Felicity Matthews is Professor of Politics at the University of Sheffield and Director of the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership. Her research concerns the exercise of power in the policy process, and the relationships that exist between government, parliament and citizens. She completed a Parliamentary Academic Fellowship in 2018-19, working under the auspices of the House of Commons Petitions Committee.

Please tell us a little bit about how you entered academia and your academic career

I kind of fell into academia. I was a bit rudderless as a teenager and didn’t really have any role models, being the first person in my family to go to uni and coming from a ‘low participation’ area. Growing up, I wanted to do something artsy such as being a graphic designer or illustrator, and was set to start an Art Foundation course after my A-levels. But I had a last minute change of heart, and ended up dropping out… and without enough ‘academic’ A-levels to get into university. So I ended up studying two A-levels condensed into an eight month (!) period: History, and Government and Politics. This was perhaps the most intensive year out ever – I was also working full-time alongside these compressed A-Levels – but I was inspired to study the subjects at university, and in the late 90s I arrived at to the University of Sheffield to study BA Modern History and Politics.

I loved it, and decided to train as a history teacher, duly embarking on a PGCE after my degree. Teaching sadly turned out to be the wrong choice for me at that time in my life, and instead I started working for a local housing association. But I’d stayed in touch with my undergraduate dissertation supervisor, Matt Flinders, who was encouraging me towards postgraduate study. And crucially, was able to explain to me the various funding options available. There was no way I could have undertaken further study without financial support, and I was incredible fortunate to be awarded a 1+3 scholarship from the University of Sheffield.

After this, things took a more conventional route: PhD, post-doc, post-doc, lectureship, lectureship, SL and then Professor in 2021. In recent years, I’ve moved towards university leadership and am currently the Director of the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership. It’s mad to think about how far I’ve come, as I can still remember calling my mum in tears from a phone box to say I’d dropped out of art school, but didn’t know what to do!

Which five books/articles have been most important to you in your academic career?

I’m meant to whittle this down to five? Okay…. And in no particular order…. Anthony King’s 1976 ‘Modes of Executive-Legislative Relations’; Isabel Hardman’s 2019 Why We Get the Wrong Politicians; Emma Crewe’s 2015 House of Commons: an anthropology of MPs at work; David Judge’s 2014 Democratic Incongruitie: Representative Democracy in Britain; and, Christopher Hood and Martin Lodge’s 2006 The Politics of Public Service Bargains: Reward, Competency, Loyalty – and Blame.

Which people have been most influential and important to you in your academic career?

I’ve been so fortunate to be supported by excellent colleagues who have generously shared some fantastic opportunities and have put their faith in me.  Foremost amongst these is Matt Flinders, who was my PhD supervisor, and has been a long-time friend.  Without Matt, I wouldn’t have an academic career, as he opened so many doors for me at the start.  More recently, the kindness and wisdom of past-and-present Sheffield colleagues including Nicola Phillips, Ruth Blakely, John Flint and Craig Watkins has been greatly valued as I’ve started to move into University leadership.  I’m learning from fantastic role models!

What has been your greatest achievement in academia?

Without doubt, being made Professor.  I went crazy and changed all of my bank cards the same day I found out!

What has been your greatest disappointment in academia?

There isn’t enough space to list, and we certainly do need more honesty about the disappointment to success ratio (I reckon about 10:1).  But my greatest disappointment was early on in my career when, after pouring my heart and soul into a new third year module, I got so-so student feedback accompanied by some unnecessarily personal (dare I say gendered) feedback.  Not much sleep that evening.  It’s really incumbent on all of us to think about how our actions and word affects others.

What is the first or most important thing you tell your students about parliaments?

If you don’t like the way in which politics is done, do something about it.  Don’t grumble from the sidelines.

Where were you born, where did you grow up, and where do you live now?

I was born in Margate and moved when I was eight to a Fleetwood, which is a small fishing town near Blackpool.  I then moved to Sheffield at 19 to go to uni.  Since then, I’ve lived in various bits of Sheffield, had a couple of incursions into Leeds, a very enjoyable period in the Derbyshire Dales, and now live in Harrogate.

What was your first job?

Working on a cake stall on a local market.  I have a sweet tooth, so must confess to eating more stock than was defensible!

What was the toughest job you ever had?

Secondary school teacher.

What  would your ideal job be, if not an academic?

Architect, without a doubt.  I would love to design fantastic buildings whilst wearing funky glasses and black knitwear.

What are your hobbies?

I spend too much time knee-deep in yarn, as I love knitting and crochet.  It’s the ultimate destress!  Gardening too, as I love getting up close to nature.

What are your favourite novels?

Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia.  The BBC adaptation was broadcast when I was 13, and straight after the series I read the book.  It made such an impression on me as a bored and stifled teenager growing up in a small fishing town miles away from the action, and I love re-reading it now.

What is your favourite music?

Where to begin? In the interests of brevity stick with just one old-time favourite, which is Suede’s first album.  Massive memories of my youth, including seeing Suede live at Blackpool Empress Ballroom in 1995!

What is your favourite artwork?

‘Nocturne: Blue and Gold – Old Battersea Bridge’ by James Abbot McNeill Whistler is one of my longstanding favourites.  That said, my tastes are generally more bright and graphic.  Give me anything by Keith Haring and I am happy!

What is your favourite film?

Definitely The Full Monty.  Everything about it is perfect, particularly its Sheffield-ness!

What is your favourite building?

Too many to list, but the Lloyds Building is probably my number one.  I saw it just after it opened when I was 7 or 8, and it was like something from space.  Completely path-breaking, a perfect representation of the 1980s City of London/Big Bang zeitgeist, and to me it remains fresh and exciting.

What is your favourite tv show?

The Great British Sewing Bee.  I never miss an episode!  Ditto Gardener’s World.

What is your favourite sport?

I sometimes get dragged to a local football match on Boxing Day.  I actually don’t like football (or any sport really…), but have fond memories of seeing Fleetwood Town FC with loved ones no longer with us.

What is your favourite food and restaurant?

Mmmmm pizza!  We have two pizza ovens at home (outdoors and indoors – all weather bases covered).  But nothing can beat Proove in Broomhill, Sheffield and Pizza Social in Harrogate.

Hybrid proceedings in Parliament: yes please or no thanks?

Yes please, but in a way that is inclusive and ensures that people are not left behind.  This is a wider challenge related to hybrid, and I am concerned about the impact on careers for those who already face barriers to progression.

Appointed or elected upper chamber?

Fixed-term appointment according to stringent criteria/vetting and with a strict limit on numbers.

Restoration or Renewal?

Full decant followed by a permanent move into a modern and inclusive space.

Cat or Dog?

Cats for now – I love my two ragdolls!  But a dog for retirement.  I’d love a Scottish Terrier, and always take the dog token if I am ever coerced into playing Monopoly.

Trains, planes or automobiles?

Trains. Let someone else take the strain of getting me from A to B!

Fish and chips or Curry?

Fish and chips are nice as an idea only.  Give me a good veggie curry any day of the week.

And, finally, a question asked by Ira and Bernadette, who have just turned four: What is your favourite animal and your favourite bird?

My favourite animal is a platypus.  I would love to see one in real life.  My favourite bird is a wood pigeon.  They’re bumbling and gentle, despite the ridiculous noise they make on take-off.