Paul Cairney is Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of Stirling. His research interests are in comparative public policy, policy analysis, and policy theories, applied to UK and devolved government policy, and the use of evidence in policy and policymaking.

Paul has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council to research the policymaking process in Scotland, focusing on areas such as preventative spending, in addition to EU Horizon2020 (IMAJINE centre on territorial inequalities across Europe) to examine the ways in which governments can, and should, use evidence to learn from the success and failure of other government strategies to reduce territorial inequalities.

Paul has published 10 books (including The Politics of Evidence-Based Policymaking), 75 articles in international peer reviewed journals, and 24 chapters in edited books.