Dr Laela Adamson

Personal statement

I joined the University of Strathclyde in May 2023 as a Lecturer in Education Policy. My main field of interest is in International and Comparative Education. I am Co-Leader of the MSc Education Studies (January intake).

I was previously an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bath, where I focused on extending my doctoral work and connecting my findings with learning and knowledge from other researchers. This included co-editing an extended policy brief about language of instruction and girls' education. My PhD study (completed at the UCL Institute of Education in 2020) explored the experiences of learners in two secondary schools in Tanzania, looking at how they negotiated their language environments.

I am particularly interested in issues of education, language and social justice and I am working to develop the Capability Approach as a framework for understanding the role of language. My work takes a critical approach to the study of language-in-education policy and practice and the importance of prioritising language choices in broader global aspirations for education.

The geographical focus of my research has been sub-Saharan Africa, but I also have 10 years' experience as a UK secondary History teacher and school Research Lead, supporting teachers to engage in practitioner research.