DrKellie McGlynn

My research examines institutional inequality, power and systems change, with a particular interest in how institutions shape whose knowledge, experiences and voices are recognised and valued. Across my work, I am interested in the tensions between institutional expectations and people's lived experiences, the ways authority and legitimacy are negotiated, and the possibilities for more equitable and responsive systems.

My research spans three interconnected areas:

Initial Teacher Education and Professional Partnerships

My work in initial teacher education examines the relationships, boundaries and institutional practices that shape collaboration between universities, schools and educators. I am particularly interested in how professional knowledge and authority are negotiated, the role of trust in institutional partnerships, and how contradictions within and between organisations can create opportunities for change.

Applied Learning, Educational Inequality and Parity of Esteem

My research in applied and vocational learning considers how educational systems construct and reinforce hierarchies of knowledge, pathways and learners. Working with schools, educators and government partners, I examine the organisational and cultural conditions that shape the recognition of applied learning, and how educational leadership and collaborative practice can challenge established inequalities.

Gender-Based Violence and Institutional Harm

Through The Second Violence, my research examines how institutional responses to family and domestic violence can reproduce the very harms they are intended to address. I am particularly interested in how credibility, authority and responsibility are constructed within institutional encounters, and how gendered assumptions and systemic practices influence victim-survivors' experiences of safety, recognition and justice.

Across these areas, my work is concerned with institutional change, relational trust, professional practice and the possibilities for transformation. I draw on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), Change Laboratory methodology, feminist scholarship, autoethnography and participatory research approaches to understand institutional contradictions and explore how systems might work differently.

My research also extends to trauma-informed education and institutional practice, particularly how systems recognise and respond to trauma, vulnerability and agency.