Leah’s research lies at the intersection of British politics, gender politics, and social movements. In particular, she has expertise in contentious policymaking in the UK, exploring policy framings, debates and conflicts over time. To date, her case studies include gender-based violence and abortion. Her work draws upon a multi-level governance lens to understand how processes of devolution and constitutional change shape opportunities for policy change, social movement strategies, and policy contestations (including within movements).

McCabe, L. 2024. How are feminist policy frames challenged and resisted, and with what effects? Exploring the Scottish domestic abuse policy case, European Journal of Politics and Gender (Online First). https://doi.org/10.1332/25151088Y2024D000000040

Christoffersen, A. and McCabe, L. 2024. Operationalising intersectionality in equality and domestic abuse policy in Scotland: Contradictions, contestations and erasure, Critical Social Policy (Online First) https://doi.org/10.1177/02610183241249696

McCabe, L. 2023. An intersectional analysis of contestations within women’s movements: the case of Scottish domestic abuse policymaking, Policy & Politics 52(3): 521-545. https://doi.org/10.1332/03055736Y2023D000000021