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Geography, Archaeology & Irish Studies

Dr Valerie Ledwith

BA,MA,PhD.

Contact Details

Lecturer Bar/College Lecturer
Dept of Geography
NUI Galway
T: Ext. 2372
E: valerie.ledwith@nuigalway.ie
Coordinator Population and Migration Research Cluster
 
researcher
 

Biography

Valerie completed her BA at NUI, Galway and then moved to the United States, where she received her MA in geography from the University of Colorado, Boulder.  Upon graduating, she moved to Los Angeles and worked in the urban programme of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit environmental advocacy organisation.  Before returning to Ireland, Valerie completed her PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles.  Her research in both Los Angeles and Ireland focuses on the geographies of education, particularly on the socio-spatial marginalisation of young migrants. Her work engages with qualitative and quantitative methodologies (including GIS) to examine the emergence of educational disparities between young migrants and their non-migrant peers. She also examines how hierarchies of privilege, opportunity and difference are produced and maintained through the geopolitics of school choice. 

Research Interests

My research examines geographies of opportunity, exclusion and privilege, focusing particularly on the socio-spatial marginalization of young migrants within the context of education. I use both qualitative and quantitative methodologies (including GIS) to examine educational achievement, access and aspiration. More broadly, I am interested in geographical enquiry across the sub-fields of population, political, social and cultural geographies.

Research Projects

  Project Start Date End Date
Lifestyles of Successful Scientist Role Models and the Gender Gap in Geoscience (LifeGeo) 01-OCT-19 30-SEP-20
Replacement Migration on the Edge of Europe 01-NOV-17 31-OCT-18
Replacement Migration in Poland and Ireland 01-NOV-17 31-OCT-18
Transitioning to University: Exploring Young Migrant Experiences in Galway 11-NOV-12 30-JUN-13
Multi-Level Analysis of Migrant Educational Achievement in Galway City 24-NOV-08 30-NOV-09
Neighbourhood Effects on Early School Leaving in Ireland 08-JAN-07 31-OCT-10

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2023) 'Transitioning to University: Exploring Migrant Experiences in Galway, Ireland'
Reilly, K and Ledwith, V (2023) 'Transitioning to University: Exploring Migrant Experiences in Galway, Ireland'. Social And Cultural Geography, [Details]
(2023) 'The Dubai-Irish: Reworking Irishness as Wasta in UAE'
Carter, F and Ledwith V (2023) 'The Dubai-Irish: Reworking Irishness as Wasta in UAE'. Journal Of Ethnic And Migration Studies, [Details]
(2022) 'Replacement migration on the edge of the European Union: Wasting human capital?'
Janicki, W and Ledwith, V (2022) 'Replacement migration on the edge of the European Union: Wasting human capital?'. International Migration, 60 (3):72-87 [Details]
(2017) 'State supported segregation? Examining migrant clustering in schools in Ireland'
Ledwith, V (2017) 'State supported segregation? Examining migrant clustering in schools in Ireland'. Space And Polity, 21 (3):335-354 [Details]
(2016) 'Finding Home through Motion: Contemporary Migration to Ireland. in Ireland'
Ledwith, V. (2016) 'Finding Home through Motion: Contemporary Migration to Ireland. in Ireland'. Ireland Irish Geography Special Issue, 49 (1) [Details]
(2014) 'Fringe benefits? Educational experiences of migrant and non-migrant youth in the urban-rural fringe of Galway City, Ireland'
Ledwith, V,Reilly, K (2014) 'Fringe benefits? Educational experiences of migrant and non-migrant youth in the urban-rural fringe of Galway City, Ireland'. Journal Of Rural Studies, 36 :219-225 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Two Tiers Emerging? School Choice and Educational Achievement Disparities among Young Migrants and Non-migrants in Galway City and Urban Fringe'
Ledwith, V;Reilly, K (2013) 'Two Tiers Emerging? School Choice and Educational Achievement Disparities among Young Migrants and Non-migrants in Galway City and Urban Fringe'. Population, Space And Place, 19 :46-59 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Accommodating all applicants? School choice and the regulation of enrolment in Ireland'
Ledwith, V,Reilly, K (2013) 'Accommodating all applicants? School choice and the regulation of enrolment in Ireland'. Canadian Geographer-Geographe Canadien, 57 :318-326 [DOI] [Details]
(2010) 'The Influence of Open Enrollment on Scholastic Achievement among Public School Students in Los Angeles'
Ledwith, V (2010) 'The Influence of Open Enrollment on Scholastic Achievement among Public School Students in Los Angeles'. American Journal Of Education, 116 :243-262 [Details]
(2009) 'Open enrolment and student sorting in public schools: evidence from Los Angeles County'
Ledwith, V (2009) 'Open enrolment and student sorting in public schools: evidence from Los Angeles County'. Environment And Planning A, 41 :1109-1128 [DOI] [Details]
(2008) 'Use of local Moran's I and GIS to identify pollution hotspots of Pb in urban soils of Galway, Ireland'
Zhang, CS,Luo, L,Xu, WL,Ledwith, V (2008) 'Use of local Moran's I and GIS to identify pollution hotspots of Pb in urban soils of Galway, Ireland'. Science Of The Total Environment, 398 :212-221 [DOI] [Details]
(2007) 'The effect of the residential mosaic and White flight on public school composition: Evidence from Los Angeles County'
Ledwith, V;Clark, WAV (2007) 'The effect of the residential mosaic and White flight on public school composition: Evidence from Los Angeles County'. Urban Geography, 28 :160-180 [Details]
(2007) 'How much does income matter in neighborhood choice?'
Clark, WAV;Ledwith, V (2007) 'How much does income matter in neighborhood choice?'. Population Research And Policy Review, 26 :145-161 [DOI] [Details]
(2007) 'The effect of the residential mosaic and White flight on public school composition: Evidence from Los Angeles County'
Ledwith, V,Clark, WAV (2007) 'The effect of the residential mosaic and White flight on public school composition: Evidence from Los Angeles County'. Urban Geography, 28 :160-180 [Details]
(2006) 'Mobility, Housing Stress and Neighborhood Contexts: Evidence from Los Angeles'
Ledwith, V., Clark, W.A.V. (2006) 'Mobility, Housing Stress and Neighborhood Contexts: Evidence from Los Angeles'. Environment and Planning, A38 (6):1077-1093 [Details]
(2002) 'Immigration, the Internet, and Spaces of Politics'
Staeheli, L.A., Ledwith, V., Ormond, M., Reed, K., Sumpter, A., Trudeau, D. (2002) 'Immigration, the Internet, and Spaces of Politics'. Political Geography, 21 (8):989-1012 [Details]
(2002) 'Location and Political Choice in Post-Unification Berlin: Explaining the PDS (Party of Democratic Socialism) Vote, 1999 and 2001'
OLoughlin, J., Witmer, F., Ledwith, V. (2002) 'Location and Political Choice in Post-Unification Berlin: Explaining the PDS (Party of Democratic Socialism) Vote, 1999 and 2001'. Eurasian Geography And Economics, 43 (5):349-382 [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2020) 'Discounting the Displaced: Examining Hungary’s Denial of Human Security for Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees'
Bichieri, T; Ledwith, V (2020) 'Discounting the Displaced: Examining Hungary’s Denial of Human Security for Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees' In: Haven: The Mediterranean Crisis and Human Security. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. [Details]
(2018) 'Geographies of Education: Context and Case'
Reilly, K; Basu, R; Ledwith, V (2018) 'Geographies of Education: Context and Case' In: Movement, Im/Mobilities and Journeys. :1-21 Singapore: Springer. [Details]
(2017) 'Young Migrants' Educational Achievement: Moving to Equality in Galway City, Ireland'
Ledwith, V; Reilly, K (2017) 'Young Migrants' Educational Achievement: Moving to Equality in Galway City, Ireland' In: Movement, Im/Mobilities and Journeys. London: Springer. [Details]

