Thesis: Becoming Swiss: Citizenship and the Boundaries of Belonging
Supervisor: Dr Michael Biggs
Lisa Atfield is a DPhil student in Sociology, focusing on citizenship, belonging, and migration. She holds a BA in Russian and History from University College London, an MSc in Public Health from King’s College London, and an MSc in International Development from SOAS. Alongside her academic background, she has professional experience in communications and advocacy across the private and non-profit sectors.
Her DPhil research project, Becoming Swiss: Citizenship and the Boundaries of Belonging, examines how citizenship is constructed, contested, and navigated through local naturalisation practices, political debate, and the lived experiences of migrants.
Using qualitative methods, her work sheds light on how belonging is defined and negotiated in Switzerland, contributing to wider discussions on migration, identity, and social cohesion in diverse societies.
Research Interests: Citizenship, belonging, migration, integration, identity, gender, religion, qualitative research methods
Previous Education: BA Russian and History, University College London; MSc Public Health, King’s College London; MSc International Development, SOAS; PGDip Social Research, University College London
