International Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Keogh, A.J. (forthcoming). Looking Beyond the Silence: Using ‘Draw and Tell’ to Support Young People Experiencing Socio-Economic Disadvantage in Describing Complex Educational Trajectories. Journal of Research on Adolescence.

Keogh, A.J. & McGillicuddy, D. (2026). Bridging Home, School, and Community to Address Educational Inequality: Supporting Educational Trajectories Through Community Bridge Work. British Education Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.70134

Bourke, A.; Irwin, J.; McCabe, U and Murphy, F. (2025) ''Exploring well-being and ill-being in education: disciplinary insights and curriculum perspectives''. Irish Educational Studies, Summer 2025.

Keogh, A.J. & McGillicuddy, D. (2025). The Role of Primary Literacy Education in Students’ Educational Trajectories in Secondary School: A Systematic Literature Review. Reading Research Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.70017  

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Carey, A. (2026). From fragmentation to co-creation: Rethinking technical assistance for evidence-based interventions in Ireland’s education support service. Global Implementation Research and Applications. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43477-025-00205-2

Hannify, C., Kazmierczak-Murray, S., & Lehane, P. (in press). Spotlight on spelling: Realising speech and language therapists' interpretive potential in interprofessional practice with teachers. Advances in Communication and Swallowing.

Travers, J., & Downes, P. (2025). Developing a concentric spatial turn for inclusive and special education: key issues for systems development. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 1–26. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08856257.2025.2529010

Venkat, H., & Adler, J. (2025). Prioritizing broader global attainment of core mathematics grade-level outcomes through mathematics education research. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 56(5), 304-310.

Downes, P. (2025). A Key System Response of Diametric Space as a Paradigm for Understanding the Phenomenology of Anorexia Nervosa. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1623166/full

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Kenny, N., Carolan, S., & Doyle, A. (2025). “It’s wishy-washy [...] You are getting this diagnosis because we’ve ruled out everything else.” Developmental language disorder (DLD) diagnosis in the Republic of Ireland: A qualitative exploration of the perspectives of parents and clinicians. PLOS ONE, 20(7), e0327373. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327373

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Lehane, P., & Hannify, C. (2025). Can structured literacy be a new dimension for interprofessional practice between teachers and SLTs? Perceptions of Irish SLTs on their capacity and practices in supporting children with literacy difficulties. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 60(6), e70135. 

Kazmierczak-Murray, S., Lehane, P., & Hannify, C. (2025). Literacy for equitable interprofessional learning: Implementation protocol for an online community of practice for Irish teachers and speech and language therapists. Irish Educational Studies, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2025.2523299

BRYAN, A., & MOCHIZUKI, Y. (2025). Class Divided: Social-emotional Learning and the Erosion of Solidarity. A Development Education Review.

Bryan, A., Byrne, D., Coulter, M., Delahunty, T., Keane, E., Kitching, K., & Chróinín, D. N. (2024). ‘Bearing witness to negativity’: towards just futures of education. Irish Educational Studies, 43(3), 345–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2024.2384675

Downes, P. (2024). An Emerging Concentric Spatial Turn for Sustainable Systems: Beyond the Diametric Spatial Frame in Bacon’s View of Humans as Apart from and above the Natural World towards Being-Alongside Nature. Sustainability 16, 4479.  

Downes P. (2024). Towards concentric spatial systems for sustainable social development: Beyond western ethnocentric diametric spatial opposition and empty space. Sustainable Social Development. 2024; 2(3): 2501. 

Delaney, L. (2023) Between the Lines: An Exploration of Online Academic Help-Seeking and Outsourced Support in Higher Education: Who Seeks Help and Why? Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 1147; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13111147

Delaney L.; Brown M. (2020) 'Many happy returns! An exploration of the socio-economic background and access experiences of those who (re)turn to part-time higher education'. Irish Educational Studies 39,1.  [DOI] 

Una McCabe (2023) Humour, drama education, and drama curriculum in Ireland, Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, DOI: 10.1080/13569783.2023.2190014

Irwin, J. Jandric, P. et al (2021) ''A Pedagogy of Empowerment and Hope': Teaching Under Conditions of Covid 19. One Year Later'. Postdigital Science and Education, 2021.

