Dr Martha Newson is an Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Greenwich, and Leader of the Changing Lives Lab Group at the University of Oxford. She is an internationally recognised expert on belonging, ritual, identity, loyalty and transformative experiences.

From football hooligans to festivals, prisons to boardrooms, Martha's work asks one question: what makes people belong? Trained in cognitive anthropology, she studies why humans form such powerful social bonds, and how belonging shapes our behaviour, health and identity. Her work has taken her from Brazilian football hooligans and underground rave scenes to prisons, and communities around the world, using an evolutionary lens to understand rituals, cooperation and collective behaviour. Her research combines anthropology and psychology to answer questions that matter well beyond academia. She has led international studies spanning 122 countries, advised organisations including the British Ministry of Justice, Premier League football clubs, Guinness, Hyundai and Electrolux, and secured more than £1.5 million in competitive research funding. Her work regularly features on the BBC and in national and international media.

Whether delivering a keynote, advising organisations or working one-to-one as a coach, Martha brings rigorous science together with engaging storytelling and a warm, human-centred approach. She helps people understand not just how we think, but why we connect, belong and change.

Curious about why humans connect, belong and transform?

Every week I write about the science behind football, festivals, loyalty, relationships and modern life.

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