Mary J. Hickman is Professorial Research Fellow at St Mary's University, Twickenham. She was formerly a Professor of Irish Studies and Sociology at London Metropolitan University and director of its Institute for the Study of European Transformations. She was a member of the Irish Governments Task Force on Policy Regarding Emigrants (2001-2002). She has been Visiting Professor at: New York University, Columbia University and Victoria University, Melbourne. Her current research interests centre on migrations and diasporas. She has been a key figure in the documentation of The Irish Diaspora.