Jennifer Constantine

Jennifer Constantine is a PhD candidate in the Department of International Development at King’s, funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council LISS-DTP. Her doctoral research examines the political and practical influence of Brazilian food and nutrition security policy ideas in the UK, exploring the role of different transnational actors in the travel and translation of these ideas. Previous research and policy advisory work focused on the political economy of the BRICS and other 'emerging' economies in international development and global aid architectures.

Jennifer has 15 years of professional experience in international development, spanning research, project management, consulting and policy advisory services in Europe, Latin America, and Southern Africa; working for a range of international organisations, government, academia, think-tanks, NGOs and the private sector. Jennifer completed a BA Hons in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies at King’s College London in 2004, and an MA in Development Studies at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex in 2011.

Research

Thesis title: 'Zero Hunger Britain – learning from Brazil? The role of transnational actors in UK food and nutrition security policy debates'

Jennifer’s PhD research examines the political and practical influence of Brazilian food and nutrition security policy ideas in the UK, through the actions and discourse of transnational policy actors (state and non-state), networks and coalitions. In particular, how do these actors shape these debates through their work in bi/multi-lateral development cooperation and domestic policy arenas.

She is interested in understanding how these actors mobilise different concepts of food and nutrition security in different spaces (e.g. right to food versus food justice, or food democracy; or hunger versus food insecurity), and what the implications are for the development of food and nutrition security policy in the UK. Other current research avenues include the politics of the right to food in the UK and Brazil, and the governance of food and nutrition security, at the national, devolved nation and local level in the UK.

PhD supervision

• Principal supervisor:  Andrés Mejía Acosta
• Secondary supervisor: Andrew Brooks

Further Details

See Jennifer's research profile