ABOUT ME
I am a political scientist and methodologist working as a Departmental Lecturer in Russian and East European Politics in the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) and the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) at the University of Oxford. I previously served as the Deputy Director of the Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership.
I hold a PhD in International Relations (2021) from the London School of Economics (LSE), and a MA in Political Studies and a BA (High Honours) from the University of Saskatchewan.
My research lies at the nexus of geopolitics, cartography, borders, and nationalism within Central and Eastern Europe. My interests also include research ethics, and visual, spatial, and digital methods for political science research. I currently teach courses for both undergraduate and postgraduate students on Russian and Eastern European Politics, Political Sociology in the former Communist and Soviet Space, Comparative Government, European Politics and Society, Qualitative Methods, and Research Design. I co-convene the Russian and Eurasian Studies Centre's Monday Seminar Series at St. Antony's College, Oxford.
I have worked and am working on several projects related to nationalism, territoriality, and sovereignty at the grassroots in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. I have run 5 public opinion and conjoint experiment surveys with the Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF) and the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). I have recently finished my book monograph, An Imagined Borderland, which explores Ukrainians' understandings of sovereignty and territoriality.
My research has been funded by the John Fell University of Oxford Press Research Fund, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies, and the Shevchenko Foundation of Canada. I was a Deputy Editor for Millennium: Journal of International Studies, vol. 48 and currently sit on the editorial board for Qualitative Research and the US Army War College Press/Parameters.
Beyond my work, I find great joy in running, cycling, Pilates, yoga, traveling, baking, and hiking.
For more information, see Google Scholar, ORCID, and my complete list of academic and non-academic publications.
I hold a PhD in International Relations (2021) from the London School of Economics (LSE), and a MA in Political Studies and a BA (High Honours) from the University of Saskatchewan.
My research lies at the nexus of geopolitics, cartography, borders, and nationalism within Central and Eastern Europe. My interests also include research ethics, and visual, spatial, and digital methods for political science research. I currently teach courses for both undergraduate and postgraduate students on Russian and Eastern European Politics, Political Sociology in the former Communist and Soviet Space, Comparative Government, European Politics and Society, Qualitative Methods, and Research Design. I co-convene the Russian and Eurasian Studies Centre's Monday Seminar Series at St. Antony's College, Oxford.
I have worked and am working on several projects related to nationalism, territoriality, and sovereignty at the grassroots in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. I have run 5 public opinion and conjoint experiment surveys with the Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF) and the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). I have recently finished my book monograph, An Imagined Borderland, which explores Ukrainians' understandings of sovereignty and territoriality.
My research has been funded by the John Fell University of Oxford Press Research Fund, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies, and the Shevchenko Foundation of Canada. I was a Deputy Editor for Millennium: Journal of International Studies, vol. 48 and currently sit on the editorial board for Qualitative Research and the US Army War College Press/Parameters.
Beyond my work, I find great joy in running, cycling, Pilates, yoga, traveling, baking, and hiking.
For more information, see Google Scholar, ORCID, and my complete list of academic and non-academic publications.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Howlett, Marnie. 2025. "Expert comment: Reflecting on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine." Available here.
Howlett, Marnie, Cathy Parry, Sam Nicholson, Sinead Lambe, and Alfie Aldridge. 2025. “Sheltering the Nation: The Politicisation of Ukraine’s Civilian Shelters Amidst Russia’s Aggression.” Geopolitics. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2025.2465672.
Howlett, Marnie. 2024. "Expert comment: 24 months and 8 years later, Ukraine's war for independence continues." University of Oxford News. Available here.
Dill, Janina, Marnie Howlett, and Carl Müller-Crepon. 2024. “At Any Cost: How Ukrainians Think About the Proportionality of Self-Defence.” American Journal of Political Science 68(4): 1460-1478. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12832.
Howlett, Marnie and Daryna Dvornichenko. 2024. Ukrainian Voices. “To Return or Not? Ukrainian Women’s Experiences of Internal Displacement.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Available here.
