Dr Stephen Thornton
Reader in Politics
- thorntonsl@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44(0)29 2087 6095
- 2.39, Law Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I've been at Cardiff University since 1996 when I started my Masters degree, and I've stuck around. My interests, which inform both my research and teaching, focus on often overlooked issues and individuals in twentieth century British political history. For example, current projects include an exploration of the constitutionally murky position of deputy to the British prime minister and a study of the complex relationship between architecture and politics. I also teach an innovative module that uses biography to help explore features of post-war British political history.
I'm also involved in pedagogic research, with a particular focus on information literacy. My work in this area focuses on exploring the ways in which students have adapted their information behaviours to cope with technological change. Related to this interest, I'm involved with the PSA Teaching and Learning Network, and presented a webinar on 'Information Literacy in a Changed Learning Environment' as part of the joint PSA/BISA series established as a response to the challenge to tertiary education posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Biography
Education and qualifications
2010: Postgraduate Certificate of University Teaching and Learning (PCUTL), Cardiff University
2003: PhD, (University of Wales, Cardiff)
1997: MScEcon in the European Policy Process (with distinction), (University of Wales, Cardiff)
1992: Postgraduate Certificate in Education, (Charlotte Mason College, University of Lancaster)
1991: BA Hons, University of Nottingham
Career overview
2020 to present: Reader in Politics
2012 – 2020: Senior Lecturer in Politics, initially in the School of European Studies, now the School of Law and Politics
2006 – 2012: Lecturer in Comparative Politics (0.5 f.t.e)
2005 – 2006: Politics Tutor
2004 – 2005: Lecturer in Politics (9 month fixed term contract)
Honours and awards
Commendation: RIBA President’s Award for Outstanding University Located Research for Demolishing Whitehall: Leslie Martin, Harold Wilson and the Architecture of White Heat (2014)
Professional memberships
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (since 2016)
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (since 2010)
Speaking engagements
'Then and Now, Now and Then: Re-reading Prince Charles' A Vision of Britain, paper presented at the SAH 2022 Annual International Conference, Pittburgh, Pennsylvania, (with Adam Sharr), 2022.
'Considering Information in a Changed Learning Environment', webinar as part of the joint PSA/BISA series 'Teaching Politics and Online: Design Matters', delivered on 4 August 2020. Available at https://www.psa.ac.uk/resources/considering-information-literacy-changed-learning-environment-stephen-thornton-university,
'Lessons from Fifteen Years of Collaboration between the Library and the Politics Department at Cardiff University', paper presented at the CILIP Cymru Conference, Cardiff, 2019
'From Rab Butler to Damian Green, The Pecular Position of First Secretary of State', paper presented at 69th Annual Political Studies Association (PSA) Conference, Nottingham, 2019
Keynote paper at an international panel, ‘Brexit and Its Implications for the UK and Rest of the World’ organised by the Panjab University Department of Public Administration in collaboration with IIPA regional branch, Punjab and Chandigarh, 2016
‘Assessing First Year Politics Students for Information Literacy Awareness, paper presented at the PSA/BISA Teaching and Learning Conference’: Assessment and Feedback: Rethinking Pedagogic Practice in Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, 2014
‘The Architecture of White Heat’, paper presented at White Heat Fifty Years On conference, the People’s History Museum, Manchester, (with Adam Sharr), 2013
‘The White Heat of Conservation’, paper presented at the 12th Docomomo International Conference in Espoo, Finland, (with Adam Sharr), 2012
‘Demolishing Whitehall’ for the History and Theory Seminar series at Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, (with Adam Sharr), 2012
Committees and reviewing
Editorial Board: Teaching and Learning: The International Journal of Higher Education in the Social Sciences; Undergraduate Journal of Politics and International Relations
