Dr Eva Kourova
Teaching Associate
Social Work and Social Policy (Subject)
Personal statement
Dr Kourova is a Teaching Associate in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Dr Kourova joined the university in 2021 and prior to this (2019- 2021) she worked as a Module Tutor and Teaching Assistant (PT) at the Glasgow Caledonian University in Social Sciences department. Here she gained Associate Fellowship in Higher Education Academy in 2020. In 2020 Dr Kourova also earned her title of Dr Phil for her dissertation thesis: “Biopolitics and the Transformative Powers of Life: The Case of Roma People in Glasgow.” This autoethnographic research used critical social theory to explore Roma community engagement and development, a field where Dr Kourova has had 15 years prior experience on various posts. Dr Kourova joined the university as a mature worker with professional experience in staff and project management as well as experience in large, medium and small grants fundraising, experience that stems from her pre-academic employment experience. Her academic interests include biopolitics, migration, community empowerment and participation, social inclusion and justice, inclusive teaching, informal learning and widening of access to HE, and mentoring. In her current post, Dr Kourova has succesfully undertaken module lead responsibilities for various modules within the Educaitona and Social Services BaHons course (Personal and Professional Development; Understanding How People Behave; Context, Policy and Joint Work; Dissertation). Dr Kourova has also successfully supervised students for udnergraduate dissertation. Co-Chair of the SWSP GEDI (Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) Committee Co-Lead of the SWSP Children, Young People and Families Research Cluster
Prize And Awards
Publications
- Empowerment as biopolitical : the case of Roma people in the Czech Republic
- Kourova Eva, Webb Prof Stephen
- The Routledge Handbook of International Critical Social Work New Perspectives and Agendas (2022) (2022)
- https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003211969
- "They live like animals" : migrants, Roma and national populism
- Kourova Eva, Webb Stephen A
- The Challenge of Right-Wing Nationalist Populism for Social Work A Human Rights Perspective (2022) (2022)
- https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429056536
- Biopolitics and the Transformative Powers of Life : The Case of Roma People in Glasgow
- Kourova Eva
- (2020)
- Roma People : Problem or Solution - Social Change in Govanhill
- Kourova Eva
- (2015)
Professional Activities
- University Of Strathclyde (Organisational unit)
- Member
- 10/10/2022
- Social Work And Social Policy (Subject) (Organisational unit)
- Advisor
- 5/9/2022
- Social Work And Social Policy (Subject) (Organisational unit)
- Advisor
- 28/8/2022
- The Roma, COVID-19, and Lockdown impact
- Recipient
- 13/7/2021
- Board Member
- Recipient
- 1/6/2021
- Critical Approaches to Romani Studies
- Participant
- 31/5/2021
Projects
- Roma Participatory research into Covid Racialisations in Scotland, Journal of Community Development
- Kourova, Eva (Principal Investigator)
- Journal Article
- 08-Jan-2022 - 31-Jan-2022
- The Roma, COVID-19, and Lockdown impact, Roma participatory research conducted via Ando Glaso SCIO
- Kourova, Eva (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2021 - 30-Jan-2021
- Biopolitics and the Transformative Powers of Life: The Case of Roma People in Glasgow. Critical social theory of community engagement and development.
- Kourova, Eva (Principal Investigator)
- “Biopolitics” is a term that refers to the intersection and mutual incorporation of
life and politics. In literal terms, it signifies a form of politics that deals with life
(Greek: bios). It has been suggested that a biopolitical turn has taken place in the
humanities and social sciences. However, little attention has been given over to the paradigm of biopolitics, such as the work of Roberto Esposito and Michel Foucault, and the field of Roma Studies. This dissertation critically evaluates engagement with the Roma people in Glasgow through the lens of biopolitics. It is a qualitative study which uses an autoethnographic approach to develop a case study that yields fresh insights at the intersection of Roma studies and biopolitical analysis. The study explores how society shapes the Roma in the locality of southside Glasgow and how this “normalisation” is perpetuated by “experts” in cultures of engagement, such as community practitioners, community activists, health visitors, teachers and social workers.
A core concept of this thesis is “culture of engagement,” a concept that is better
known from the field of work, employment and organisational studies where it is
used to help determine the productivity of the workplace. This research
demonstrates how inclusion of marginal knowledge of expert practitioners from
within the culture of engagement can lead to new forms of intervention. Although
knowledge of the practitioner is not treated as unproblematic, it contains a potential that, when explored, can lead to affirmative forms of Roma engagement.
By focusing on the culture of engagement rather than simply on the Roma people
themselves, the study attempts to move beyond binary politicised discourses of
authenticity, representation and right. It attempts to open up a new dimension of
understanding Roma engagement. I argue that biopolitical analysis is often limited
in focusing on how certain parts of society are locked in the “black box” of
apparatus of power. In doing so it unintentionally leaves possibilities for innovative forms of engagement unexplored. The thesis offers fresh insights into what is referred to as an affirmative trajectory of engagement and explores ways to unlock the potential of its transformative space. A central focus of the research is to explore the tacit, the remote, the hidden and the unusual forms of engagement, and in doing so contesting normative assumptions about Rom - 03-Jan-2016 - 06-Jan-2020
- Roma People: Problem or Solution
- Kourova, Eva (Principal Investigator)
- As community development in Govanhill is currently under-researched and its benefits perhaps locally undervalued, this research attempts to provide an insight into the impact that community development could have on the area in order to enrich the academic and local knowledge about its effects when applied to the locality. To do so, this research creates a case study, exploring the impact of a participatory approach to community development for social change in the local community of Govanhill through Roma Youth Project active participation programme. Based on statistical evidence, this research argues that Govanhill is currently an area in social and economic decline, requiring revitalisation. Reflecting the title of this dissertation and drawing on existing literature, this research suggests that Roma residents are currently largely prevented from using their assets and adding value to the locality.
- 01-Jan-2013 - 30-Jan-2015
Contact
Dr
Eva
Kourova
Teaching Associate
Social Work and Social Policy (Subject)
Email: eva.kourova@strath.ac.uk
Tel: Unlisted