Helen Margetts

Helen Margetts in Oxford

Helen Zerlina Margetts (born 1961)^[1] is Director of the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and Professor of Internet and Society at the University of Oxford.^[2] She is a political scientist specialising in digital era governance and politics, and has published over a hundred books, journal articles and research reports in this field. Prior to joining the OII in October 2004, she was a Professor in Political Science and Director of the Public Policy Programme at University College London.^[3][4] She holds many advisory positions, including sitting on the Digital Advisory Board of the UK Government Digital Service.^[5][6][7]

Career

Margetts obtained her first degree, a BSc in mathematics, from the University of Bristol.^[2] In her early career she was a computer programmer and systems analyst with Rank Xerox,^[3][2] after which she took up postgraduate study at the London School of Economics.^[8] There she earned a MSc in Politics and Public Policy (awarded in 1990) and a PhD in Government (in 1996).^[8] From 1994 to 1999 she lectured at Birkbeck College, London.^[8]

Amongst her research projects at the OII, she has used a variety of methods to investigate how the Internet can affect the relationship between citizens and government, and how informational cues can affect the success of online petitions and charity fundraising.^[9][10] In March 2011 she was an expert witness for the UK Parliament's Public Accounts Committee's investigation into the cost of publicly funded information technology projects.^[11]

Books

Margetts has co-authored a series of books which have helped to define the field of digital-era governance:

• Margetts, Helen; John, Peter; Hale, Scott A.; Yasseri, Taha (2015). Political turbulence : how social media shape collective action. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691159225.
• Margetts, Helen; 6, Perri; Hood, Christopher, eds. (2010). Paradoxes of modernization : unintended consequences of public policy reform. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199573547.
• Dunleavy, Patrick; Margetts, Helen; Bastow, Simon; Tinkler, Jane (2008). Digital era governance : IT corporations, the state, and e-government. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199547005.
• Hood, Christopher C.; Margetts, Helen Z. (2007). The tools of government in the digital age. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230001435.
• Margetts, Helen (1999). Information technology in government : Britain and America. London [u.a.]: Routledge. ISBN 9780415174824.

Awards

In 2003 Margetts and Patrick Dunleavy were presented with the 'Political Scientists Making a Difference' award by the UK Policy Studies Association, in recognition for their work on a series of policy reports assessing the state of Government on the Internet for the UK National Audit Office.^[2]

References

1. "MARGETTS, Helen Zerlina". Who's Who. November 2015. ISBN 9780199540884.
2. Profile: Professor Helen Margetts Oxford Internet Institute. Accessed 20 January 2016
3. Schofield, Jack; Doyle, Eric; Mathieson, S. A. (2004-04-28). "IT news". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
4. "Digital Advisory Board profile - Professor Helen Margetts". gds.blog.gov.uk. Government Digital Service. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
5. Lane Fox, Martha (25 April 2012). "Introducing the Digital Advisory Board | Government Digital Service". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
6. Solon, Olivia (25 April 2012). "Digital Advisory Board to support Government Digital Service (Wired UK)". Wired UK. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
7. Hall, Kathleen (25 April 2012). "Government launches Digital Advisory Board". ComputerWeekly. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
8. "Helen Margetts | Associate Members | Academic | Profiles". www.politics.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
9. Clarke, Amanda (2013-12-20). "Oxford Internet Institute". In Harvey, Kerric. Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics. SAGE Publications. p. 938. ISBN 9781452290263.
10. Lowther, Ed (4 September 2013). "First day 'is crucial for success of e-petitions'". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
11. Committee, Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select (2011-07-28). Government and IT - a Recipe for Rip-offs: Time for a New Approach, Twelfth Report of Session 2010-11, Vol. 2: Oral and Written Evidence. The Stationery Office. ISBN 9780215561077.

External links