Your conference team
Dr Nick Caddick – Conference Chair
Nick is Associate Professor of Political Sociology and Deputy Director of the Veterans and Families Institute at Anglia Ruskin University. His work uses narrative as a conceptual and methodological device for understanding the legacies of war for military veterans as well as others affected by conflict. Nick recently completed his first monograph for Edinburgh University Press entitled ‘The cultural politics of veterans’ narratives: Beyond the wire’, and has led two major projects in recent years; the AHRC-funded ‘Stories in Transition’ project, which used co-productive methods and creative practice filmmaking to explore veterans’ stories of transition to civilian life through arts, culture and sport, and research funded by the Forces in Mind Trust examining the impact of Non-UK service and immigration in the British Armed Forces. He is an editorial board member for the Critical Military Studies journal, and a BISA member since 2020.
Outside of academia, Nick enjoys reading, hip-hop music, mountain biking, and planning his next tattoo.
Juliet Dryden - BISA Director
Juliet has worked in the field of international relations for the last 25 years specialising in programme management, international development/humanitarian affairs and donor relations.
Juliet has previously worked at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the London School of Economics (LSE Ideas) and for 15 years with the United Nations in Cairo, Gaza and Jerusalem (UNRWA, UNOCHA, UNOHCHR). Her most recent position prior to joining BISA was at the West Asia - North Africa (WANA) Institute in Amman where she was the Director of Programmes. Juliet holds an MA in International Relations from the University of East Anglia.
Juliet was also elected as a member of the Chatham House Council in July 2021.
Outside of BISA, Juliet loves reading political biographies, outdoor swimming, spending time with her family and living a quiet life after years of living dangerously!
Ella Bullard - Events and Communications Assistant
Ella joined BISA in September 2024 as a recent politics and international relations graduate. Throughout her studies she gained varied experience in fundraising and event planning for charities and football clubs.
Outside of BISA, Ella enjoys unwinding with a good book, exploring new coffee spots, and spending time outdoors with her dog.
Chrissie Elliot-Duxson - Communications Manager
Chrissie has worked in marketing communications for over 15 years with experience of both the public and private sectors. Her most recent positions prior to joining BISA were at the University of Warwick and spanned marketing, communications, recruitment, student experience and project management.
Chrissie has also run her own business and was formerly the Chair of her local branch of the Federation of Small Businesses as well as Chair of Coventry and Warwickshire First Young Professionals.
Outside of BISA, Chrissie is a singer/songwriter, reviews gigs for Birmingham Live and enjoys travelling.
Freya Jones - BISA Administrator
Freya joined BISA as Administrator in January 2021 on a part-time basis alongside her other roles as a School Bursar and a Ticketing Administrator for the Friends of Oxford Botanic Garden. Previously she worked as an Account Director for an Event Management agency for nine years, organising a variety of events across the globe.
Outside of BISA, Freya enjoys Pilates and reading (when time allows!), and has recently taken up playing the piano again after a 25 year hiatus.
Professor Alister Miskimmon – Queen’s University Belfast
Alister is Professor of International Relations at Queen’s University Belfast. His research focuses on strategic narratives and International Relations. He has published two books on these themes with Ben O’Loughlin and Laura Roselle entitled, Strategic Narratives: Communication Power and the New World Order (2013) and Forging the World: Strategic Narratives in International Relations (2017). He edits the Palgrave Book Series on International Political Communication.
Dr Mike Bourne – Queen’s University Belfast
Mike is Reader in International Security Studies in the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy, and Politics at Queen's University Belfast. His research interests include critical security theories, and the relations of materiality, technology, security and violence. His work has engaged issues of arms control (from small arms to nuclear weapons), illicit weapons trafficking, border control, and technology development. At present his work particularly engages the intersections of sensor technologies and security practices; and theoretical work related to process-relational philosophy and security.
Dr Maria A Deiana – Queen’s University Belfast
Maria is a senior lecturer in the School of HAPP and the co-founder of the Centre for Gender in Politics at Queen’s University Belfast. Her research interests sit at the intersection of feminist international relations, critical peace and conflict studies, and border studies. She has published on the everyday, affect and aesthetics in conflict; on the politics of gender and feminist activism in contexts shaped by armed conflict, international intervention and peacebuilding, and on EU border politics and security.
If you'd like to contact the conference team please email conferences@bisa.ac.uk.
We are grateful for funding from the Belfast and Northern Ireland Conference Subvention Scheme to help put on #BISA2025.