She held a number of senior positions at the university, including: Professor of Political Philosophy, Coordinator for Social Sciences, and Director of the Morrell Centre for Toleration. Her main academic interest is in the theory and practice of toleration and she has written and lectured extensively on this subject. She has a particular interest in the role of toleration in the history of York.
In 2004 Sue was elected a fellow of the British Academy, and was its Vice-President (Social Sciences) from 2008-2012. She regularly represents the Academy at public meetings and lectures throughout the UK, and especially in the north of England. She was closely involved with the Academy’s Public Policy Engagement Programme and its Language Matters Programme. In 2013 she was awarded a CBE for services to Political Science.
Sue has lived and worked in York for 40 years and has a deep interest in both the history and the natural history of the area. She is a volunteer guide at York Minster, where she leads specialist as well as standard tours, and she also lectures to local groups on the history of York Minster. She is a keen birdwatcher and an enthusiastic cyclist.