Remembering Judi Atkins - an obituary

We are sad to report that Dr Judi Atkins, former Research Fellow in the School of Politics and International Studies, has died on 28 April 2021.

Professor Kevin Theakston has contributed this tribute to her:

“Judi worked in the School of Politics and International Studies for three years from 2011 to 2014 as a Research Fellow in British Politics. She then moved on to take up lectureships at Coventry University (2014-18) and Aston University (since 2018). Before coming to Leeds, she had worked as an RA on a three-year Leverhulme funded project at Swansea about British Political Rhetoric. She had studied for her degrees at Birmingham and Warwick.

“She was a brilliant and incisive researcher on political rhetoric and particularly the interface between rhetoric, ideology, and leadership in British politics. There are many strong and influential publications, including books on the rhetoric of New Labour and of the Coalition Government. She was a talented and caring teacher too, and very busy, influential, and respected on relevant academic networks (a leading light of the Political Studies Association specialist group on rhetoric and politics).

“And above all she was such a nice person, thoughtful and kind”. 

The thoughts of everyone at the School are with Judi’s family and friends.