Robert Ford (academic)

{{Short description|British political scientist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

Robert Ford is a British academic and a professor of political science at the University of Manchester.{{Cite web |title=Robert Ford |url=https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/rob.ford |access-date=31 January 2024 |website=Research Explorer The University of Manchester}} He frequently writes for The Guardian.{{Cite web |title=Robert Ford – The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/robert-ford |access-date=31 January 2024 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} His interests include diversity, immigration, and right-wing political parties.

Ford wrote Revolt on the Right (2014) alongside Matthew Goodwin, which focuses on the rise of the right-wing UK Independence Party following its success in the 2014 European Parliament election.{{Cite news |last=Edgar |first=David |date=23 April 2014 |title=Revolt on the Right by Robert Ford and Matthew Goodwin – review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/23/revolt-on-right-robert-ford-matthew-goodwin-review |access-date=31 January 2024 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=16 June 2014 |title=Book Review: Revolt on the Right: Explaining Support for the Radical Right in Britain by Robert Ford and Matthew J. Goodwin |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2014/06/16/book-review-revolt-on-the-right-explaining-support-for-the-radical-right-in-britain-by-robert-ford-and-matthew-j-goodwin/ |access-date=31 January 2024 |website=LSE Review of Books}} The book relates the party's history and examines its voter base.

He later edited Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box: 50 Things You Need to Know About British Elections (2015) with Philip Cowley.{{Cite web |date=19 February 2015 |title=Book Review: Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box: 50 things you need to know about British Elections by Philip Cowley and Robert Ford |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2015/02/19/book-review-sex-lies-and-the-ballot-box-50-things-you-need-to-know-about-british-elections-by-philip-cowley-and-robert-ford/ |access-date=31 January 2024 |website=LSE Review of Books}} This was followed by More Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box: Another 50 Things You Need to Know About Elections (2016), also edited by Ford and Cowley.{{Cite web |last=Deller|first=Rose|date=5 September 2016 |title=Book Review: More Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box: Another 50 Things You Need To Know About Elections edited by Philip Cowley and Robert Ford |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2016/09/05/book-review-more-sex-lies-and-the-ballot-box-another-50-things-you-need-to-know-about-elections-edited-by-philip-cowley-and-robert-ford/ |access-date=31 January 2024 |website=LSE Review of Books}}

Ford authored Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics (2020), alongside Maria Sobolewska, which examines British identity, diversity, and immigration in the aftermath of Brexit.{{Cite news |last=Rawnsley |first=Andrew |date=20 September 2020 |title=Reluctant European by Stephen Wall; Brexitland by Maria Sobolewska and Robert Ford – review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/sep/20/reluctant-european-brexitland-review |access-date=31 January 2024 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}} He authored The British General Election of 2019 with Tim Bale, Will Jennings, and Paula Surridge about the 2019 general election.{{Cite web |date=10 December 2021 |title="What stands out is Corbyn’s unpopularity" – Book review: 'The British General Election of 2019' |url=https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/book-review-british-general-election-of-2019-lord-lipsey |access-date=31 January 2024 |website=Politics Home |language=en}}

In January 2023, Ford was appointed as a senior research fellow at UK in a Changing Europe, a think tank which examines the ever-changing relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.{{Cite web |last=Stafford|first=Joe|title=Rob Ford appointed as Senior Fellow by UK in a Changing Europe |url=https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/rob-ford-appointed-as-senior-fellow-by-uk-in-a-changing-europe/ |access-date=31 January 2024|date= 17 January 2023|website=University of Manchester}}