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Dr. Susan Murphy

Associate Professor in Development Pract (Geography)
Associate Professor in Development Pract (School Office - Natural Sciences)
MUSEUM BUILDING
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Susan Murphy

Associate Professor in Development Pract (Geography)
MUSEUM BUILDING

 Susan.P.Murphy@tcd.ie

 3531896 3540

Associate Professor in Development Pract (School Office - Natural Sciences)


I am an Associate Professor in Development Practice. My teaching and research interests are in international development governance, ethics, policy, and practice. I am the Principal Investigator of GEOFORMATIONS: the geographies of dynamic governance assemblages in development cooperation civil society spaces, funded by the European Research Council (ERC-2022-STG), and research group leader for the Climate Justice in Development Research Cluster. My roles within College include Chair of the Research Ethics Committee & Disability Liaison Officer for the School of Natural Sciences. I also serve as a faculty representative on the Trinity Postgraduate Renewal Project. Previous roles included Chair, Trinity International Development Initiative (TIDI); Geography PG Coordinator; University Council Representative for STEM; College International Committee; School of Natural Sciences Research Ethics Committee, Postgraduate Teaching and Learning Committee, Athena SWAN School SAT; and College Tutor. As a high-impact social researcher, I serve as a member of the Department of Foreign Affairs Audit Committee (2021-2027) and Chair the Development Studies Association of Ireland (2024-2026). Previously, I served as Chair of Oxfam International Governance Reform working group (2019-2022), Chair and Board member of Oxfam Ireland (2015-2023), Member of Oxfam International Board of Supervisors (2018-2022), Co-convenor of the British International Studies Association Ethics and World Politics working group (2019-2023), and Scientific Committee Member, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, International Conference on Sustainable Development (2014-2024).
  Africa   CLIMATE CHANGE   Developing/Underdeveloped Nations   Equality rights   Ethics and International Assistance   GENDER   Gender and leadership   Gender issues in social development   Gender related policy issues in Ireland   Human rights   Humanitarian Theory   International Affairs   International development   International/Global Development   JUSTICE   Paris Climate Agreement   Political Theory   Sustainable Development   Theories of Global Justice   UN Sustainable Development Goals
Project Title
 GEOFORMATIONS
From
October 2023
To
September 2028
Summary
Geographies of dynamic governance assemblages in development cooperation civil society spaces
Funding Agency
European Research Council
Person Months
60
Project Title
 Gender Awareness and Transformation through Education
From
2021
To
2022
Summary
Department of Foreign Affairs, Embassy of Ireland to Tanzania institutional collaboration and capacity building award. Co-PI. Gender Awareness and transformation through Education (GATE) project. Scholarship funding for 1 PhD candidate and 1 post-doctoral researcher on gender in higher education in Tanzania.
Funding Agency
Department of Foreign Affairs, Embassy of Ireland to Tanzania
Project Type
Educational
Person Months
12
Project Title
 Transforming gender relations through climate action planning
From
Sept 2021
To
August 2023
Summary
The concept of a just transition from unsustainable to sustainable development pathways features widely in Ireland's Climate Action Plan (2019). Since its publication, the relevant Government Department has established a nascent institutional architecture for designing and governing a just transition process which includes the Just Transition Review Group established within the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), and a Just Transition Commissioner, appointed with a specified mandate to "to help ensure a coordinated and effective approach to Just Transition for communities and workers affected by the imminent ending of peat harvesting for power generation in the Midlands region" (Mulvey, 2020, 9). Yet, the concept of a just transition (or just transitions) remains contested. Quite what is understood by the term 'just' and the scale and scope of the 'transition' are underspecified. At present, in the Irish context, this broad and underspecified concept is being narrowly applied to the energy sector and workers directly affected by the transition from high to low/no carbon energy solutions. There is little reflection on the effects of these changes on pre existing spatial and social inequalities; of the spillover effects to populations indirectly connected to these sectors; or across different units of analysis from labour markets to household dynamics. Further, in spite of the rhetoric of 'social inclusion', and repeated references in government papers to 'gender mainstreaming' and 'gender responsive policies', there is no evidence of considerations of the gendered effects of the energy transition in Ireland in the first progress report produced in May 2020. Moreover, the concept of just transition is yet to be operationalised into wider climate adaptation planning and in planning for unavoidable loss and damage. This project aims to critically examine constructions and conceptualisations of the just transition in Irish climate action policy and practice from a feminist political economy perspective. Drawing upon the work of critical relational theorists such as Iris Marion Young (2011) and Nancy Fraser (2013, 2014, 2020), it will examine the multivariant dimensions and scales of justice relevant to the theory and practice of a just transition. These include matters of distribution (involving pre-distribution and redistribution), representation (and degrees of participation and democratic deliberation), and recognition (concerning respect and esteem, membership and belonging - whose voices are heard, by whom, and for what reasons). Further, it will examine the scope and scale of the transition necessary to shift Ireland onto a sustainable pathway. Focusing narrowly on individual production sectors and industries is insufficient to meet Ireland's internationally agreed emissions reductions targets. Perhaps more worrying, it also fails to recognise or address the range of intersecting and interacting social, environmental, and economic crises that have emerged over the past two decades, and have become amplified, globally, during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the scope and scale this transition also presents significant opportunities to drive structural and systemic changes. Thus, empirical data will be gathered, through a mixed methods research design, to explore these opportunities and to construct a just transition framework that is not only 'gender responsive', but actively gender transformative.
Funding Agency
Mary Robinson Foundation, Climate Justice Fellowship Award
Project Type
Research
Person Months
24
Project Title
 Gender Awareness and Transformation through Education
From
December 2018
To
December 2021
Summary
Gender Awareness and Transformation Through Education (GATE) is an institutional collaboration, capacity development and participatory action based research project between Trinity College and Dar Es Salaam University College of Education
Funding Agency
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Embassy of Ireland to Tanzania
Project Type
institutional collaboration, capacity development and participatory action based research
Person Months
10
Project Title
 FOREST
From
September 2021
To
2026
Summary
Tree planting has become widely seen as a panacea for solving the climate crisis. Furthermore, as a nature-based solution, it is viewed as beneficial for biodiversity, and is attracting investment from public and private actors. This project, FOREST, will use the increase in forestry in Ireland as a model system to explore the challenges associated with addressing climate and biodiversity issues, and examine potential solutions through a multi-disciplinary lens.
Funding Agency
Kinsella Award
Project Type
Research
Person Months
60

