Postgraduate research students

Research Overview

Matthew Heneghan is a second-year doctoral candidate in the School of Social and Political Sciences, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (Area Studies and International Development Track). Prior to joining the University of Glasgow, he studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of Edinburgh and Lomonosov Moscow State University.  

His research focuses on the political economy of labour migration in and out of Central Asia, examining the medium-to-long-term institutional and developmental effects of financial remittances in the republics of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. His doctoral project analyses how these states have responded to and incorporated the so-called global 'remittances-to-development' agenda promoted by international organisations and development agencies in the context of continuously growing remittance economies. Through studying how labour migration and remittance flows are integrated into national development planning in comparative perspective, this research investigates the broader dynamics of financialisation, institutional change and the reconfiguration of sovereignty in emerging state contexts. 

Matthew is currently based in Central Asia while he completes ESRC-funded Difficult Language Training in Uzbek and Tajik Persian (2025–2026). From January 2026, he will be a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute for Advanced International Studies at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent. 

Research Interests

• Labour Migration and Remittances
• Political Economy of Development
• International Politics of Eurasia
• Global Governance
• Sovereignty Theory

• Professor Luca Anceschi
• Professor Gerasimos Tsourapas

• Economic and Social Research Council: 1+3 Doctoral Scholarship (2023–2028)
• Economic and Social Research Council: Difficult Language Training in Uzbek and Tajik Persian (2025–2026)
• British Association for Slavonic and East European Studies: Workshop Grant (2025)
• London School of Economics and Political Science: Project Consultancy Grant (2022)
• University of Edinburgh: Undergraduate Scholarship (2014–2018)

Workshops

• Newcastle-Exeter Annual Nawruz Postgraduate Workshop on Central Asia: University of Newcastle (March 2025) 
  
• Migration, Mobilities, and Borders in Eurasia: University of Manchester (March 2025)
  
• CTRL+Power: The (Geo)politics of Digital Authoritarianism: LSE IDEAS and Turin World Affairs Institute Joint Symposium (May 2024)

Panels Organised

• Varieties of Rentierism: Third-Country Opportunities Amid Russia’s War in Ukraine: British Association of Slavonic and East European Studies (April 2024)

Papers Presented

• European International Studies Association Annual Conference (August 2025)
• European Society for Central Asian Studies Annual Conference (June 2025)
  
• British Association of Slavonic and East European Studies Annual Conference (April 2024)

University of Edinburgh

Undergraduate Courses

• Comparative Politics in a Globalised World (PLIT08008)

Postgraduate Courses

• International Political Economy (PGSP11171)

Central European University

Postgraduate Courses

• Beyond the West History, Politics, and Prospects of Ukraine’s Engagement with Africa, Latin America, and South-East Asia (IUFU4066)
• Migrations and Diversity in Modern East-Central Europe (IUFU4051)

Academic Research Positions

• Henry J. Leir Institute for Migration and Human Security at Tufts University Research Assistant (October 2024–May 2025)
• London School of Economics and Political Science LSE IDEAS Research Assistant (December 2021–)

Educational Qualifications

• University of Glasgow MRes in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (Distinction)
• London School of Economics and Political Science MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Distinction)
• University of Edinburgh MA (Hons) in Russian Studies and English Literature (First Class Honours with Distinction)
• Lomonosov Moscow State University Year Abroad Programme

Professional and Consulting Experience

• United Nations World Food Programme Consultant (January 2022–May 2022)
• Dataminr Senior Associate – Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia (June 2019–January 2022)
• The New York Times Researcher and Translator (April 2019–June 2019)
• The Afghanistan and Central Asian Association Policy Researcher (January 2019–January 2020)

Language Skills

• English (Native Proficiency)
• Russian (Full Working Proficiency)
• Tajik Persian (Limited Working Proficiency)
• Uzbek (Limited Working Proficiency)