Helen Margetts

Helen Margetts. She is a prominent British political scientist renowned for her pioneering research on digital governance and political behavior in the internet age. As a professor at the University of Oxford and former director of the Oxford Internet Institute, her work examines how digital technologies transform government, public policy, and citizen-state interactions. Her influential scholarship bridges the disciplines of political science, public administration, and data science, establishing her as a leading authority on the politics of the digital society.

Early life and education

Helen Margetts completed her undergraduate studies in politics at the University of Bristol. She then pursued a Master of Science degree in politics and public policy at the London School of Economics. Her doctoral research, also conducted at the London School of Economics, focused on public policy and central government reform in the United Kingdom. This foundational period immersed her in the study of Whitehall, bureaucracy, and the machinery of Westminster government, shaping her subsequent academic trajectory.

Academic career

Margetts began her academic career with lectureships at the University of Strathclyde and Birkbeck, University of London. She later joined the University of Oxford, where she became a professor of society and the internet. She served as the Director of the Oxford Internet Institute from 2011 to 2018, significantly expanding its research profile on digital society and cyber-politics. Concurrently, she held the position of Professional Fellow at Balliol College, Oxford. She has also been a visiting professor at institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has advised numerous bodies including the United Nations and the European Commission.

Research and contributions

Margetts' research is characterized by its empirical analysis of how digital platforms reshape political engagement and state capacity. She co-developed the concept of "digital era governance" with Patrick Dunleavy, arguing for the transformative potential of technology in public administration. Her work with the Oxford Internet Institute's Data Science team has utilized large-scale online data to study phenomena like political polarization, collective action, and disinformation. Notable collaborative projects include studies on petitioning systems like the UK government's e-petitions platform and the dynamics of social media in movements such as the Arab Spring. Her research has been funded by major organizations like the Economic and Social Research Council and the European Research Council.

Awards and recognition

In recognition of her scholarly impact, Helen Margetts was elected a Fellow of the British Academy and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She is also a member of the Academia Europaea. Her book *Political Turbulence: How Social Media Shape Collective Action* (co-authored) was shortlisted for the prestigious 2016 Orwell Prize. She has received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bath for her contributions to social science. Furthermore, she has served on the board of the international journal *Governance* and as a council member for the UK Economic and Social Research Council.

Selected publications

* *Digital Era Governance: IT Corporations, the State, and e-Government* (with Patrick Dunleavy et al., Oxford University Press) * *Political Turbulence: How Social Media Shape Collective Action* (with Peter John, Scott Hale, and Taha Yasseri, Princeton University Press) * *Paradoxes of Modernization: Unintended Consequences of Public Policy Reform* (edited with Christopher Hood and Perri 6, Oxford University Press) * *The Tools of Government in the Digital Age* (with Christopher Hood, Palgrave Macmillan) * Numerous articles in leading journals such as *Nature*, *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*, *British Journal of Political Science*, and *Public Administration Review*.

Category:British political scientists Category:Academics of the University of Oxford Category:Fellows of the British Academy