Governance and policy design research
Researching key relationships between society, politics and the state in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.

Our research
Our researchers are from the Department of Social & Policy Sciences. Our areas of interest include how policy is made, who helps to make it, and what the implications are in different social and political contexts.
Our research moves from the local practices of NGOs and community organisations in Africa and Asia, to regional and global public policy governance. We explain and evaluate the ethical and normative frameworks that shape public policy, and the processes of innovation and change management. We also develop frameworks and ‘tool kits’ for the design and assessment of policy and practice.
Our projects
- Social Mobilization for Social Policy: building the policy-making of state and society in the Arab region
- Combating modern slavery through business leadership at the bottom of the supply chain
- UNICEF Database on Social Policy Expertise in the MENA Region
- Death, dying and devolution
- Understanding the impact of counter terrorism policy on the structures of democratic space within higher education institutions
Researchers
- Dr Michael Bloomfield, Lecturer
- Dr Louise Brown, Reader
- Dr Emma Carmel, Senior Lecturer
- Professor James Copestake, Professor
- Dr Séverine Deneulin, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Joe Devine, Head of Department
- Dr Matt Dickson, Reader
- Dr Ana Dinerstein, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Jeremy Dixon, Lecturer
- Dr Rana Jawad, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Susan Johnson, Senior Lecturer
- Professor Jane Millar, Professor
- Dr Piotr Ozieranski, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Theodoros Papadopoulos, Lecturer
- Professor Graham Room, Professor
- Dr John Troyer, Senior Lecturer
- Dr Kate Woodthorpe, Senior Lecturer