Journal reviewer: Political Studies; Journal of Political Science Education; Teaching and Learning; PS: Political Science and Politics
Book reviewer: Oxford University Press; Macmillan/Red Box Press; Routledge
Publications
2023
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2023. From Rab to Raab: the construction of the office of first secretary of state. Parliamentary Affairs 76(1), pp. 186-210., article number: gsab038. (10.1093/pa/gsab038)
2022
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2022. Liz Truss names Therese Coffey as her second-in-command – here’s how deputies have performed this key role for past PMs. The Conversation 2022(7 Sept)
- Thornton, S. and Atkinson, D. B. 2022. Everywhere and nowhere: information literacy in the political science classroom. PS: Political Science and Politics 55(3), pp. 597-604. (10.1017/S1049096522000397)
- Atkinson, D. and Thornton, S. 2022. The citation behaviours and the academic performance of first-year Political Science students. European Political Science 21, pp. 292-307. (10.1057/s41304-021-00333-x)
2021
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2021. As first Secretary of State, is Dominic Raab the second most senior politician in the UK?. [Online]. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk: LSE. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/as-first-secretary-of-state-is-dominic-raab-the-second-most-senior-politician-in-the-uk/
- Thornton, S. 2021. Information in a changed information environment: an update. [Online]. www.psa.ac.uk: Political Studies Association (PSA). Available at: http://www.psa.ac.uk/specialist-groups/group-news/information-changed-learning-environment-update
2020
- Thornton, S. 2020. Access to information in a changed learning environment. [Online]. www.bisa.ac.uk: BISA/PSA. Available at: https://www.bisa.ac.uk/articles/access-information-changed-learning-environment
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2020. Boris Johnson is in intensive care, so who is in charge in the UK?. The Conversation
2019
- Thornton, S. 2019. A longitudinal comparison of information literacy in students starting Politics degrees. Learning and Teaching 12(2), pp. 89-111. (10.3167/latiss.2019.120206)
2017
- Kirkup, J. and Thornton, S. L. 2017. 'Everyone needs a Willie': The elusive position of deputy to the British prime minister. British Politics 12(4), pp. 492-520. (10.1057/bp.2015.42)
- Thornton, S. and Sharr, A. 2017. John Betjeman, policy entrepreneur. Environmental Law and Management 29(4), pp. 158-168.
- Thornton, S. L. 2017. "Even Big Ben has outlived its use": Cedric Price and the Pop-Up Parliament. [Online]. Crick Centre, Sheffield University. Available at: http://www.crickcentre.org/blog/pop-up-parliament/
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2017. Why Theresa May should appoint a deputy prime minister. The Conversation
- Thornton, S. and Kirkup, J. 2017. Was Damian Green really the Deputy Prime Minister?. [Online]. LSE. Available at: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/62576-2/
2016
- Thornton, S. L. 2016. Lessons from New Delhi. [Online]. Sheffield: Crick Centre, Sheffield University. Available at: http://www.crickcentre.org/blog/lessons-from-new-delhi/
2015
- Thornton, S. L. 2015. Promoting Information Literacy and information research. In: Ishiyama, J., Miller, W. J. and Simon, E. eds. Handbook on Teaching and Learning in Political Science and International Relations. Edward Elgar, pp. 121-131.
- Thornton, S. L. 2015. Gothic glory and pop-up parliaments: could past visions help rescue the crumbling Palace of Westminster?. The Conversation 2015(29 Jun)
2013
- Sharr, A. and Thornton, S. L. 2013. Demolishing Whitehall: Leslie Martin, Harold Wilson and the architecture of White Heat. Ashgate Studies in Architecture. Farnham: Ashgate.
2012
- Thornton, S. L. 2012. Trying to learn (politics) in a data-drenched society: can information literacy save us?. European Political Science 11(2), pp. 213-223. (10.1057/eps.2011.20)
- Thornton, S. L. 2012. Issues and controversies associated with the use of new technologies. In: Gormley-Heenan, C. and Lightfoot, S. eds. Teaching Politics and International Relations. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 91-104.
- Thornton, S. L. and Sharr, A. 2012. The white heat of conservation. Presented at: 12th International Docomomo Conference, Espoo, Finland, 7-10 August 2012.
