Dr Eleanor Balchin

Eleanor joined the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) in April 2024 as a Research Associate. Prior to her joining, her research focused on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in East Africa, primarily employing mixed methods. She has a keen interest in the complex way in which financial lives impact broader aspects of well-being, as well as the intersection of gender, health, and lived experiences. 

Having a background in international development, Eleanor was awarded her PhD from the University of Liverpool in affiliation with the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya in 2023. This study utilised the longitudinal Financial Diaries methodology to gain an in-depth understanding of the financial lives of farmers in Western Kenya and their lived experiences over the course of a year.  Following this, she conducted research considering the complex and varied ways animal disease affects different members of livestock-producing households in Ethiopia, including economic, health and invisible burdens.

At CRSP, Eleanor continues to pursue her research interests from a different perspective. She primarily conducts qualitative research for the Minimum Income Standard (MIS), Minimum Income Standard London (MIS London), and Retirement Living Standards (RLS) projects. These projects explore the public understanding of living standards and what people need to meet a minimum standard of living.