Howlett, Marnie, and Valeria Lazerenko. 2023. "How and when should we (not) speak?: Ethical knowledge production about the Russia-Ukraine war." Journal of International Relations and Development. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41268-023-00305-2.
Howlett, Marnie. 2022. "The Russia-Ukraine war as a battle for a bordered land, not borderland. Political Geography. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2022.102814.
Konken, Lauren, and Marnie Howlett. 2022. "When 'Home' Becomes the 'Field': Ethical Considerations in Digital Remote Fieldwork." Perspectives on Politics. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592722002572.
Howlett, Marnie. 2022. "Nation-building from (below) the grassroots: Everyday nationalism in Ukraine's bomb shelters." Nations and Nationalism. DOI: 10.1111/nana.12877.
Dill, Janina, Carl Müller-Crepon, and Marnie Howlett. 2022. 'Ukrainians are not willing to give up territory or sovereignty: new survey.' The Conversation UK.
I spoken widely about Ukraine-Russia relations and its impact for international relations. I have appeared on BBC Radio 5; Times Radio; CBC's Blue Sky Live Radio; Saskatoon Morning Live Radio; CBC Saskatchewan; Astro Awani; and JackFM Oxfordshire. I have also given expert comments for The New York Times, Aljazeera, ABC News, and The Star.
I have moreover been featured on several podcasts, including episodes on the NewsTalk Talking History, the Conference Board of Canada's Bright Future, the University of Oxford's Changing Character of War, War in Ukraine: Update from Kyiv, and Wandering the Edge.
I have recently provided several expert comments for the University of Oxford. I was also interviewed by the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) at the University of Oxford.
Howlett, Marnie, Cathy Parry, Sam Nicholson, Sinead Lambe, and Alfie Aldridge. 2025. “Sheltering the Nation: The Politicisation of Ukraine’s Civilian Shelters Amidst Russia’s Aggression.” Geopolitics. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2025.2465672.
Howlett, Marnie. 2024. "Expert comment: 24 months and 8 years later, Ukraine's war for independence continues." University of Oxford News. Available here.
Dill, Janina, Marnie Howlett, and Carl Müller-Crepon. 2024. “At Any Cost: How Ukrainians Think About the Proportionality of Self-Defence.” American Journal of Political Science 68(4): 1460-1478. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12832.
Howlett, Marnie and Daryna Dvornichenko. 2024. Ukrainian Voices. “To Return or Not? Ukrainian Women’s Experiences of Internal Displacement.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Available here.
Howlett, Marnie, and Valeria Lazerenko. 2023. "How and when should we (not) speak?: Ethical knowledge production about the Russia-Ukraine war." Journal of International Relations and Development. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41268-023-00305-2.
Howlett, Marnie. 2022. "The Russia-Ukraine war as a battle for a bordered land, not borderland. Political Geography. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2022.102814.
Konken, Lauren, and Marnie Howlett. 2022. "When 'Home' Becomes the 'Field': Ethical Considerations in Digital Remote Fieldwork." Perspectives on Politics. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592722002572.
Howlett, Marnie. 2022. "Nation-building from (below) the grassroots: Everyday nationalism in Ukraine's bomb shelters." Nations and Nationalism. DOI: 10.1111/nana.12877.
Dill, Janina, Carl Müller-Crepon, and Marnie Howlett. 2022. 'Ukrainians are not willing to give up territory or sovereignty: new survey.' The Conversation UK.
I spoken widely about Ukraine-Russia relations and its impact for international relations. I have appeared on BBC Radio 5; Times Radio; CBC's Blue Sky Live Radio; Saskatoon Morning Live Radio; CBC Saskatchewan; Astro Awani; and JackFM Oxfordshire. I have also given expert comments for The New York Times, Aljazeera, ABC News, and The Star.
I have moreover been featured on several podcasts, including episodes on the NewsTalk Talking History, the Conference Board of Canada's Bright Future, the University of Oxford's Changing Character of War, War in Ukraine: Update from Kyiv, and Wandering the Edge.
I have recently provided several expert comments for the University of Oxford. I was also interviewed by the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) at the University of Oxford.
