Profile

Biography

Jim Buller graduated from the University of Warwick with a BA in Politics before going on to complete a MA in British Government and Politics at the University of Essex. He then gained an ESRC studentship to undertake a PhD at the University of Sheffield, which he completed in 1998. He previously worked as a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Birmingham before joining the Politics department at York in 1999. His main research and teaching interests are in British politics and public policy, especially the area of political economy.

Research

Overview

Jim’s main research interests are in British politics and public policy. He has written widely on the domestic political forces underpinning Britain’s relations with the European Union (EU) and the way that EU membership has, in turn, impacted on British political economy. He also has a longstanding interest in theories of the state and the changing nature of state power and governance. He has published a number of articles on depoliticisation and public policy and has a co-authored book coming out on the subject in 2017. Current research projects include:

• The depoliticisation of public policy

•  State restructuring in an era of globalisation and Europeanisation

•  Evaluating political leadership

•  The changing role of the Bank of England in British political economy

Supervision

Jim has supervised a number of doctoral students to completion. Recently supervised topics include:

• The politics of public expenditure under the Conservative governments (1979-97)
• British policy towards EU enlargement
• The Europeanisation of UK drugs policy
• EU enlargement and the accession of Croatia
• Policy Transfer in China

Jim is happy to supervise students in the areas of British politics, public policy and the European Union. He is particularly interested in supervising students in the areas of British political economy, depoliticisation and its relationship to democracy.

Teaching

Other teaching

Jim has authored, convened and taught on a large number of modules on British politics, public policy, comparative politics and methodology in political science. One of the key objectives of these modules is to teach students that understanding politics does not just involve an appreciation of the facts. Our comprehension of political facts will necessarily be influenced by a range of assumptions and pre-conceptions, some of which may be implicit and not fully formed. Through the examination of a number of theoretical and methodological perspectives, these modules aim to make such assumptions explicit and challenge students to question and critically reflect on them. Seminars develop these critical and analytical skills through a range of teaching methods, including: roundtable discussions; small group work; debates; and role-playing.

Current modules

• Introduction to Democratic Politics
• Politics in the UK
• British Foreign Policy after the Cold War.

External activities

Memberships

• Political Studies Association
• British International Studies Association

Editorial duties

• Editorial board, British Politics and Policy Studies
• 1998-2003, Assistant Editor, British Journal of Politics and International Relations