Page 1 of 2
Details Date
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Audit Committee 2021
Chair, Oxfam Ireland 2018
UCC External Examiner, BSc in International Development 2019
Chair, Oxfam International Governance Reform 2019-2021
Board of Trustees - Oxfam International 2018
LERU Ad Hoc Working Group on University Development Cooperation and the SDGs - University Representative on Development Co-operation 2018
Scientific Committee Member - Sustainable Development Solutions Network, International Conference on Sustainable Development 2013
External Reviewer - Review of the BSc International Development and Food Policy programme in the Department of Food Business and Development, University College Cork (UCC). 2017/2018
Academic Representative - COALITION 2030 on the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2018
Programme and Project Impact and Evaluation Committee, Oxfam Ireland 2016
Invited Reviewer - Moral Philosophy and Politics 2017
Ireland's Engagement with the UN Sustainable Development Goals - Stakeholder Forum 2018
AURORA Role Model 2017
Invited Reviewer - Routledge Studies in International Development Ongoing
Scientific Committee Member - Future Earth Ireland 2016
Invited Journal Reviewer - Journal of Development Studies 2019
Invited reviewer - Journal of Modern Africa Studies 2018
PhD Examiner (Internal) 2017
PhD Progressional Panel Assessor 2016
Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
French Basic Basic Basic
German Basic Basic Medium
Details Date From Date To
European Association of Development Institutes and Research Centers (EADI) 2021 Present
British International Studies Association - Co-convener of the Ethics and World Politics working group 2019 Present
Geographical Society of Ireland 2020 Present
Development Studies Association Ireland 2012 Present
UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network 2014 Present
International Development Ethics Association 2015 Present
North American Society for Social Philosophy 2016 Present
COALITION 2030 2017 Present
Future Earth Ireland Committee Member 2016 2018
Trinity International Development Initiative Steering Committee 2012 2020
Susan P. Murphy; Perpetua Urio (Eds), Gender-Inclusive Higher Education in Tanzania: Transforming Academia, 1, New York, Routledge Studies on Gender and Sexuality in Africa, 2024, 1 - 218pp, Book, PUBLISHED  DOI  Other
9781003162926 in, editor(s)Gottfried Schweiger (Salzburg) and Clemens Sedmak (Salzburg and Notre Dame, IN) , The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy and Poverty, New York, Routledge, 2023, pp476 - 491, [Susan P. Murphy], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED  DOI
Breffka, E., Jagoe, C., Murphy, S.P. and Tsegaw, B.B.,, Restricted participation: Drivers, experiences and implications of disability stigma in Ethiopia, African Journal of Disability, 11, 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  URL
Mwakitalu, A., Murphy, S.P., Roche, J., Exploring Female Academics Underrepresentation in Senior Leadership Positions: case of Public and Private Universities in Tanzania, ICSD, International Conference in Sustainable Development, On line with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, September 2022, edited by Scientific Panel of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network , 2022, pp1 - 9, Conference Paper, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  URL
Susan P. Murphy, The relationship between poverty and prosperity: a feminist relational account, Journal of Global Ethics, 18, (1), 2022, p82 - 99, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
SP Murphy, Cannon, S, Walsh, L, Just Transition Frames: Recognition, representation, and distribution in Irish beef farming, Journal of Rural Studies, 94, 2022, p150 - 160, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI  URL
Susan P. Murphy, Hard borders and soft agreements: Evaluating governance within the Global Compact for Migration, Third World Quarterly, 2022, p1 - 18, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Murphy, Susan P. , Climate change and political (in)action: an intergenerational epistemic divide?, Sustainable Environment, 7, (1), 2021, p1 - 13, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Thomas L. Roux, Mirjam M. Heinen, Susan P. Murphy, Conor J. Buggy,, A Unified Theoretical Framework of Learning Theories to Inform and Guide Public Health Continuing Medical Education Research and Practice, Journal of Continuing Education in Health Professionals, 2021, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Perpetua J. Urio, Susan P. Murphy, Ikupa Moses, Consolata Chua, and Immanuel Darkwa, Exploring the Gendered Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Academic Staff in Tanzania, Alliance African Partnership Perspectives, 1, (1), 2021, p61 - 71, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  URL
  