2011
- Thornton, S. L. 2011. We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works. In: Curtis, S. and Simon Rofe, J. eds. Does the medium matter? IT-assisted learning and teaching in international relations and politics. Why Social Science Matters Vol. 5. Birmingham, UK: Higher Education Academy Subject Network for Sociology, Anthropology, Politics (C-SAP), pp. 7-11.
2010
- Thornton, S. L. 2010. From "Scuba Diving" to "Jet Skiing"? Information Behavior, Political Science, and the Google Generation. Journal of Political Science Education 6(4), pp. 353-368. (10.1080/15512169.2010.518111)
2009
- Haerkoenen, S. and Thornton, S. L. 2009. Embedding information literacy education across five departments – a Subject Librarian’s perspective. Presented at: Invited paper plus workshop (led with Nigel Morgan) for the Finnish Online University of Applied Sciences (UAS), Tampere, Finland, 15 April 2009.
- Haerkoenen, S. and Thornton, S. L. 2009. Trial and error – student responses to different approaches of embedding information literacy education across five departments. Presented at: Librarians Information Literacy Annual Conference (LILAC) 2009, Cardiff, UK, 30 March - 1 April 2009.
- Thornton, S. L. and Haerkoenen, S. 2009. Attempting to bridge the barrier between academic study and research skills training: Early student responses to a fully integrated academic/skills-based method of assessment. Presented at: PSA Conference, Manchester University, UK, 8 April 2009.
- Thornton, S. L. 2009. Lessons from America: teaching politics with the Google generation. Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences (ELiSS) 1(3), pp. 1-20.
- Thornton, S. L. 2009. Richard Crossman and the welfare state: pioneer of welfare provision and Labour politics in Post-War Britain. International Library of Political Studies Vol. 27. London: Tauris Academic Studies.
2008
- Thornton, S. L., Palmer, R. and Crowley, M. 2008. Government formation in the National Assembly for Wales. In: Brazier, A. and Kalitowski, S. eds. No overall control? The impact of a "hung parliament" on British politics?. London: Hansard Society, pp. 63-72.
2007
- Thornton, S. L. 2007. Pedagogy, Politics and Information Literacy. Politics 28(1), pp. 50-56. (10.1111/j.1467-9256.2007.00310.x)
2006
- Thornton, S. L. 2006. A case of confusion and incoherence: Social security under Wilson, 1964-1970. Contemporary British History 20(3), pp. 441-459. (10.1080/13619460500407160)
- Thornton, S. L. 2006. Towards public-private partnership: Labour and pensions policy. In: Dorey, P. ed. The Labour Governments 1964-1970. British Politics and Society London: Routledge, pp. 292-308.
- Thornton, S. L. 2006. Information literacy and the teaching of politics. LATISS - Learning and Teaching in the Social Sciences 3(1), pp. 29-45.
2005
- Thornton, S. L. 2005. Richard Crossman, the civil service and the case of the disappearing pension. Public Policy and Administration 20(2), pp. 67-80. (10.1177/095207670502000205)
- Thornton, S. L. 2005. Pensions policy. In: Dorey, P. ed. Developments in British Public Policy. London: Sage, pp. 161-179.
Teaching
I currently convene the module Personality and Power (3rd yr Undergraduate), a course that uses biography to help uncover aspects of British political history from 1955 to 2010. I also convene There Is No Alternative? Britain Under Thatcher (Masters-level), a module that explores the policies, politics and legacy associated with Margaret Thatcher and her governments.
I also contribute to these modules: Parliamentary Studies (3rd yr); Sex, Drugs and Public Policy (3rd yr).
In addition, I supervise students (UG, Masters and PhD level) engaged in the writing of their dissertation or thesis.
I am on research leave until January 2023.
Current projects include:
- a study of the role of deputy to the British prime minister (with Dr Jonathan Kirkup, Cardiff University)
- an investigation into the role of information literacy in the Political Science classrom (with Dr Doug Atkinson, Saltzburg University)
- an exploration of radical plans in the 1960s to replace the Palace of Westminster with a 'Pop-Up Parliament' (with Professor Adam Sharr, Newcastle University)
Supervision
I would welcome enquires from prospective doctoral applicants in my fields of interest.