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Dr Valerie Ledwith

BA,MA,PhD.

Contact Details

Coordinator Population and Migration Research Cluster
Whitaker Institute
NUI, Galway

Lecturer Above The Bar
Geography
Room 110
Arts/Science Concourse
NUI, Galway

T: +353 (0)91 492372
E: valerie.ledwith@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher

Biography

Valerie completed her BA at NUI, Galway and then moved to the United States, where she received her MA in geography from the University of Colorado, Boulder.  Upon graduating, she moved to Los Angeles and worked in the urban programme of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental action organisation.  Before returning to Ireland, Valerie completed her PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles.  Her research focuses on the geographies of education, particularly on the socio-spatial marginalisation of young migrants. Her most recent work engages with qualitative and quantitative methodologies (including GIS) to examine the emergence of educational achievement disparities between young migrants and their non-migrant peers in Ireland. She also examines how hierarchies of difference are produced and maintained through the geopolitics of school choice.  In essence, she interrogates abstract societal discourses that connect with everyday material practices to shape the educational experiences of young migrant students.

Research Interests

My current research engages with qualitative and quantitative methodologies (including GIS) to examine the geographies of education. I have completed work examining the emergence of educational achievement disparities between young migrants and their non-migrant peers in Galway.  I am currently examining on how hierarchies of difference are produced and maintained through abstract societal discourses that connect with everyday material practices to shape the educational experiences of young migrant students living in Galway City and urban fringe, especially in terms of access to school. 

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2015) 'Moving to Inequality? Considering Young Migrants Educational Achievement in Galway City, Ireland'
Ledwith, V; Reilly, K (2015) 'Moving to Inequality? Considering Young Migrants Educational Achievement in Galway City, Ireland' In: Movement, Im/Mobilities and Journeys. London: Springer. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2014) 'Fringe Benefits? Educational experiences of migrant and non-migrant youth in the urban-rural fringe of GalwayCity, Ireland'
Ledwith, V; Reilly, K (2014) 'Fringe Benefits? Educational experiences of migrant and non-migrant youth in the urban-rural fringe of GalwayCity, Ireland'. Journal Of Rural Studies, 36 :219-225 [Details]
(2013) 'Accommodating all applicants? School choice and the regulation of enrolment in Ireland'
Ledwith, V,Reilly, K (2013) 'Accommodating all applicants? School choice and the regulation of enrolment in Ireland'. Canadian Geographer-Geographe Canadien, 57 :318-326 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Two Tiers Emerging? School Choice and Educational Achievement Disparities among Young Migrants and Non-migrants in Galway City and Urban Fringe'
Ledwith, V,Reilly, K (2013) 'Two Tiers Emerging? School Choice and Educational Achievement Disparities among Young Migrants and Non-migrants in Galway City and Urban Fringe'. Population Space And Place, 19 :46-59 [DOI] [Details]
(2010) 'The Influence of Open Enrollment on Scholastic Achievement among Public School Students in Los Angeles'
Ledwith, V (2010) 'The Influence of Open Enrollment on Scholastic Achievement among Public School Students in Los Angeles'. American Journal Of Education, 116 :243-262 [Details]
(2009) 'Open enrolment and student sorting in public schools: evidence from Los Angeles County'
Ledwith, V (2009) 'Open enrolment and student sorting in public schools: evidence from Los Angeles County'. Environment And Planning A, 41 :1109-1128 [DOI] [Details]
(2008) 'Use of local Moran's I and GIS to identify pollution hotspots of Pb in urban soils of Galway, Ireland'
Zhang, CS,Luo, L,Xu, WL,Ledwith, V (2008) 'Use of local Moran's I and GIS to identify pollution hotspots of Pb in urban soils of Galway, Ireland'. Science Of The Total Environment, 398 :212-221 [DOI] [Details]
(2007) 'The effect of the residential mosaic and White flight on public school composition: Evidence from Los Angeles County'
Ledwith, V,Clark, WAV (2007) 'The effect of the residential mosaic and White flight on public school composition: Evidence from Los Angeles County'. Urban Geography, 28 :160-180 [Details]
(2006) 'Mobility, Housing Stress and Neighborhood Contexts: Evidence from Los Angeles'
Ledwith, V., Clark, W.A.V. (2006) 'Mobility, Housing Stress and Neighborhood Contexts: Evidence from Los Angeles'. Environment and Planning, A38 (6):1077-1093 [Details]
(2002) 'Immigration, the Internet, and Spaces of Politics'
Staeheli, L.A., Ledwith, V., Ormond, M., Reed, K., Sumpter, A., Trudeau, D. (2002) 'Immigration, the Internet, and Spaces of Politics'. Political Geography, 21 (8):989-1012 [Details]
(1999) 'Location and Political Choice in Post-Unification Berlin: Explaining the PDS (Party of Democratic Socialism) Vote, 1999 and 2001'
OLoughlin, J., Witmer, F., Ledwith, V. (1999) 'Location and Political Choice in Post-Unification Berlin: Explaining the PDS (Party of Democratic Socialism) Vote, 1999 and 2001'. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 43 (5):349-382 [Details]

Other Item

  Year Publication
(2010) “William AV Clark”. Encyclopedia of Geography Thousand Oaks.
Ledwith, V. (2010) “William AV Clark”. Encyclopedia of Geography Thousand Oaks. Other Item [Details]
(2001) Californias Contaminated Groundwater: Is the State Minding the Store? N. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc New York.
Helperin, A, Beckman D.S., Inwood, D., Ledwith, V., Blankenburg, W. (2001) Californias Contaminated Groundwater: Is the State Minding the Store? N. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc New York. New York: Other Item [Details]

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Association of American Geographers Member /
Geographical Society of Ireland Member /

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
School of Geography and Archaeology Teaching and Learning Committee Chair /

Internal Collaborators

  Name Description of Collaboration
Internal Collaborators Dr Kathy Reilly (Geography)Dr Molly Byrne (Psychology)Dr Caroline Heary (Psychology)Dr Saoirse NicGabhainn (Health Promotion)Dr Colette Kelly (Health Promotion) 

External Collaborators

  Name Organisation / Institute Country
External Collaborators