Key details
Dr Vera Weghmann
Director of Public Services International Research Unit Associate Professor in the Political Economy of Public Services
Vera Weghmann is the Director of the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), where she has been a leading researcher since 2017. Her work focuses on essential public services, including waste management, energy, transport, water, social care, and health care, combining academic rigor with real-world impact.
Vera's research has significantly influenced policy at the European level, contributing to initiatives at the European Parliament and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). Her expertise in waste management and the circular economy led her to co-design and deliver stakeholder workshops for EU-OSHA, shaping safer and more sustainable practices. Her work on financing public transport has directly informed the People’s Public Transport Policy of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). Additionally, her research on re-municipalisation and public ownership has supported global efforts to reclaim public services, culminating in an e-learning training course for Public Services International (PSI).
Passionate about participatory research methodologies, Vera co-developed Focus-Arts-Groups (FAGS) with artist Ella Jones. This innovative approach integrates art-making with Participatory Action Research (PAR) to amplify the voices of precarious workers while challenging research extractivism. This work reflects her commitment to fostering equitable, impactful, and creative research practices.
Responsibilities within the university
Director of PSIRU
Research / Scholarly interests
- Essential Public Services, in particular waste management and the circular economy, energy, water, transport, social care and health care
- Participatory research methods
Recent publications
Article
Weghmann, Vera and , (2023), The tail that wags the dog: lessons from London’s independent trade unions for class struggle trade unionism. Emerald. In: , , , . Emerald, Employee Relations ISSN: 0142-5455 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-01-2022-0046).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2022), Theorising practice: independent trade unions in the UK. Bristol University Press. In: , , , . Bristol University Press, Work in the Global Economy, 2 (1) . pp. 132-147 2732-4176 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1332/273241721X16510573048560).
Weghmann, Vera and , Hall, David (2021), The unsustainable political economy of investor–state dispute settlement mechanisms. SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, International Review of Administrative Science, 87 (3) . pp. 480-496 ISSN: 0020-8523 (Print), 1461-7226 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208523211007898).
Lobina, Emanuele and , Weghmann, Vera (2020), Commentary: the perils and promise of inter-paradigmatic dialogues on remunicipalisation. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, Journal of Economic Policy Reform, 24 (3) . pp. 398-404 ISSN: 1748-7870 (Print), 1748-7889 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17487870.2020.1810473).
Lobina, Emanuele , Weghmann, Vera, Marwa, Marwa (2019), Water justice will not be televised: Moral advocacy and the struggle for transformative remunicipalisation in Jakarta. Water Alternatives Association. In: , , , . Water Alternatives Association, Water Alternatives, 12: 7 (2) . pp. 725-748 1965-0175 (Online) (doi: http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol12/v12issue3/534-a12-2-17).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2019), The making and breaking of solidarity between unwaged and waged workers in the UK. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, Globalizations, 16 (4) . pp. 441-456 ISSN: 1474-7731 (Print), 1474-774X (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2018.1558819) NB Item availability restricted.
Book
Weghmann, Vera and , (2021), Daseinsvorsorge und Rekommunalisierung. Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. In: , , , . Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Berlin (1st) . ISBN: 9783948250386 (doi: https://www.rosalux.de/fileadmin/images/Dossiers/Wohnen/Broschur_Rekommunalisierung_web.pdf).
Book section
Weghmann, Vera and , (2024), Waste to energy: a privatised false solution. Transnational Institute (TNI). In: , , In: Nick Buxton (ed.), Energy, Power and Transition: 2024 State of Power. Transnational Institute (TNI), Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1st) . pp. 139-147 (doi: https://www.tni.org/files/2024-02/State%20of%20Power%202024_full%20report.pdf).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2020), Africa: Private waste service failure and alternative vision. Transnational Institute (TNI). In: , , , The Future is Public: Towards Democratic Ownership of Public Services. Transnational Institute (TNI), Transnational Institute (TNI) . pp. 79-93 (doi: https://futureispublic.org/).
Conference item
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), The political economy of compensation for nationalisation or municipalisation: national and international law and practice, and the implications for potential (re)nationalisation in the UK and elsewhere. In: 13th ECPR General Conference Wrocław, 4 - 7 September 2019, 4th - 7th Sep, 2019, The University of Wrocław, Poland , . , . pp. 1-50 (doi: https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/CustomContent/GeneralConference/2019/ProgrammePDF/ECPRGeneralConference2019.pdf).
Monograph
Weghmann, Vera , Lobina, Emanuele, Adam, Al-Hassan (2024), French early child education and care companies. European Public Service Union (EPSU). In: , , , . European Public Service Union (EPSU), Brussels; London (1st) (doi: https://www.epsu.org/sites/default/files/article/files/French%20Early%20Child%20care%20EPSU%20report.pdf).
Ballardie, Ruth , Tartanaglu-Bennett, Safak, Weghmann, Vera (2023), Mental health and public sector healthcare: international case studies. Public Services International (PSI). In: , , , . Public Services International (PSI), Geneva, Switzerland (1st) (doi: https://publicservices.international/resources/digital-publication/mental-health-and-public-sector-healthcare-international-case-studies?id=14371&lang=en).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2023), Waste management in Europe. EPSU. In: , , , . EPSU, (doi: https://www.epsu.org/sites/default/files/article/files/Waste%20Management%20in%20Europe_EN_1.pdf).
