She is a Professor of Politics and Vice Principal for Research and Enterprise at the University of Edinburgh.
[1] Boswell was born in London and attended the Sacred Heart High School in Hammersmith.
[2] Her 2012 publication The Political Uses of Expert Knowledge: Immigration Policy and Social Research was awarded the American Political Science Association Prize for the category of 'Best Book on Ideas, Knowledge and Policy'.
[1][4] Between 2018 and 2021 Boswell chaired the Scottish Government's Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population.
[5] Since 2021 she has held the role of Vice President for Public Policy of the British Academy.