international, peer-reviewed Ethnography and Education Journal. I have extensive Editor expertise, having edited three books, Ethics, Ethnography and Education (2022); Institutional Ethnography in Education (2019) and Ethnographic Writing (2018). I have also acted as Deputy Editor for the Teaching in Lifelong Learning Journaland as Guest Editor for the international peer reviewed Special Issue of Improving Schools on pupil voice. I currently sit on the Editorial Board for Studies in Educational Ethnography and for the Journal of Global Education and Research. Presently, I form part of the organisation committee, working in collaboration with the European Educational Research Association (EERA) Network 19 leading the Rethinking Ethnography Conference 2024 in Zaragoza, Spain.

I have refereed a range of research funding applications for the ESRC, the Associative Research Program – CONICYT (The Ministry of Education, Chile) and more recently the National Agency for Research and Development of Chile (ANID).

Get in touch

Brooks Building

Projects

Manchester Metropolitan University Logo 4

Mapping interventions for NEET young people in England

Exploring the nature and scope of early intervention programmes targeted at young people at risk of becoming NEET.

Find out more

Research outputs

  • Books (authored/edited/special issues)

    Russell, L. (2022) Russell, L., Barley, R. and Tummons, J. (2022). Ethnography, Ethics and Education. Studies in Qualitative Methodology. Emerald.

    Russell, L. (2018) Jeffrey, B. (ed.) & Russell, L. (ed.) (2018). Ethnographic. E&E.

    Russell, L. (2017) Reid, J. (ed.) & Russell, L. (ed.) (2017). Perspectives on and from Institutional Ethnography. Studies in Qualitative Methodology. Emerald.

    Russell, L. (2017) INTRODUCTION.

    Simmons, R., Thompson, R., Russell, L. (2014) Education, work and social change: Young people and marginalization in post-industrial Britain.

    Russell, L. (2014) Simmons, R., Thompson, R. and Russell, L. (2014) Education, work and social change: Young people and marginlisation in post-industrial Britain. Palgrave.

    Russell, L. (2011) Understanding Pupil Resistance Integrating Gender, Ethnicity and Class : an Educational Ethnography.

    Miller, H., Russell, L. (2006) The Personal, Professional and Political in Comparative Ethnographic Educational Research.

  • Chapters in books

    Russell, L. (2023) 'Chapters in books * Russell, L. (2023). Gender and Alternative Education, in Oxford Bibliographies in Education. Faircloth, S. 9ed.). Oxford University Press..' Oxford Bibliographies in Education. Oxford University Press,

    Russell, L. (2022) 'Russell, L. (2022). Is this ethical? Using this question as a starting point, in Ethics, Ethnography and Education. pp. 1-10. London: Emerald Press.' Ethics, Ethnography and Education. Emerald,

    Russell, L., Barley, R. (2022) 'Russell, L & Barley, R. (2022). Managing ethics when working with young people and children, in Ethics, Ethnography and Education. pp. 29-48. London: Emerald Press.' Ethics, Ethnography and Education.

    Russell, L. (2017) 'Russell, L. (2017). Introduction, in Perspectives on and from Institutional Ethnography. pp. xiii-xix. Studies in Qualitative Methodology. London: Emerald Press.' Perspectives on and from Institutional Ethnography.

    Russell, L. (2013) 'Russell, L. (2018). Competing power differentials in ethnographic writing: considerations when working with children and young people, in Ethnographic Writing. pp. 153-169. Stroud: E&E Publishing.' Ethnographic Writing. E&E Publishing,

    Thomson, P., Byrom, T., Robinson, C., Russell, L. (2010) 'Learning about journal publication: The pedagogies of editing a 'special issue'.' Publishing Pedagogies for the Doctorate and Beyond. pp. 137-156.

    Russell, L., Thomson, P., Byrom, T., Robinson, C. (2010) 'Thomson, P., Byrom, T., Robinson, C. and Russell, L. (2010). Learning about journal publication: the pedagogies of editing a ‘special issue’, in Publishing pedagogies for the doctorate and beyond. pp. 137-155, London: Routledge.' Learning about journal publication, the pedagogies of editing a 'special issue'. Routledge,

    Miller, H., Russell, L. (2005) 'Miller, H. and Russell, L. (2005). The personal, professional and political in comparative ethnographic educational research, in Methodological issues and practices in ethnography. pp. 57-72, Elsevier: JAI.' Methodological issues and practices in ethnography.

