Social Work and Social Policy and Administration (UoA 40)
Research in social work and social policy is drawn largely from the Social Change and Wellbeing Centre (SCWB), but also includes researchers from the Qualitative Research, Subjectivity and Critical Theory Centre (QRSCT). The research clusters around two overlapping thematic groups: Critical Community & Disability Studies and Ageing, Social Care & Well-being. Each has policy and practice at its heart, and incorporates principles of diversity, human rights and social justice. Research in the first focuses on critical analyses of policy, pressing practice dilemmas, and the experiences of those marginalised through disablism, displacement, domestic violence and personal distress. The second undertakes practical, theoretical, methodological and policy work in relation to well-being, ageing, and social care, which informs interventions and policy at personal, organisational and ideological levels. Distinctive, broad based research activities have evolved, drawing on the different discipline bases of psychology, sociology and social policy, and the different practices of social work, welfare support, youth work, housing, public and primary health, inter-agency working, community psychology and counselling. Our research addresses the IFSW view of social work as promoting social change, problem solving in human relationships, and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance wellbeing, and builds on theories of human behaviour and social systems.
Critical Community and Disability Studies
(Batsleer, Duckett, Goodley, Hayes, Jones, Kagan, Lawthom, Lund, Siddiquee, Smailes, Worley, Sixsmith; Category B Myers, Category C Humphries)
Critical analyses of policy and practice have been researched in the fields of housing (Lund), community cohesion (Worley), immigration and welfare (Hayes, Humphries), volunteering (Duckett), multi-agency working (Batsleer, Smailes), social capital (Siddiquee) and disability (Kagan, Goodley, Duckett, Jones). Important dimensions of experience include self harm (Batsleer), domestic violence (Smailes), power (Kagan, Lawthom, Sixsmith), minoritised women (Batsleer, Smailes), and exclusion due to impairment (Duckett, Jones, Goodley). The historical dimensions of youth work, community psychology, disability and immigration are articulated by Batsleer, Kagan, Goodley and Hayes.
Ageing, Social Care and Well-being
(Baines, Campbell, Fairhurst, Griffiths, Haworth, Kagan, King, McLaughlin, Sixsmith, Wilkins; Category B Kenny, Klee, Lewis, Meier)
With a focus on both lived experiences and policy developments, the research addresses well-being linked to work and work-life balance (Baines, Haworth, Lewis); ageing (Fairhurst and Sixsmith) and social care (Baines, Fairhurst, Sixsmith, Kagan); partnership working (Baines, Sixsmith); sexual health (Sixsmith, Griffiths); and personal distress (Campbell, Wilkins). Beyond interventions, the role of the media (King) and interplay of ideology and professional social work is explored (McLaughlin).
There is an increasing international dimension to the work with research collaborations in India, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Iceland, Malaysia, South Africa, USA, Canada, and Eastern and Southern Europe.