Other Item

  Year Publication
(2010) William A.V. Clark. Encyclopaedia of Geography Thousand Oaks.
Ledwith, V. (2010) William A.V. Clark. Encyclopaedia of Geography Thousand Oaks. CA: Sage Other Item [Details]
(2001) California's Contaminated Groundwater: Is the State Minding the Store? N. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc New York.
Helperin, A, Beckman D.S., Inwood, D., Ledwith, V., Blankenburg, W. (2001) California's Contaminated Groundwater: Is the State Minding the Store? N. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc New York. New York: Other Item [Details]

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Association of American Geographers Member 01-JAN-02 /
European Association for Population Studies Member 01-JAN-17 / 31-DEC-19
Population and Migration Research Network Co-leader 01-MAR-10 /
Geographical Society of Ireland Member 01-JAN-08 /

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
SoGAIS Athena Swan Self Assessment Team Member 01-SEP-22 /
SoGAIS Research Committee Chair 01-MAY-22 /
SoGAIS Teaching and Learning Committee Chair 01-SEP-13 / 31-DEC-19
CAHSS Curriculum Committee Member 01-MAY-15 / 31-DEC-19
CAHSS Teaching and Learning Sub-Committee Member 01-MAY-16 / 31-DEC-19
Athena SWAN Self Assessment Team Member 01-OCT-14 / 01-JUL-19

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2006 UCLA PhD Geography
2000 U of C, Boulder Master of Arts Geography
1998 NUI, Galway Bachelor of Arts Geography, Sociology and Politics

Teaching Interests

My teaching interests span political, social and cultural geography.  I also have a keen interest in teaching students how to do geographical research, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. 

In the course of my career I have been involved in the design and delivery of the following modules:

Undergraduate
TI150 - Principles of Human Geography 
TI1100/1101 - Geography in Practice
TI224 - Residential Field Class 
TI238 - Global Urbanisation
TI212 - Methods in Geography
TI251/252 - Theory and Practice in Geography
TI330 - Globalisation and Democracy   
TI370 - Elements of Human Geography
TI3117 - Migration, Mobility and Belonging
TI 335 - Research Project Design and Development
TI358 - Research Seminar in Social Geography

Graduate
TI702 - Geography and Geographing
TI703 - Geopolitics and Security
TI6130 - Research Project and Dissertation

Recent Postgraduate Students

  Graduation Name Degree Primary Supervisor
2022 Aine Keating Master of Arts Y
2020 Timothy Eberth Master of Arts Y
2020 Jordan Bernard Master of Arts Y
2020 Frances Carter DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Y
2015 Alan Keane Master of Arts Y
2014 Kuldar Tarum Master of Arts Y
2013 Emily Long Master of Arts Y
2013 Mairead Lyons Master of Arts Y
2012 Paul Rooney Master of Arts Y
2011 Shannon Hubbard Master of Arts Y
2011 Stephanie Egan Master of Arts
2011 Thomas Rush Master of Arts Y
2011 Nicole James DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Y
2010 Michael McCarthy Master of Arts Y
2010 Rebecca Flanagan Master of Arts Y

Current Postgraduate Students (Research)

  Student Degree Type Type
Awatif Aljahdali Doctorate - Structured Ph.D. in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Co-supervisor (1)

Modules Taught

  Term/Year Module Title Module Code Subject / Desc
2022/23 Migration, Mobility and Belonging TI3117
2022/23 Research Seminar in Social Geography TI358
2022/23 Research Project and Dissertation TI6130
2022/23 Theory and Practice in Geography TI251