School of Social and Political Science

Description

The Policy, Publics & Action Research Group hosts interdisciplinary research activities undertaken by academic staff and doctoral researchers mainly based within the Social Policy subject area, with a research interest and expertise in the fields of education policy, community engagement, civic and youth participation, well-being, childhood, social and environmental sustainability, and social mobility and inequalities research. Our members’ work has been internationally recognised, as illustrated by the various research grants we have obtained (European Research Council, UK Economic & Social Research Council, and others) and the dissemination of our research expertise and its policy impact.

The group covers a diverse range of regions around the world. We also have a great deal of scholars specialising in social/public policy in the European Union and on the transnational governance of the policy areas specified above. Many members make use of the comparative approach - and of historical analysis - and specialise in the application of both qualitative and quantitative methods.

The research group is organised around monthly meetings during term time. However, the group is designed to cut across the University, so we welcome staff and students getting involved from any subject area or disciplinary background. Graduate students in research degrees, visiting staff and students, honorary and emeritus colleagues, and colleagues whose research is related are all warmly invited to join. We are particularly good at "hothousing" work-in-progress, ranging from journal articles, to book proposals and grant applications, as well as organising away days and writing retreats. We provide career development opportunities, especially in strengthening the skills associated with achieving research impact.

If you would like to join the Policy, Publics & Action Research Group, or have questions about its activities, please contact Sotiria Grek (Sotiria.Grek@ed.ac.uk) or Hilary Macdonogh (h.f.macdonogh@sms.ed.ac.uk).

Research Group Conveners:

• Sotiria Grek
• Hilary McDonogh

Research Group Members:

• Hessa Al Khalifa
• Cristina Asenjo Palma
• Justyna Bandola-Gill
• Dhaneswar Bhoi
• Emily Cameron-Blake
• Ashlee Christoffersen
• Emma Davidson
• Niccolo Durazzi
• Richard Freeman
• Claire Houghton
• Nikos Kanellopoulos
• Markus Ketola
• Hilary Macdonogh
• Veronika Maricic
• Helen Packwood
• Lindsay Paterson
• Kaveri Qureshi
• Ian Russell
• Joanna Sakali
• Charlotte Zealley