Page 1 of 5
Susan P. Murphy, Invited Review, Review of Engendering Democracy in Africa:Women, Politics and Development, by Niamh Gaynor , Oxford University Press and Community Development Journal, (1), 2024, p1-4 , Notes: [https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsae037], Review, PUBLISHED
Susan P. Murphy, Enida Friel, Catherine Devine, Mariana Roberts, Innovative solutions to address the humanitarian-development nexus : Review of the pilot introduction of the Blended Approach at GOAL , Ireland, goalglobal.org, 2020, Notes: [Findings suggest that the 'blended approach' offers a strong possibility to enhance and deepen the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the organisation's programming over time. Most specifically, the areas of joint programming and flexible funding allow for significantly increased adaptability in responding to context-specific needs. Thus, the approach is well-suited to fragile contexts, areas of acute crises and conflict, as well as areas with high number of both Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees. The time-saving potential of unified reporting, monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems was also noted as a key benefit of this shift, enabling greater efficiency in the design, planning, and management of programmes. However, the review finds that further efforts are required to embed this way of working and thinking into project design, monitoring, evaluating, reporting and learning structures to reap the full benefits offered by this approach. Also, organisational ethos and approach to practice are important determinants of effectiveness.], Report, PUBLISHED
Christopher Chevallier, Susan Murphy, Conor Buggy, Understanding the Lived Experiences of Gender Minority Students in Irish Third-Level Education: Steps Towards Achieving Safety and Inclusion, Dublin, National LGBTQI Federation (NXF), January , 2020, Notes: [The document contains important statistics on Ireland's gender minority population, as well as policy recommendations for higher education, LGBTQI+ medical care, hate crime legislation, and legal reform. Outside of this, it also provides a list of considerations for tutors and supervisors of gender minority students. ], Report, PUBLISHED
Susan P. Murphy, What is the relationship between poverty and prosperity?, DBEI ILO NUI Conference Marking the Centenary of th ILO, Dublin Castle, 17 September 2019, 2019, National University of Ireland, Invited Talk, PRESENTED
Susan P. Murphy, Knowledge sharing and transfer for global solidarity , International Women's Day, Aras an Uachtarain, 8 March 2019, 2019, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Susan P. Murphy, Whole of Society Approach to Africa-Europe Development Cooperation in the HEI sector, Whole of Society Approach to Development Cooperation , Brussels, April, 2019, European Commission Political Strategy Unit, Invited Talk, PRESENTED
Susan P. Murphy, The Gender-Climate-Conflict Nexus, exploring intersections within research, Bridging Theory and Practice. Intersections of Climate Change, Conflict and Gender, Georgetown University Institute for Women Peace and Security, March 2019, 2019, GU IWPS, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Benn Finlay Hogan, ML Rhodes, Susan P Murphy, Mary Lawlor, IRISH BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS: Benchmarking compliance with the UN Guiding Principles, Dublin, IRL, Centre for Social Innovation, Trinity College Dublin, November, 2019, Report, PUBLISHED
Susan P. Murphy, Reflections on Ireland's performance on the Sustainable Development Goals, Launch of the Coalition 2030 shadow report on Ireland and the Sustainable Development Goals, Royal College of Physicans Ireland, November 2018, 2018, Coalition 2030, Notes: [Additional speakers included the Minster for State for Natural Resources with responsibility for implement the SGD agenda in Ireland], Invited Talk, PRESENTED
Susan P. Murphy, Women and Conflict Discsssion following a performance of Joanne O'Connor's short play, Women Alone. Other panelists included Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Irish Aid Director Gender Ruairi De Burcea and Misean Cara's Collette Nkunda, Woman Alone, Dublin, November 2018, 2018, Oxfam Ireland, Invited Talk, PRESENTED