Irwin, J. Jandric, P., Hayes, S.  et al (2020) ''Can Philosophy of Education (and The University) Change for the Better By Listening to Greta and Youth Voice?' in 'Who remembers Greta Thunberg? Education and Environment after the Coronavirus''. Educational Philosophy and Theory.

McCabe U. & Flannery, M. (2022): Wellbeing and the arts in Irish primary teacher education: aligned or apart? A policy and self-study perspective, European Journal of Teacher Education, DOI: 10.1080/02619768.2022.2040478
McCabe, U & Farrell, T. (2021) Play, pedagogy and power: a reinterpretation of research using a Foucauldian lens, International Journal of Early Years Education, 29:4, 358-370

Gilligan, C. & Downes, P. (2021). Reconfiguring Relational Space: A Qualitative Study of the Benefits of Caring for Hens for the Socio-Emotional Development of 5 – 9- year-old Children in an Urban Junior School context of High Socio-Economic Exclusion. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 21 (forthcoming, accepted for publication) DOI: 10.1080/14729679.2021.1894953

Downes, P and Murray, N. (2020). Child Poverty and Mental Health in the Covid-19 Pandemic: Supports in DEIS schools and the need for a national strategic response.

Fitzmaurice, H., Flynn, M., & Hanafin, J. (2020). Parental Involvement in Homework: A qualitative Bourdieusian study of class, privilege, and social reproduction, International Studies in Sociology of Education

Murphy, F & Gash, H. (2020). Authors' response: The ecology of teaching and learning, Constructivist Foundations, 15 (2): 118-121

Murphy, F & Gash, H. (2020). I can’t yet and Growth Mindset. Constructivist Foundations, 15, (2), 083–094

Downes, P. (2020). A Spatial Turn for Constructivism: Concentric and Diametric Spatial Systems Framing Meaning for Exclusion and Inclusion to Challenge Failure Identity, Constructivist Foundations, 15 (2): 098-100

REVIEWS OF PAUL DOWNES' RECONSTRUCTION AGENCY IN DEVELOPMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY:

Forum: Qualitative Social Research has published a review of Paul Downes’ Reconstructing agency in developmental and educational psychology: Inclusive systems as concentric space. Author: Birgitte Lund Nielsen, Forum: Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 21, No. 2, Art. 23 – May 2020

Interpersona, An International Journal on Personal Relationships, has published a review of Reconstructing agency in developmental and educational psychology: Inclusive systems as concentric space. Author: Beatriz de Barros Souza.  Interpersona, 14(1), 84–86

Fitzmaurice, H., Flynn, M., & Hanafin, J. (2019). Positive dispositions and close alignment: Using Bourdieusian concepts to understand parents' and teachers' perceptions of homework, Education 3-13 International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education

Moore, J., Flynn, M., & Morgan, M. (2019). Social Ecological Resilience and Mental Wellbeing of Irish Emigrant Survivors of Clerical Institutional Childhood Abuse, Child Abuse Review, 58 (1), 52-68, 

Ó Duibhir, P. (2019). Bilingual education in minority language contexts: When a high level of linguistic competence is not enough. ELIA: Estudios de Lingüística Inglesa Aplicada, 1, 39-64.