Adam, Alhassan , Castro, Esteban, Hall, David, Kichimoto, Satoko , Nguye, Jenny , Sankey, Kyla , Weghmann, Vera (2021), Narrative change and public services spending and provision - Final report. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, London, University of Greenwich (1st) (doi: https://www.psiru.org/about-us.html).
Lobina, Emanuele , Weghmann, Vera, Nicke, Katrin (2019), Water remunicipalisation in Paris, France and Berlin, Germany. PSIRU, University of Greenwich. In: , , , . PSIRU, University of Greenwich, Greenwich (doi: https://www.gre.ac.uk/business/research/centres/public-services).
Other
Weghmann, Vera and , Lobina, Emanuele (2018), Water Renationalisation in Cameroon 2018. Public Services International. In: , , , . Public Services International, (doi: https://www.world-psi.org/sites/default/files/attachment/news/cameroon_water_renationalised_psiru_brief_may_2018.pdf) NB Item availability restricted.
Weghmann, Vera and , (2017), Waste Management in Europe. Good Jobs in the Circular Economy?. European Public Service Union. In: , , , . European Public Service Union, (doi: ).
Working paper
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2024), Extraction of excess dividends by energy grid companies. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, London, UK (doi: https://www.gre.ac.uk/research/psiru).
Weghmann, Vera , Hall, David, Nguyen, Tue Anh (2021), Lessons from Covid 3: healthcare systems and supply chains. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Hall, David (2021), Lessons from Covid 1: Key lessons. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Hall, David (2021), Lessons from Covid 2: Why some countries did worse than expected. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2020), Taking our Public Services Back in House: A Remunicipalisation Guide for Workers and Trade Unions. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, Public Services International (PSI) (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2020), Safe Jobs in the Circular Economy: Health and Safety in Waste and Wastewater Management. European Public Service Union (EPSU). In: , , , . European Public Service Union (EPSU), European Public Service Union (EPSU) (doi: ).
Hall, David , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Weghmann, Vera (2020), Economic recovery into a better world. Mapping COVID-19: PSIRU working papers for PSI. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, University of Greenwich (doi: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/cgi/search/archive/advanced?screen=Search&dataset=archive&_action_search=Search&eprintid=&documents_merge=ALL&documents=&title_merge=ALL&title=&creators_name_merge=ALL&creators_name=&abstract_merge=ALL&abstract=&date=&keywords_merge=ALL&keywords=&divisions=bus_rg3&divisions_merge=ANY&subjects_merge=ANY&type=working_paper&department_merge=ALL&department=&editors_name_merge=ALL&editors_name=&publisher_merge=ALL&publisher=&refereed=EITHER&publication_merge=ALL&publication=¬e_merge=ALL¬e=&official_url_merge=ALL&official_url=&datestamp=&creators_id_merge=ALL&creators_id=&satisfyall=ALL&order=-date%2Fcreators_name%2Ftitle).
Tue Anh, Nguyen , Weghmann, Vera, Hall, David (2020), COVID-19: Country case studies. Mapping COVID: PSIRU working papers for PSI. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, University of Greenwich (doi: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/cgi/search/archive/advanced?screen=Search&dataset=archive&_action_search=Search&eprintid=&documents_merge=ALL&documents=&title_merge=ALL&title=&creators_name_merge=ALL&creators_name=&abstract_merge=ALL&abstract=&date=&keywords_merge=ALL&keywords=&divisions=bus_rg3&divisions_merge=ANY&subjects_merge=ANY&type=working_paper&department_merge=ALL&department=&editors_name_merge=ALL&editors_name=&publisher_merge=ALL&publisher=&refereed=EITHER&publication_merge=ALL&publication=¬e_merge=ALL¬e=&official_url_merge=ALL&official_url=&datestamp=&creators_id_merge=ALL&creators_id=&satisfyall=ALL&order=-date%2Fcreators_name%2Ftitle).
Weghmann, Vera , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Hall, David (2020), Lessons from COVID-19. Mapping COVID: PSIRU working papers for PSI August 2020. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, PSIRU (doi: https://www.gre.ac.uk/business/research/centres/public-services/reports).
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), Public ownership, benefits and compensation I: benefits of nationalisation of UK water and energy girds and legal and economic issues in determining compensation. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, (doi: https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/16d1041d-ba93-46dc-b894-977a3fa9b698.pdf).
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), Public ownership, benefits and compensation II: Pension funds and employee ownership of water and energy grid companies. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), (doi: ).
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), Public ownership, benefits and compensation III: the potential risk of legal action under BITs or ECT over compensation for nationalisation of water and energy grid companies. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2019), Going Public: A Decarbonised, Affordable and Democratic Energy System for Europe. European Public Service Union (EPSU). In: , , , . European Public Service Union (EPSU), Brussels, Belgium (doi: https://www.epsu.org/article/going-public-decarbonised-affordable-and-democratic-energy-system-europe-new-epsu-report).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2019), People’s Public Transport Policy. Public Financing. International Transport Workers' Federation. In: , , , . International Transport Workers' Federation, (doi: https://www.itfglobal.org/en/sector/urban-transport/people%E2%80%99s-public-transport-policy-).
Weghmann, Vera and , Van Niekerk, Sandra (2018), Municipal solid waste management services in Africa and Arab countries. Public Services International (PSI). In: , , , . Public Services International (PSI), (doi: http://www.world-psi.org/en/municipal-solid-waste-management-services-africa-and-arab-countries).