  


Page 1 of 3
Award Date
European Research Council Starter Grant (2022) GEOFORMATIONS 2023-2028
Gender Awareness and Transformation through Education: An institutional collaboration between Dar es Salaam University College of Education and Trinity College Dublin. Funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Irish Aid 2018-2023
Excellence in Supervision of Research Students Award, Faculty of STEM 2022
European Research Council Starter Grant (stage two interview) 2017
Excellence in Research Supervision, Nominated 2025
Nominated - Teaching Excellence Award 2024
MAjo, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin 2018
External Examiner, UCC BSc International Development 2019-2023
CEU Teaching Award - Nominee 2017
Provost Teaching Award - Nominee 2015
Adjunct Lecturer, School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin 2014-2019
Visiting Researcher, REPOA, Dar Es Salaam Tanzania 2014
Global Citizen - Nominee 2018
Aurora Women in Leadership Foundation: Role Model 2017/2019
Teaching Excellent Award, Nominated 2024
External Expert Reviewer, BSc in International Development, UCC 2017
My research is concerned with ethical governance in times of change. Although there are competing and contested understandings, theories, and world views of development, all forms of development entail change. Some forms of change are designed, planned, controlled, monitored, evaluated, and adapted. Other forms of change are unplanned, the result of unintended consequences and outcomes, and sometimes, unwanted. The study of ethical governance concerns the examination of how development is designed, planned, implemented, monitored, evaluated, and overseen. It is concerned with how responsibility and accountability for outputs, outcomes, and impacts are attributed and allocated, to whom, and for what reasons. It requires consideration of who and what is included in these activities, and who and what is excluded. Whose voices are heard and not heard in decision-making processes, and why? It explores power dynamics in governing development practice, and how power is or should be balanced across the range of agents, agencies, and communities affected by development activities. In 2023, my project GEOFORMATIONS: the geographies of dynamic governance assemblages in development cooperation civil society spaces was selected for funding by the European Research Council (ERC) under the ERC-2022-STG competition. GEOFORMATIONS will provide radical new insights into the governance geographies of place-based development cooperation practices that can be used to transform international development cooperation governance theory, policy, and practice. As a collaborative, engaged researcher I run interdisciplinary projects related to development with PhD scholars (x10) and researchers in education, economics, clinical speech and language studies, and business. Committed to transdisciplinary research, I also co-design and co-deliver research projects with a number of key development agencies and organisations. In 2021 I established the Climate Justice and Development Research Group. My team of funded PhD (x3) and MRes (x1) scholars examine the multivariant relations between climate action planning, climate change, sociocultural relationships, and situated power dynamics through a restorative development lens.