Downes, P. & Cefai, C. (2019). Strategic Clarity on Different Prevention Levels of School Bullying and Violence: Rethinking Peer Defenders and Selected Prevention. Journal of School Violence, doi: 10.1080/15388220.2019.1566915 

Hargadon, C. & Downes, P. (2019). The neglected issue of sleep: A curricular and home-based intervention for improving sleep patterns among sixth-class children in an Irish urban school with high levels of poverty. Irish Education Studies, 38, 4

Downes, P. (2019). Transition as a displacement from more fundamental system concerns: Distinguishing four different meanings of transition in education. Educational Philosophy and Theory. DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2018.1561366

McNally, S., McCrory, C., Quigley, J & Murray A. (2019)  Decomposing the social gradient in children’s vocabulary skills at 3 years of age: A mediation analysis using data from a large representative cohort study. Infant Behavior and Development, 57

Boyle, A., Flynn, M., & Hanafin, J. (2018). Optimism despite disappointment: Irish Traveller parents’ reports of their own school experiences and their views on education, International Journal of Inclusive Education

Downes, P. (2018). Postscript - The Emotional-Relational Turn for Early School Leaving Prevention: Building on The Neglected Shadow for Inclusive Systems in and around Schools. International Journal of Emotional Education, 10, 122-130. 

Downes, P., Nairz-Wirth, E & Anderson, J. (2018). Editorial: Reconceptualising system transitions in education for marginalised and vulnerable groups. European Journal of Education,  53, 4, 441-446.

Downes, P., Anderson, J. &  Nairz‐Wirth, E. (2018). Conclusion: Developing conceptual understandings of transitions and policy implications. European Journal of Education, 53, 4, 541-556

Downes, P. (2018). Beyond the ‘diminished self’: Challenging an array of objections to emotional well-being in education, International Journal of Emotional Education, Special Issue Volume 10, Number 1, April 2018 pp 145 - 163

Downes, P. (2018) An Emerging Paradigm of Structural Indicators to Examine System Supports for Children’s and Adolescents’ Education and Wellbeing. Child Indicators Research. October  Volume 11, Issue 5, 1445–1464

Nescolarde-Selva, J., Usó-Doménech, J-L and Gash, H. (2017) What are Ideological Systems? Systems 5(1), 21, In Systems, Special Issue: Complex Social Systems: Theory and Practice. Guest editors, Josué Nescolarde-Selva, José-Luis Usó-Doménech and Hugh Gash.

Creighton, K. & Downes, P. (2017). A Phenomenology of ‘Blending in’: Beyond Emotional Regulation. Interpersona: International Journal on Personal Relationships 11 (2), 156-170.

Downes. P. (2017). Conceptual foundations of inclusive systems in and around schools for early school leaving prevention: An emotional-relational focus Psihološka istraživanja, Vol. XX(1), 9-26 Psihološka Istraživanja    Volume 20, BR 1, 2017 

Downes, P. (2017). An Emerging Paradigm of Structural Indicators to Examine System Supports for Children’s and Adolescents’ Education and Wellbeing. Child Indicators Research.pp. 1-20

Downes, P. (2017) Reconceptualising foundational assumptions of resilience: A cross-cultural, spatial systems domain of relevance for agency and phenomenology in resilience. International Journal of Emotional Education, 9 (1)

Ó Breacháin, C and Fionnuala Drudy (2017). The Primary Language Curriculum in the Context of Inclusive Education; Learn (Irish Learning Support Association), 39 .

Burns, G. (2016). Relationships of surveillance, assurance and recognition: Early career primary teachers’ engagement with discourses of accountability and performance. Irish Educational Studies 32 (1), 11-36

Downes, P. (2016). Towards A Relational Paradigm for the Concept of Law: Uncovering Implications of Hart’s Rule of Recognition to Develop a Relational Foundationalism, as Expressed in Preliminary Terms through the UN Right to Health. Queen Mary Human Rights Law Review,3(1) ISSN 2059-8092 Human Rights Law Review   Volume 3 Issue 1

Downes, P. (2016). Access to education for prisoners in Europe: An agenda of structural indicators for system change. Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 3 (1) 8-25.

Review of Downes P., Access to Education in Europe: A Framework and Agenda for System Change by Dr. Cormac Behan, University of Sheffield, Making the Case for Prison Education in a Lifelong Learning Society in Journal of Prison Education and Reentry(2016) 3(1) 5-7.

