Dr. Rhys Kelly
Information about Dr. Rhys Kelly at the University of Bradford.
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Biography
I am Associate Professor in Conflict Resolution in the Department of Peace Studies and International Development, and currently Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching for the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences. Much of my work - my research, teaching and educational leadership - has learning as a central and connecting theme. For example, individuals, groups and societies who are dealing with conflict and its legacies are fundamentally engaged in learning processes - to understand what caused conflict, to understand others who have become enemies, to understand the impacts that conflict has on self and others, and to find ways to build trust and relationship after conflict. Similarly, communities that are having to adapt to climate change (the focus of more recent research) have to learn about the changes and risks they are facing, about what is possible (or not) in response, and how to make good decisions in conditions of conflict and uncertainty. In both areas, my research has concerned the kinds of processes - including peace education and community engagement - that can support individual and social learning.Recent work on community engagement and climate adaptation for/with national agencies (Environment Agency, DEFRA, Natural Resources Wales) formed the basis of a successful REF impact case-study. The work contributed new knowledge and practice tools that have been adopted widely in a range of high profile projects, that influenced national policy and continue to generate interest and application. See: Working together to adapt to a changing climate - flood and coast - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
As an educator, I also have strong interest in learning processes/methods and what can support meaningful, lasting changes in understanding in our students. As an educator working in the field of conflict resolution, I'm particularly interested in how we can help to cultivate different kinds of learning - the knowledge, professional skills, and personal qualities needed for this challenging area of practice. And in my roles as Director of Studies and now Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching, I am interested in supporting the development of effective, interesting and appropriate pedagogic practice in the different parts of the Faculty.
Research
My background is in Conflict Resolution/Peace Studies. Over the last years the focus of my work has shifted to take account of the pressing challenges posed by ecological crises, including climate change. I have been engaged in a number of projects concerned with questions about what individual and social learning are needed and possible in the context of increasing global insecurity, which might support just and peaceful transitions to more resilient, ‘sustainable’ communities. I am currently working on an action research project with the Environment Agency/Natural Resources Wales, exploring how to engage communities facing long-term climate adaptation challenges in productive conversation and planning.
Research projects
| Role | Date | Title/description | Funder | Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 2018-02-01T00:00:00 | Predictions of climate change are becoming increasingly worrying. In the UK, future sea level rise and extreme rainfall will increase flood risk for many communities. Where existing measures will not work in the long term, alternative responses to coastal erosion and flood risk may be needed. Against this background, communities face a number of tough challenges: How do we develop a shared understanding of likely future scenarios? What realistic choices are there, and how do we weigh up their costs and benefits? What trade-offs might be involved, whose interests are at stake? What would a fair and inclusive decision-making process look like? Even though these questions clearly need tackling, many people – both at community level and within governance and risk management agencies – are understandably apprehensive about opening up these difficult, emotionally challenging and potentially conflictual conversations. This project recognises the need to explore, together, how we might respond to this challenge collectively and constructively. | ||
| Co-Investigator | 2021-04-01T00:00:00 | |||
