I have a PhD in Social Anthropology from Goldsmith’s College, University of London and a Masters in the Anthropology of Development from SOAS. Before joining the School of International Development in 2010 I was a Research Fellow with Young Lives (2007-, www.younglives.org.uk) at Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford, and prior to that with the Wellbeing in Developing Countries ESRC Research Group at Bath (2002-7, http://www.welldev.org.uk).

I maintain links with both groups through an ESRC grant with Young Lives under the Comparative Cross-National Research Methods call (2010-14), and membership of the WeD Network. I am an associate editor of Applied Quality of Life Research (Springer) and a board member of the International Society for Quality of Life Research. I am also a member of the Development Studies Association

CV and Experience

Click here to download Laura's CV

Room: Arts 1.60
Ext:  1885

My current focus is enhancing the quality of cross-national methodologies used to collect qualitative and quantitative data on poverty and vulnerability throughout the life course. I convene the core postgraduate research module 'Research Techniques and Analysis' and teach lectures on Research Methods for Social Anthropology, Applied Methods for Impact Evaluation, Social Analysis of International Development, and  Health, Education and Development.

I am co-organiser of a new research network, 'As Well as the Subject: Additional Dimensions in Development Research Ethics'

Doctoral Research Students

Hannah Hoechner 2010 - 'The experience of alms-seeking quranic students in Kano, Nigeria' (co-supervisor Raufu Mustapha)

Kate Orkin 2009 - ‘Non-schooling factors influencing children’s time allocation to work, school enrolment, grade attainment and test scores’ (co-supervisor Prof. Stefan Dercon)

Kaneta Choudhury 2006 - ‘Quality of life in Bangladesh: an exploration of people's goals, values and resources’ (co-supervisor Joe Devine)

Carole White, 2011 - ‘Wellbeing and fisheries’ (co-supervisor Tim Daw)

Eowyn Castle, 2011 – ESRC funded studentship on Children’s Social Resources and Competencies (co-supervisor Ben d’Exelle)

Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima, 2010 - ‘Measuring Multi-dimensional Youth Well-being in South Africa’ (co-supervisor Lucio Esposito)

Recent Publications

Camfield, L., Streuli, N., Woodhead, M. (2010). Children’s well-being in developing countries: A conceptual and methodological review. European Journal of Development Research (in press). See also http://www.younglives.org.uk/pdf/publication-section-pdfs/technical-notes-pdfs/TN12-ChildWellBeing.pdf

Copestake, J., Camfield, L. (2010). Measuring multidimensional aspiration gaps: a means to understanding cultural aspects of poverty. Development Policy Review (in press). See also http://www.welldev.org.uk/wed-new/workingpapers/workingpapers/WeDWP_09_45.pdf

Camfield, L. (2010). ‘Even if she learns, she doesn’t understand properly’. Children’s understandings of ill-being and poverty in five Ethiopian communities. Social Indicators Research, 96 (1), 85-112.4 http://www.springerlink.com/content/h378221m036t2491/

Camfield, L., Guillen-Royo, M. & Velazco, J. (2009). Does need satisfaction matter for psychological and subjective wellbeing in developing countries: A mixed-methods illustration from Bangladesh and Thailand. Journal of Happiness Studies (in press, online as DOI 10.1007/s10902-009-9154-5). http://www.springerlink.com/content/077475t77754861l/

Camfield, L. (2009). ‘A girl never finishes her journey’: Mixing methods to understand female experiences of education in contemporary Ethiopia. Research Papers in Education (in press). http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/803262813-64058683/content~db=all~content=a917139278
See also http://www.aau.edu.et/Proceeding2009/pc2.pdf, p468-501.

Camfield, L., Guillen-Royo, M. (2009). Wants, needs, satisfactions: A comparative study in Thailand and Bangladesh. Social Indicators Research (in press, online as DOI 10.1007/s11205-009-9477-y).
http://www.springerlink.com/content/q67t6773635w6455/