  • Reports

    Russell, L., Thompson, R., Pike, J., Bishop, J. (2023) Russell, L, Thompson, R, Pike, J. & Bishop, J. Mental health and its implications for young people vulnerable to becoming NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training): All-party parliamentary group for youth employment report: The impact of mental ill health on young people accessing the labour market and quality work. (October 2022-January 2023). Youth Employment UK, p. 48-55.

    Russell, L. (2022) Russell, L. Home-schooling – a parents’ perspective in the advent of Covid-19: Evidence submitted to the Select Committee. Covid-19: Support for children’s education. (Third Report of Session 2021-22.

  • Journal articles

    Russell, L. (2023) 'Book review: Doing Fieldwork at Home: The Ethnography of Education in Familiar Contexts. Loukia K.Sarroub and ClaireNicholas, London: Rowman & Littlefield, 2021, 189 pp..' Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 54(1) pp. 98-100.

    Russell, L., Barley, R. (2020) 'Ethnography, ethics and ownership of data.' Ethnography, 21(1) pp. 5-25.

    Russell, L., Jarvis, C. (2019) 'Student withdrawal, retention and their sense of belonging; their experience in their words.' Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 4(3 Special Issue) pp. 494-525.

    Barley, R., Russell, L. (2019) 'Participatory visual methods: exploring young people’s identities, hopes and feelings.' Ethnography and Education, 14(2) pp. 223-241.

    Russell, L. (2018) 'Pedagogical Implications for Using a Wiki in Peer-to-Peer Learning Environments.' LEARNing Landscapes, 11(1) pp. 233-242.

    Russell, L. 'Book review: Robin James Smith and Sara Delamont (eds.) (2023), Leaving the Field: Methodological Insights from Ethnographic Exits (Manchester: Manchester University Press), 264pp, £90.00, ISBN: 978-1-5261-5765-2.' Anthropological Journal of European Cultures, 33(2)

    Thompson, R., Russell, L. (2017) 'Trainee teachers in unpaid teaching posts: volunteering, risk and vulnerability.' Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 69(4) pp. 637-654.

    Russell, L. (2017) 'Introduction.' Studies in Qualitative Methodology, 15pp. xiii-xix.

    MACDONALD, R. (2016) 'Robin Simmons , Ron Thompson and Lisa Russell (2014), Education, Work and Social Change: young people and marginalisation in post-industrial Britain. London: Palgrave Macmillan. £26.00, 272 pp. pbk,.' Journal of Social Policy, 45(3) pp. 566-567.

    Russell, L. (2016) 'The realities of being young, unemployed and poor in post-industrial Britain.' Power and Education, 8(2) pp. 160-175.

    Russell, L. (2016) 'Complex pathways for young mothers outside employment, education and training.' Ethnography and Education, 11(1) pp. 91-106.

    Russell, L. (2014) 'Formerly NEET Young People's Pathways to Work: A Case-Study Approach.' Power and Education, 6(2) pp. 182-196.

    Simmons, R., Russell, L., Thompson, R. (2014) 'Young people and labour market marginality: Findings from a longitudinal ethnographic study.' Journal of Youth Studies, 17(5) pp. 577-591.

    Thompson, R., Russell, L., Simmons, R. (2014) 'Space, place and social exclusion: an ethnographic study of young people outside education and employment.' Journal of Youth Studies, 17(1) pp. 63-78.

    Russell, L. (2013) 'Researching marginalised young people.' Ethnography and Education, 8(1) pp. 46-60.

    Russell, L., Owen, N. (2012) 'The Creative Research Process: Delights and Difficulties.' LEARNing Landscapes, 6(1) pp. 355-371.

    Russell, L., Simmons, R., Thompson, R. (2011) 'Ordinary lives: An ethnographic study of young people attending entry to employment programmes.' Journal of Education and Work, 24(5) pp. 477-499.

