Qualifications

• BA Hons in Political Science and Institutions, University of Liverpool (1973)
• Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Economics and Mathematics) at Wolverhampton Polytechnic (1979)
• Master of Social Science in Politics, University of Birmingham (1989)
• PhD in Political Science at University of Birmingham (2001)

Teaching and admin responsibilities

I teach three courses: Environment, Politics and Society; Science Culture and Society; and Energy Policy. The first two courses are undergraduate Sociology courses whilst the latter course is delivered as part of a Masters degree course run by Mechanical Engineering.

My departmental responsibilities include being Admissions Tutor, Examinations Officer, Library Representative and Timetables Officer. I am ably assisted in the administrative functions by the Departmental Secretaries, Yvonne Jacobs and Marie Walsh

Research / academic interests

• Energy Policy, various aspects of renewable energy and energy efficiency policy  and particularly onshore and offshore wind power focusing on planning issues and financial support mechanisms
• Environmental policy, focusing on decision making and governance issues, and also ecological modernisation theory
• Particular theories of governance including policy network theory, usage of discourse, rational choice and interest group theory
• Food and countryside issues

Current and recent projects

• Offshore wind power planning issues (funded by ASSC small grant - 2009)
• EU Renewable Directive (funded privately by commission from World Future Council- 2007-2008)
• Feed in Tariffs and UK energy strategy (funded privately by commission form World Future Council - 2007)
• The use of combined heat and power as a means of integrating high levels of fluctuating renewable energy sources into the electricity grid (funded through DESIRE EU FP6 programme, 2005-2007)
• The Politics of the Countryside Alliance (funded through ESRC, 2005)
• The Politics of Food and Farming (funded through Leverhulme Trust, 2004)
• Accounting for the Outcome of Windfarm Planning Applications (funded through ESRC,2002-2005)
• A comparison of GM food policies in EU and US (funded through British Academy, 2003)
• The Politics of GM Food (funded through ESRC, 2001-2002)

Profile

He is a late starter in academia, having completed his PhD in 2001. Previously he has worked in journalism and school teaching. He gained a Lectureship at the University of Birmingham in 2003. In 2006 he became a Senior Lecturer. He has published (or had accepted for publication) well over 30 papers in refereed journals in different disciplines including Political Science, Geography, Energy and Public Policy. He has published two single-authored monograph books, and a third monograph book is in preparation. He believes strongly in a multi-disciplinary approach which can a) speak different languages to different academic ‘silos’ and b) which can also breaks down language barriers between academics anchored in different disciplines.

He researches and writes in a way that can be used both to develop academic theory and public understanding of policy issues. The number of citations for his academic publications is rapidly increasing and now totals well over 300.

Besides the academic publications mentioned above he has published two widely read public interest books on energy policy. He has also written several book chapters and co-edited a forthcoming book collection. He engages in public policy debates about energy, especially renewable energy, and has written numerous reports for different NGOs.

Selected Publications

Toke, D. Forthcoming (2010 in preparation) Power From below: The Politics of Renewable Energy, (monograph book) London: Palgrave

Toke, D. (2010) ‘Politics by heuristics – Policy networks with a focus on actor resources, as illustrated by the case of renewable energy policy under New Labour’, Public Administration (forthcoming) (Note: Public Administration is a top rated politics and public administration journal. ISI Impact factor 1.2)

Marsh, D., Toke, D., Belfrage, C, Tepe, D and McGough, S. (2009) ‘Policy Networks and the Distinction between Insider and Outsider Groups: The Case of the Countryside Alliance’, Public Administration.(forthcoming)

Toke, D., Breukers, S., and Wolsink, M. (2008) ‘Wind power deployment outcomes: How can we account for the differences?’ Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Vol 12, 1129–1147 (Note: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is a top rated public policy and science journal, ISI impact factor 3.7)

Toke, D., Lauber, V. (2007) ‘Anglo Saxon and German approaches to neo-liberalism and environmental policy: the case of financing renewable energy’ Geoforum, 38 (4) 677–687 (Note: Geoforum is a top rated Geography journal, ISI impact factor 1.4)

Toke, D. (2005) ‘Explaining wind power planning outcomes, some findings from a study in England and Wales’ Energy Policy, Volume 33 Issue 12 August 2005 pp 1527-1539 (Note: Energy Policy is a top rated public policy journal, ISI impact factor 1.7)

Toke, D., Marsh, D. (2003) ‘Policy Networks and the GM Crops Issue: Assessing the Utility of the dialectical model of policy networks’, Public Administration, 2003, Vol 81 No 2, pp 229-251

Toke, D. (2004) The Politics of GM Food (monograph book) London: Routledge.

Toke, D. (2002) ‘Wind Power in UK and Denmark. Can rational choice theory help explain differences’ Environmental Politics, Vol 11 No 4, pp 83-100

Toke, D. (2002) ‘Ecological Modernisation and GM Food’, Environmental Politics, Vol 11 No 3 pp 145-163

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