Past Interns
Talia Brun Marcen
Full-time research intern, April to August 2008
During my time at Demos, I have mostly worked in the Cities Programme. I was extensively involved in the Watershed project to re-think the public realm around Bristol's most exciting media centre. Parallel to that, I have done literature reviews and fieldwork for The public value of play, a project to investigate the different forms of value delivered by staffed playgrounds in cities across the UK. Both of these projects have allowed me to explore questions around the role of civic leadership in social policy. Other projects I have collaborated with doing some preliminary research are: Bradford Housing Lives - Aspirations, Agency and Fairness and From Threat to Opportunity. Re-examining the relationship between violent and non-violent radicalisation. I also assisted the organisation of the event Changing the settings, changing politics, part of the London Festival of Architecture.
Current Activities: Intern at the Centre for Cities
Academic Information: MSc with distinction in City Design and Social Science (London School of Economics and Political Science), and BA in Economics (Pompeu Fabra University and University of Toulouse)
Skills and Experience: Before starting at Demos I worked at ZZA, a built environment consultancy, and at the Strategic Planning Office of the City of Leon (Nicaragua)
A Word About Demos: It has a creative and open atmosphere, it is simply a great place to learn and work.
Demos Mentor: Duncan O'Leary
Demos Referee: Joost Beunderman
Contact: t.brunmarcen@
Caeli Christianson
Research Intern, June to September 2008
I am currently completing an Msc in Social Policy and Planning at the London School of Economics and Political Science. I also hold a BA in English and Women's Studies from Florida State University.
Prior to joining Demos, I spent several years leading young activist organisations in the United States. I also spent a summer doing original research on women's health charities in the Gambia.
My primary research interests include the challenges and opportunities presented by increasing international migration, particularly for European welfare states; the role of the voluntary sector in both providing and advocating for social welfare; the 'new' global philanthropy and its impact on the developing world; NGO coordination and aid to the global South, particularly African countries; and the impact of gender as a shaping force in society. My master's dissertation looks at the impact of the growing application of 'best practice' from the private sector to charities.
At Demos, I have assisted mostly on the Knowledge Nomads project, part of the Atlas of Ideas 2.0 that examines the interaction between highly-skilled migration and scientific innovation. Working on this project has been truly engaging, and I've learned much from collaborating on research briefings, case studies, and focus group interviews.
Demos has been a wonderful experience so far. I've especially enjoyed Demos' unique working-style blend of independence, engagement, guidance, and camaraderie.
Demos mentor: Natalie Day
Contact me: caeli.christianson@gmail.com
Kacie Desmond
I joined Demos as a part-time Research Intern in June 2008.
I have an MA in Art History from the University of St. Andrews and prior to Demos I worked in a contemporary London art gallery.
My research interests lie in how art is utilised to further political and social ideologies and how it can be used for educational purposes. I am also interested in issues revolving around migration, such as racial and cultural identity. My Masters thesis looked at how twentieth century racial tensions in America were expressed through public sculpture.
At Demos I have worked primarily on the Royal Shakespeare Company Ensemble Working project, which is focused on observing the cultural transformation of the RSC as it becomes an “ensemble organisation”.
Nicola O'Connell
I joined Demos in June 2008 as a Research Intern.
I am currently a Psychology undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin.
My primary interests lie in the field of Social Psychology - specifically its role in the understanding of individuals' engagement with society; why people don't vote, factors affecting racism and citizens' involvement in their social sphere.
At Demos I have worked primarily on the Bradford Housing Lives project, which has introduced me to innovative qualitative methodologies as well as a vibrant group of researchers.
I return to Ireland in September to complete my degree.
Mona Chalabi
Full-time Media and Communications Intern, May to September 2008
I am currently an undergraduate in International Relations, studying at Sciences Po in Paris next year before returning to the University of Edinburgh to finish my degree.
Prior to working at Demos, I spent a year at the Bank of England settling international gilt and equity transactions with other central banks. I have also worked for an MEP and my local Racial Equality Council to explore the impact of migrant waves on social cohesion.
At Demos I have written operational notes, newsletters, flyers for events and contributions for Think Tank watch. My responsibilities include planning events, taking calls from the press, updating the Demos website, organising mail-outs and acting as a strict librarian for past Demos publications. Media awareness is a crucial part of my role here – to keep apace of all developments which could be of relevance to Demos researchers and to be aware of Demos’ own presence in the media.
The diversity of responsibility as a media and comms intern has also given me opportunities to conduct research for Demos. This has ranged from researching the relationship between Politics and Emotions for an upcoming Demos pamphlet, to exploring contemporary values and beliefs in
This summer, Demos has also given me the chance to spend a week at a local newspaper. The experience was a valuable insight into the way in which press releases are turned into articles.
I have absolutely loved my Demos experience so far.
Alex Tinsley
I joined Demos as a research intern straight after finishing my degree at University College London in June 2008. I studied French & Italian and so had done a lot of work on film and art theory, so the Children of Europa project, which examines European youths' expressions of political conscience through video-making, seemed like a suitable transition into the world of policy research.
The project is an unusual one, in that much of the material is anecdotal - amateur videos, primarily - so it was fascinating to see how researchers handled it. Because video-making chooses its own themes and interests, my research tasks often introduced me to many areas of social and political concern, many of which would be worthy of study in their own right - popular interpretation of separatist conflicts; mass copyright infringement; or the structure of educational curriculums to name just a few. In this sense the project illustrates exactly what is so valuable about an internship at Demos: it introduces you both to a wealth of new ideas, and to the techniques needed to research them.
I will be going to law school in September 2008, and will be looking to specialize in Copyright and Intellectual Property law: I believe state's law or indeed intergovernmental treaties on these fields will become extremely important in the coming half-century. Equipped with a working knowledge of these areas, hopefully through a few years of practice, I intend to study them at Masters/PhD level with a view to contributing to the policy community - basically I want to be writing think-pieces at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva by the time I'm 35 odd.
Demos Mentor: Jack Stilgoe
Contact: yeltsin@square-ink.com