| Principal Investigator (Joint) | 2021-04-27T00:00:00 | This proposal builds on existing work undertaken as part of the ‘Working Together to Adapt to a Changing Climate’ project, as well as research funded with a previous HEIF award (2020) on Readiness Assessment. Over the last year, we have created a simulation exercise/tool for an urban setting, addressing surface water flooding issues. The simulation supports education about and deliberation on complex choices for adaptive measures to prevent or mitigate increasing flood risk associated with climate change. The simulation is currently being piloted and early feedback has been very encouraging. This project will enable the creation and testing of a coastal simulation exercise/tool, addressing the different – and more complex – realities of coastal communities (rising sea levels, increased erosion, more frequent and intense storms, drought and flooding). | Principal Investigator (Joint) | |
| Principal Investigator (Joint) | 2020-01-06T00:00:00 | The theme of ‘readiness’ was highlighted in our co-authored evidence review for the Environment Agency/Natural Resources Wales: ‘Working together to adapt to a changing climate: flood and coast’ (Kelly and Kelly, 2019). It established the importance of both assessing and enhancing the readiness of both communities and professionals to engage in the difficult conversations and decision-making processes that are needed against the backdrop of climate change and future uncertainty. To further this work, we will design and test a process for assessing readiness that can be used widely by practitioners working on related climate adaptation projects - for example, sample surveys and participatory mapping exercises. We would apply and test these methods in the two pilot locations already participating in the 'Working together' project. This would enhance existing work whilst generating new knowledge and guidance for policy and practice in this specific area. | Principal Investigator (Joint) |
Teaching
Details on teaching interests, highlights and modules are available for Dr. Rhys Kelly as follows:
Teaching interests
My teaching has mostly been in the area conflict resolution, and I make significant contributions to the current MA programme: Advanced Practice in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution. I teach about theories of conflict, conflict analysis methods, different methods of conflict resolution / engagement, transitional justice and reconciliation, and environmental conflict resolution. I also teach on the MA Peace, Resilience and Social Justice, contributing to classes on climate change and ecological crisis, resilience thinking and practice, climate adaptation, and climate justice
I have had a longstanding interest in theories and processes of teaching and learning, going right back to my undergraduate dissertation (on the relationship between education and democracy). I have a teaching qualification (PGCHEP) and achieved recognition as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2014. My approach to teaching has taken inspiration from 'critical' educators like Paolo Freire, Henry Giroux, bell hooks and Megan Boler, and from those that advocate for more active, applied and experiential learning. My classes often involve activities based around real-world problems or tasks, and which involve collaborative inquiry and critical reflection. With all the varied experience and perspectives that our students in Peace Studies bring, we can often have very rich and interesting discussions.
Professional activities
Information about education, employment and areas of particular interest for Dr. Rhys Kelly is as follows:
Consultancy
- Environment Agency / Icarus - Senior Associate for Icarus, contracting with the Environment Ageny
Employment
- University of Bradford - Associate Professor
Education
- University of Bradford - BA (Hons)
- University of Bradford - Postgraduate Diploma
- University of Bradford - PhD
- University of Bradford - Postgraduate Certificate Higher Education Practice
Publications
There are 31 publications involving or that are attributed to Dr. Rhys Kelly. They are listed as:
- blog (1)
- book chapter (3)
- conference contribution (9)
- peer reviewed journal (9)
- published report (9)
Blog
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why We're Not Ditching Resilience Yet... | 2015 | Ute Kelly & Rhys Kelly |
Book Chapter
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurturing social and ecological relationships: The contribution of conflict resolution education | 2016 | Education in Times of Environmental Crises: Teaching Children to Be Agents of Change | Education in Times of Environmental Crises: Teaching Children to Be Agents of Change | 131 - 142 | Kelly R. | 9781317371762 | 10.4324/9781315671970 | ||||
| An Education in Homecoming: Peace Education as the pursuit of Appropriate Knowledge | 2017 | Peace Education: Past, Present and Future | Peace Education: Past, Present and Future | Kelly, Ute and Kelly, Rhys | 9781138675643 | Routledge | |||||
| Becoming vulnerable in the era of climate change: Questions and dilemmas for a pedagogy of vulnerability | 2020 | Pedagogy of Vulnerability | Pedagogy of Vulnerability | Kelly, Ute and Kelly, Rhys | Information Age Publishing |
