Cristina Leston-Bandeira

My research focuses on the relationship between parliament and citizens, particularly public and digital engagement. I am interested in understanding the methods parliaments have developed to engage with the public, having focused particularly on petitions recently.

I am currently part of an AHRC GRCF funded project on Parliaments and People, led by SOAS. Our project explores the use of the arts and humanities to study and understand the relationship between parliament and people. We do this as part of a Global Research Network. I recently co-led a British Academy/Leverhulme Trust grant on how the UK Parliament has engaged the public in the legislative process and led an ESRC study on how parliaments manage their image and public engagement.

I also regularly give evidence to parliaments in the area of public engagement, having been one of eight Commissioners of the Digital Democracy Commission set up by the Speaker of the House of Commons.