We run a dynamic interdisciplinary research programme involving a range of both theoretical and empirical research on issues of economic equality, gender, social justice and human rights.
Poverty and income inequality, financial exclusion, living standards within households, gender budgeting, occupational segregation, employability and skills, race and migration, and European governance are current topics of global significance.
Our main research themes include:
Historical and cultural origins of inequalities Theories of justice Public policy, governance and institutional change Labour market and household Inequalities Political economy of care Social inclusion and migration Activism and social change
Evaluating Participatory Budget in Scotland
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Evaluating Participatory Budgeting in Scotland – Angela
This three-year project is evaluating the impact on local communities, local services and local democracy and how the introduction of participatory decision making in local resource allocation is addressing persistent inequalities. Funded by the Scottish Government as part of their national programme on participatory budgeting, Community Choices, the evaluation project will be reporting its findings by the end of 2019 with a series of events at GCU and elsewhere.
Gender Budgeting and the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs)
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Gender equality is often talked about as a cornerstone of EU policy. To what extent that characterisation is true is part of the focus of this project focusing on how the concepts and practical analytical tools of gender budgeting are being used to integrate gender analysis in allocating resources through the ESIFs. Funded by the European Institute for Gender Equality and being delivered by an international team of researchers, this project will deliver insights into spend on gender equality, with a focus on work-life balance policies and programmes, and a step-by-step guide to gender budgeting in the ESIFs for member states.
Gender Impact Analysis and the Modern Apprenticeship Programme
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Gender Impact Analysis and the Modern Apprenticeship Programme in Scotland (2013/14)
Funded by the ESRC and Close the Gap, the project aimed to develop a Gender Impact Analysis (GIA) tool for public sector bodies which can be used to determine the beneficiaries of public expenditure. The Modern Apprenticeship programme was used as a case study to develop the GIA tool.
Occupational Segregation and the Legacy of Gender Mainstreaming
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Occupational Segregation and the Legacy of Gender Mainstreaming in Scotland (2013)
Funded by the Scottish Government, the aim of this research was to inform the construction of Scottish economic development programmes funded via European Structural Funds for the 2014-20 period. The project evaluated the extent to which gender mainstreaming became embedded in organisations in receipt of European Structural Funds in the 2006-13 period. In particular, the research project identified lessons learned from the implementation of gender mainstreaming in 2006-13 and made recommendations to the Scottish Government for the next funding period.
COVID-19 and the Centrality of Care
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This report was commissioned by The Office of the Chief Social Policy Adviser, Scottish Government, as part of a grant funding call for expert reviews to inform the work of the COVID-19 Learning and Evaluation Oversight Group.
Our report focuses on research exploring the extent of pandemic-induced (temporary) shifts in unpaid domestic and care roles within households, and the potential longer-term impacts on the gendered organisation of work and family life. The report highlights the complex picture of peoples’ lived realities and the ongoing policy work and social action that is required to support disruptions to social norms around unpaid care. See the full report here
The impact of COVID-19 on the caring roles of heterosexual couples in Scotland coupl
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Together with Oxfam Scotland – an organisation that is working to challenge the connections between care work and poverty both globally and in Scotland, we have assembled a small number of case studies as part of our ongoing work on unpaid care to help share greater and richer insight into the interviews we have conducted and people’s stories on how they organise their paid employment and unpaid care arrangements. The case studies reveal how these arrangements were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and concomitant stay home and social distancing measures, which led to the closure of some workplace, educational
