Russell is the co-founder of the Political Studies Association Specialist Group on Sport and Politics. This unique international group which has been in existence since 2005 focuses on the interface between sport and politics, drawing in specialists from the disciplines of sociology, philosophy, popular culture and geography. The group is very active and has staged four annual conferences hosted by Leeds Metropolitan University, Birkbeck University, Liverpool Hope University and the University of Wales.The 5th Annual Conference is scheduled for March 18th, and will be hosted by the University of Birmingham.

Russell's PhD thesis was published as a full-length academic volume, The Making of New Labour's European Policy (Macmillan, 2002), described as 'an important, innovative and, above all, timely book which fills a significant gap in the existing literature' (Professor Colin Hay). In addition, Russell's articles and reviews have appeared in both academic and popular publications including:

• Special edition of the Journal of Sport and Society co-edited with P.Gilchrist (Routledge, forthcoming 2011)

• Journal of Sport and Society Vol 12 Number 4/5 (ed D.Malcolm, J.Gemmell & A.Mehta, Routledge, 2009)

• Cardiff Sporting Greats (contributor, ed A.Hignell & G.Prescott, Tempus 2007)

• ESRC Project on Discourses of Globalisation and European Integration in the UK and Ireland (rapporteur, Economic and Social Research Council, 2006)

• Politics Quarterly Vol 76 No 3 (Review) Relocating England- Englishness in the New Europe. (P.Preston Manchester University Press, 2005)

• Journal of Common Market Studies Vol 42 No1 (Review) Harold Wilson and European Integration. Britain’s Second Application to Join the EEC. (O.Daddow, F.Cass, 2004)

• Politics At The Edge (contributor, ed C.Pierson, Macmillan 2000)

• The Impact of New Labour (contributor ed G.Taylor, Macmillan 1999)

Russell has also been a regular contributor to Parliamentary Affairs, Political Quarterly, Politics and the Journal of Common Market Studies.

In recent years Russell has presented academic papers at conferences run by the Political Studies Association (in Manchester, London, Nottingham and Aberdeen). The Contemporary European Studies Association (Lincoln and London), the European Consortium for Political Research (Nicosia, Cyprus), Sport and Social Change (Toronto), Canadian European Studies Association (Toronto),The Irish Political Studies Association (Liverpool) and the International Studies Association (Vienna).

Please contact Russell for your academic and specialist research needs.