Dwyer B. (2016) Teaching and Learning in the Global Village: Connect, Create, Collaborate, and Communicate, Reading Teacher, 131-136

Gash H. (2016) Facilitating Constructivist Principles in Using Apps: Moving from Class Video to Community. Constructivist Foundations 12(1): 72–73. 

Leckey, Y., Hyland, L., Hickey, G., Lodge, A., Kelly, P., Bywater, T., Comiskey, C., Donnelly, M. & McGilloway, S. (2016) A Mixed Methods Evaluation of the Longer Term Implementation and Utility of a Teacher Classroom Management Training Programme in Irish Primary Schools. Irish Educational Studies, 31 (1):35-55

Cefai, C., Downes, P., Cavioni, V. (2015). Breaking the cycle: a phenomenological approach to broadening access to post-secondary education. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31(2), 255-274

Downes, P. (2015). Developing a framework of system change between diametric and concentric spaces for early school leaving prevention. Educational Philosophy and Theory Vol 48, No 9, 899-914

Kazmierczak-Murray, S. & Downes P. (2015). Classroom Sound Field Amplification Systems for Language Development During Early School Years In Contexts Of Socio-Economic Exclusion: The Neglected Role Of Classroom Contextual Dimensions International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education, 7, 24-50

Downes, P (2014). Moving Beyond Diametric Structured Myths for Recovery in Irish Society  Irish Journal of Anthropology Vol. 17(1) 2014 Spring/Summer

Costello, E & Lawler, M., (2014) An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Mindfulness on Perceived Levels of Stress among school-children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.International Journal of Emotional Education, Volume 6, Number 2, November 2014 pp 21-39

Downes, P. (2013). Developing a framework and agenda for students’ voices in the school system across Europe: From diametric to concentric relational spaces for early school leaving prevention. European Journal of Education ,Special Issue: Problematising the Issue of Early School Leaving in the European Context, 48 (3) 346-362.

Ivers, J. & Downes, P (2012). A phenomenological reinterpretation of Horner's fear of success in terms of social class. European Journal of Psychology of Education, Vol 27, Number 3, 369-388

Downes, P. (2011). The neglected shadow: European perspectives on emotional supports for early school leaving prevention, The International Journal of Emotional Education, Volume 3, Number 2, 3-36

Downes, P.(2007). ' Intravenous Drug Use and HIV in Estonia: Socio-Economic Indicators Regarding the Right to Health for Its Russian-Speaking Population' Liverpool Law Review, Special Issue on Historical and Contemporary Legal. Issues on HIV/AIDS, Vol.2. pp. 271-317

Downes, P., Maunsell, C., McLoughlin, V & Taljunaite, M.(2006). Lifelong learning in Ireland and Lithuania: Some examples of Irish policy and practice for Lithuania to consider? Filosofija.Sociologija (ed. Lithuanian Academy of Sciences), No.4 pp.29-36

Downes, P. (2005). Failures of social policy: Heroin, HIV and social marginalization among the Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia and Latvia (2005) Socialna Pedagogika (Slovenia), Vol. 9, No.3, 449-468.

Downes, P. (2003). The New Curriculum of Social, Personal and Health Education in Irish Primary Schools: Self-Awareness, Introversion and the Role of the Teacher Kwartalnik Padagogiczny (Journal of Education, Poland), no. 4. Vol. 190

International journal book reviews

Downes, P. (2013). Review of ‘Observing children with attachment difficulties in preschool settings: A tool for identifying and supporting emotional and social difficulties’ by K.S. Golding, J.Fain, A.Frost, S.Templeton & E. Durrant. International Journal of Emotional Education, 5 (1) 

Downes, P. (2013a). Review of ‘Observing children with attachment difficulties in school: A tool for identifying and supporting emotional and social difficulties in children aged 5-11’ by K.S. Golding, J.Fain, A.Frost, C.Mills, H.Worrall, N.Roberts, E.Durrant & S.Templeton. International Journal of Emotional Education, 5 (1)