    Russell, L., Simmons, R., Thompson, R. (2011) 'Conceptualising the lives of NEET young people: structuration theory and ‘disengagement’.' Education, Knowledge and Economy, 5(3) pp. 89-106.

    Russell, L., Thomson, P. (2011) 'Girls and gender in alternative education provision.' Ethnography and Education, 6(3) pp. 293-308.

    Russell, L., Simmons, R., Thompson, R. (2010) 'Playing the numbers game: Connexions personal advisers working with learners on entry to employment programmes.' Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 62(1) pp. 1-12.

    Thomson, P., Russell, L. (2009) 'Data, data everywhere - But not all the numbers that count? Mapping alternative provisions for students excluded from school.' International Journal of Inclusive Education, 13(4) pp. 423-438.

    Hall, C., Thomson, P., Russell, L. (2007) 'Teaching like an artist: The pedagogic identities and practices of artists in schools.' British Journal of Sociology of Education, 28(5) pp. 605-619.

    Thomson, P., Hall, C., Russell, L. (2007) 'If these walls could speak: reading displays of primary children's work.' Ethnography and Education, 2(3) pp. 381-400.

    Russell, L., Byrom, T., Robinson, C. (2007) 'Engaging critically with pupil voice.' Improving Schools, 10(1) pp. 3-4.

    Russell, L. (2007) 'Visual methods in researching the arts and inclusion: possibilities and dilemmas.' Ethnography and Education, 2(1) pp. 39-55.

    Russell, L. (2007) 'Mentoring is not for you!: Mentee voices on managing their mentoring experience.' Improving Schools, 10(1) pp. 41-52.

    Thomson, P., Hall, C., Russell, L. (2006) 'An arts project failed, censored or … ? A critical incident approach to artist–school partnerships.' Changing English: Studies in Culture and Education, 13(1) pp. 29-44.

    Russell, L. (2005) 'It's a question of trust: Balancing the relationship between students and teachers in ethnographic fieldwork.' Qualitative Research, 5(2) pp. 181-199.

  • Theses and dissertations

    Davey, K. (2022) Learning to Cope on Your Own: The Reflexive Educational Trajectories of High-Achieving, Working-Class Girls.

    Russell, L. (2005) Pupil resistance to their schooling experience.

  • Other

    Russell, L., Davey, K., Bishop, J., Thompson, R. (2024) Elective Home Education, a roadmap for young people.

    Russell, L. (2023) Russell, L. A review of Sarroub, Loukia, K. and Nicholas, C, Doing fieldwork at home: the ethnography of education in familiar contexts, in Anthropology and Education Quarterly, Vol 54, No 1. (2023).

    Russell, L., Thompson, R. (2022) Russell, L. & Thompson, R. Literature review of research on young people not in education, employment or training. Wavehill Social and Economic Research. (2022).

    Russell, L. Russell, L. A review of Debotri Dhar, Education and Gender (Education as a Humanitarian Response book series). London: Bloomsbury, in British Journal of educational studies, Vol 63, No 3. (2015).

    Russell, L. Russell, L A review of Kirstin Kerr, Alan Dyson and Carlo Raffo, Education, Disadvantage and Place, making the local matter. Polity Press: Bristol, in Journal of Education Policy (2015).

    Russell, L. Russell, L. A review of Hilary, C. Not Aliens: Primary School Children and the Citizenship/PSHE Curriculum. London, Trentham Books, in Improving Schools, Vol. 10, No 1, pp. 104-105 (2007).

    Russell, L., Thompson, P. Thomson, P. & Russell, L. Mapping the alternatives to permanent exclusion. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. (2007)..

    Jenson, K., Macdonald, R., Reid, J., Lomax, H., Russell, L. Jenson, K. Macdonald, R. Reid, J, Lomax, H. and Russell, L. The experiences of children, young people and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. HudCRES Policy Briefing: The experiences of children, young people and families during the COVI-19 pandemic (2021).

    Russell, L., Thompson, R., Simmons, R. (2014) Russell, L., Thompson, R. & Simmons, R. Helping unemployed young people to find private sector work. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. (2014)..