Dr. Daniel Faas

Daniel Faas is Associate Professor in Sociology at Trinity College Dublin, Convenor/Champion of the Research Theme 'Identities in Transformation', and Founding Director of the MSc Comparative Social Change (an inter-institutional partnership and joint degree programme with University College Dublin). He has held Visiting Professorships at Universidade de São Paulo, Beijing Foreign Studies University, University of the Philippines Diliman and University College London. He is a graduate of the University of Cambridge (PhD, MPhil), the University of Stuttgart (MA) and Trinity College Dublin (MA jo). His research and teaching interests are in the sociology of migration with specific emphasis on the intersection of migration and education. His work focuses on youth identities in relation to immigrant integration, national identity, multiculturalism and social cohesion, religion and schooling in Ireland and Europe, curriculum design and development, as well as comparative case study methodologies. He has published widely on these topics in high-impact peer-reviewed international journals, as well as a sole-authored monograph (Negotiating Political Identities: Multiethnic Schools and Youth in Europe) and is internationally reputed for his work in these areas. In 2015, Professor Faas was elected to Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin in recognition of his scholarship and research achievements and his contribution to College and to the School. Daniel Faas is winner of the Trinity Global Engagement Award (2016) in recognition of outstanding global relationship building, collaboration, outreach and cultural understanding, winner of the Provost's Teaching Award at Trinity College Dublin (2012) in recognition of his contribution in the pursuit of teaching excellence and innovation, and recipient of the 2009 European Sociological Association award for best journal article. Professor Faas was Head of the Department of Sociology at Trinity College Dublin (2012-16), Member of the University Council at Trinity College Dublin (2012-18), Fulbright-Schuman Fellow in the Department of Sociology at UC Berkeley (2009) and Marie Curie Research Fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy in Athens (2006-2008). Professor Faas has served as College Tutor, Director of International Affairs in the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy (2010-15), Member of the College International Committee (2012-18) and Member of the Equality Committee (2016-17). He has been strongly involved in Trinity College's Global Relations Strategy development and implementation, including chairing a Task Force on Mobility leading to the publication of a policy report on 'Barriers to Inward and Outward Student Mobility' (2013), developing an International Foundation Programme (2015), as well as numerous international student recruitment and partnership building delegations particularly in India, China, Brazil and the Philippines. Externally, Professor Faas has acted as expert evaluator and panel vice-chair for the European Commission (Horizon 2020 and FP7), Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus, Swiss National Science Foundation, Foundation for Science and Technology in Portugal, Luxembourg National Research Fund, and the Volkswagen Foundation.

  Case-study research   Citizenship   Community and School Relations   Comparative Education   Comparative Sociology   Educational Planning/Policy   Ethnicity & Nationalism in Central Europe   EU developments   European minority cultures and identities   Globalisation   Identity politics and social change   Knowledge Based Society   Migration   Migration and Employment   Multicultural Education   Multiculturalism   Qualitative methodologies   Race and ethnic studies   Social Policy   Teacher Education Issues

My research is in the sociology of migration and consists of three interlinked strands: (1) identities and integration, (2) comparative curriculum analyses, as well as (3) religion and schooling in Ireland and Europe. It strongly links to the College's research theme on "Identities in Transformation", of which I am the Convenor/Champion. My work creates new knowledge by asking fundamental questions: How do societies and institutions differ in the ways in which they integrate migrant students and what structural characteristics drive this? How do national school curricula address migration-related diversity and European issues? How is religion integrated in schools and education systems? My work is rigorous and policy-oriented, allowing me to build bridges between academic and policy communities at national and European level. I have received major research grants (totalling around €1m) and highly competitive fellowships including a Fulbright Fellowship, Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship, and other external funding as PI and Co-PI in European collaborative projects. In 2015 I was elected to Fellowship at Trinity College Dublin (FTCD). Involvement and coordination in research projects has allowed me to build an international interdisciplinary network of collaborators. I play an active role in European research networks, and present the findings of my research in academic and non-academic settings, frequently as an invited speaker. These include national and international conferences, presentations for policy-makers and the general public and media engagement. I receive invitations as expert in the field including visiting professorships, consultancies and advisory roles. I have a substantial and sustained research output of around 70 publications including 32 journal articles, 12 book chapters, 9 reports, 3 (edited) volumes, and 10 reviews. I publish in the top-ranked international journals in the field of education, sociology and ethnic studies such as The British Journal of Sociology, Ethnicities, British Educational Research Journal, British Journal of Sociology of Education, and Compare. The impact of my work and international reputation is not only evidenced via strong citation metrics, but also in the form of awards (ESA Best Journal Article), visiting professorships (UCL, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Universidade de São Paulo, University of the Philippines) and peer evaluations (finalist in an ERC Starting and Consolidator grant). I have supervised 37 postgraduates to completion (9 PhD, 28 MSc/MPhil) and mentored 5 postdocs. In my role as Head of Sociology, I have promoted research leadership in numerous ways. Firstly, I have encouraged staff to engage in collaborative research through creating and deepening links with the ESRI, the Trinity Long Room Hub research theme "Identities in Transformation", the TCD-UCD Strategic Alliance as well as international networks such as IMISCOE. Secondly, I have fostered dialogue by promoting research discussions in the Department and College, for instance through dedicated sessions focused on exchanging research expertise among colleagues. Thirdly, I have mentored more junior staff and have discussed their research plans and publication strategies enabling them to expand their vision and operating successfully within Trinity and beyond. I consider this part of cultivating the next generation of Trinity scholars.