Professor Helen Drake

Director
@ Academy of Diplomacy and International Governance, Loughborough University

Professor Helen Drake
  • Bio

Helen is an internationally-acclaimed Professor of contemporary French politics and EU affairs, and has chaired the UK’s leading University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) since 2012.

Helen is the Institute Director for Diplomacy and International Governance at Loughborough University London, and also holds a Chair in French and European Studies at Loughborough University.

Since 1st April 2017 (running to 30th September 2018), Helen has led on an ESRC-funded, Brexit-related project entitled '28+ Perspectives on Brexit: a guide to the multi-stakeholder negotiations' (http://www.28plus.eu).  In 2016 Helen was also awarded an ESRC Dissemination grant for a project involving sixth form pupils attending schools in Loughborough and in London. The project, entitled 'Future-Proofing the UK electorate: simulating real world, post-Brexit decisions on EU freedom of movement in UK Schools', has already seen two very successful simulations with sixth-formers in Loughborough.

In addition to recent developments regarding Brexit, Helen is also actively engaged in research into contemporary French politics and EU affairs, with the study of France in its international context remaining central to Helen's research activity.  Helen is currently working solo on a monograph with Palgrave on France’s relationship with the European Union, as well as on a second edition of  her 2011 book Contemporary France, which is also with Palgrave. Together with a team of scholars in the UK, France and the USA, Helen is leading the publication of cutting-edge research into contemporary France following the election of President Macron. (Palgrave, Developments in French Politics 6).  

Helen's most recent teaching has been supported by an EU Commission-funded Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration. Helen is passionate about the role of professional experts when teaching, and often invites international academic experts into her lectures and seminars, and uses debates, simulations and other exercises to ensure students can apply their learning to real-world, professional settings.