About me: the brief version

I work as a writer, sociologist, lecturer and editor.

I am a senior lecturer and course team leader at Leo Baeck College, an associate lecturer at Birkbeck College, and an associate fellow of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research where I run the European Jewish Research Archive

I have reviews, articles and op-ed pieces to publications including The Guardian, New Humanist, Open Democracy, New Statesman and Society, Jewish Chronicle, The Forward, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post, Jewish Quarterly, and The Tablet.

I was the 2014-5 guest editor of the Jewish Quarterly

I was the editor from 2013-2015 of the Jewish Journal of Sociology

I have published four  books:

Uncivil War: The Israel Conflict in the Jewish Community

Judaism: All That Matters

(With Ben Gidley) Turbulent Times: The British Jewish Community Today

Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge

I’ve also co-edited a number of collections.

I’ve published academic and non-academic articles on a variety of topics, including: Judaism; music scenes; heavy metal; transgression; Israel; communities; dialogue; religion; ethnicity; political discourse; denial.

I am a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a fellow of the RSA

I am available for freelance writing assignments and for research consultancy. Contact me here.