Prof Maura Conway appointed as new Paddy Moriarty Professor of Government and International Studies

DCU is delighted to announce that Professor Maura Conway has been appointed by DCU’s Governing Authority as the new Paddy Moriarty Professor of Government and International Studies in the School of Law and Government.

Professor Conway is one of the world's leading authorities on the intersections of extremism, terrorism, and the internet. For the last seven years she has led one of the largest research programmes in the world on this area, VOX-Pol, which is funded by the European Union at a level of almost €6 million. The programme is focused on researching the prevalence, contours, functions and impacts of online extremism and terrorism, and responses to them.

Professor Conway is the author of over 40 academic journal articles and chapters, with her research appearing in, amongst others, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Media, War & Conflict, Parliamentary Affairs, and Social Science Computer Review. She has presented her findings before the United Nations in New York, the Commission of the European Union in Brussels, the UK House of Lords, and elsewhere. She is a member of the academic advisory board of Europol’s Counter-terrorism Centre and a member of the editorial board of the flagship terrorism studies journal Terrorism and Political Violence.

Speaking about this appointment, Professor John Doyle, Executive Dean of DCU’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, said:

"This appointment strengthens DCU's position as a leading European centre of excellence in politics and international relations, with a particular focus on security studies.

Maura’s research reflects DCU's ambitions to lead major European research projects with a global impact. Radicalisation, political extremism and the role of the internet in facilitating it is one of the major societal challenges of our time and this appointment will contribute to building DCU's already strong reputation.”     

In accepting the new position, Prof Maura Conway, said:

"I am honoured to take up DCU's Paddy Moriarty Chair of Government and International Studies. I want to thank my family, friends, and DCU colleagues for their support over the years that has made this possible. I look forward, in my new role, to continuing to work with colleagues to grow DCU's international relations and security research and teaching and links with security practitioners and policymakers."

In her remarks Professor Conway also wished to remember the previous post-holder, her School of Law and Government colleague, Professor Robert Elgie, who died in 2019.