Conference Contribution
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Political Action, Resilience and Solidarity | Political Action, Resilience and Solidarity | n/a | Kelly, Ute and Kelly, Rhys | King's College, London | ||||||
| 2015 | Cambridge Peace and Education Research Seminar | Cambridge Peace and Education Research Seminar | n/a | Kelly, Ute and Kelly, Rhys | University of Cambridge | ||||||
| 2016 | Revisiting Adam Curle’s ‘Education for Peace’. | Revisiting Adam Curle’s ‘Education for Peace’. | 1 | Rhys Kelly | University of Bradford | ||||||
| 2015 | . ‘Where now for Peace Education?: Theory and Praxis for the 21st Century’ | . ‘Where now for Peace Education?: Theory and Praxis for the 21st Century’ | 1 | Rhys Kelly and Ute Kelly | Cambridge University | ||||||
| 2014 | Reconstructing Peace Studies: Assessing New Knowledge and Outcomes | Reconstructing Peace Studies: Assessing New Knowledge and Outcomes | 1 | Rhys Kelly, Ute Kelly | Baker Institute, US. | ||||||
| 2012 | Disciplines of Peace Conference | Disciplines of Peace Conference | 0 | Reflections on teaching ‘disciplines for Peace’. | Oxford University. | ||||||
| 2014 | Workshop on the Radical Reductions Agenda and Implications for Peace Studies | Workshop on the Radical Reductions Agenda and Implications for Peace Studies | 0 | Rhys Kelly, Ute Kelly | University of Bradford | ||||||
| 2008 | Mapping Conversations on Resilience and Vulnerability in the Context of Future Uncertainty | Mapping Conversations on Resilience and Vulnerability in the Context of Future Uncertainty | 0 | Rhys Kelly | Plymouth | ||||||
| 2009 | Beyond Current Horizons: New Challenges and Opportunities for Education | Beyond Current Horizons: New Challenges and Opportunities for Education | 0 | Rhys Kelly | Plymouth |
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conflict Resolution and Transformative Pedagogy: A Grounded Theory Research Project on Learning in Higher Education | 2007 | Fetherston, A. Betts; Kelly, Rhys H.S. | |||||||||
| Resilience, Solidarity, Agency: Grounded Reflections on Challenges and Synergies | 2017 | Kelly, Ute; Kelly, Rhys H.S. | |||||||||
| Towards Peaceful Adaptation? Reflections on the purpose, scope, and practice of peace studies in the 21st Century | 2013 | Kelly, Rhys H.S.; Kelly, Ute | |||||||||
| An education in homecoming: peace education as the pursuit of 'appropriate knowledge' | 2013 | Journal of Peace Education | 10 | 283 - 302 | Kelly R.;Kelly U. | 1740-0201 | 10.1080/17400201.2013.846565 | ||||
| Productive Contradictions: dissonance, resistance and change in an experiment with cooperative learning | 2008 | Journal of Peace Education | Rhys Kelly and Betts Fetherston | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17400200701859494 | |||||||
| Testimony, Witnessing and Digital Activism | 2008 | Rhys Kelly | |||||||||
| Memory and Reconciliation in Post-Conflict Societies | 2007 | Rhys Kelly | |||||||||
| Avoiding the Anthropocene: An Assessment of the Extent and Nature of Engagement with Environmental Issues in Peace Research | 2021 | Peace and Conflict Studies | 27 | Rhys Kelly | |||||||
| Readiness assessment in flood risk management and climate adaptation: A mechanism for social innovation? | 2023 | Journal of Flood Risk Management | Rhys Kelly, Ute Kelly | WIley | https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12915 |
Published Report
| Title | Year | Publication name | Journal | Volume | Pages | Authors | Editors | ISSN | Publisher | DOI | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Engagement on Climate Adaptation: An Evidence Review | 2019 | 1 | Rhys Kelly, Ute Kelly | ISBN 978-1-84911-429-5 | Environment Agency | ||||||
| Experiences of Transition Research: Report for AHRC Connected Communities: “Connection, Participation and Empowerment in Community-Based Research: the Case of the Transition Movement”. | 2013 | 1 | Rhys Kelly, Ute Kelly | AHRC | |||||||
| ‘What Kind of Talk Does Resilience Need?’, | 2009 | 1 | Ute Kelly, Steve Smith, Rhys Kelly | C-SCAP | |||||||
| Community Cohesion – Moving Bradford Forward | 2003 | 1 | Rhys Kelly, Shiela Philpott | Government Office for Yorkshire and The Humber | |||||||
| Working Together to Adapt to a Changing Climate: Review of Project Learning | 2023 | Ute Kelly, Rhys Kelly | Environment Agency | ||||||||
| Developing Tools for Readiness Assessment: Review of Learning. | 2023 | Rhys Kelly, Ute Kelly | Environment Agency | ||||||||
| Readiness Assessment: Tools and Techniques | 2023 | Rhys Kelly, Ute Kelly, Karen Saunders | Environment Agency | ||||||||
| Using future scenarios to inform engagement planning | 2023 | Rhys Kelly, Karen Saunders | Environment Agency | ||||||||
| Developing a simulation: review of learning | 2023 | Ute Kelly, Rhys Kelly | Environment Agency |