Dr Desmond Bell was born in Derry and educated at the University of Warwick where he gained a BA and Phd in sociology and philosophy. After teaching at Ruskin College Oxford, he has held a number of chairs in Film and Media Studies in Britain and Ireland combining his academic work with his practice as an award-winning film-maker.
Dr Liam O’Dowd was born in Mayo and educated at NUI Galway and Southern Illinois University, where he gained a PhD Sociology. He held a chair in Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast where he was the Director of the Centre for International Borders Research.