The core of my research interests is crowd psychology, specifically: (1) collective resilience in mass emergencies and disasters; (2) collective action participation as a source of psychological transformation (including politicisation and empowerment); (3) the relationship between crowd experience and crowd safety in live music events, sports events, and mass gatherings; (4) spontaneous coordination (from pedestrian flow to riots and social movements); and (5) the practical and political implications of pathologizing (versus liberatory) discursive constructions of crowds.

My recent funded work has examined how collective action events spread from location to location, the factors that sustain Covid mutual aid groups over time, and the conditions under which collective false alarm flight incidents occur in response to perceived threats (in particular, marauding terrorist attacks). I am currently researching audience experiences of safety and atmosphere at live events and the nature and spread of riots in the waves of 1831 and 2024.