Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods Sefydliad Ymchwil Gymdeithasol ac Economaidd, Data a Dulliau Cymru NEWS wiserd.ac.uk | Issue 17 | July 2018
Education Changing Communities Economy Health & Wellbeing 2 | WISERD News
Welcome from the WISERD Director
WISERD turns 10 this year – a significant moment to Lyon to share our Civil Society research with colleagues at look back at the valuable research we’ve carried out TRIANGLE - a French multi-institutional research institute. and the impact we’ve made on the landscape of social I am pleased to say we also agreed a Memorandum of science in Wales. Understanding, which will support ongoing collaboration. Further afield we have received Global Challenges Much continues from the early days of WISERD – our Research Funding for a new civil society research project collaborative work across our five core universities and in India and Bangladesh which will explore the effective our connections to many partners, both in the UK and practice of civil society organisations in promoting human globally. Our research also maintains a strong focus on rights, good governance and social justice. exploring communities and the key social challenges that they face. And I am delighted that this year’s Annual Research of the highest quality also takes time and Conference at the University of South Wales has the theme long-term investment and for the last six years WISERD ‘’Addressing Inequalities and Injustice’, another thread Education has been asking over a thousand children which runs through WISERD’s work over the last decade. in Wales about their lives every year. This is a unique research resource and in this issue we share some of the However, it is also important that we change and adapt most interesting findings. with the times and recognise that our social, political and economic landscapes have changed since WISERD Finally, one of the strengths of WISERD is our collaborative began. Brexit now looms large and WISERD researchers approach. The article on ‘Sharing research and extending are developing a strong body of work on the social learning’ demonstrates the value of building a supportive consequences of the referendum. In this issue, you can research community where people can share ideas and read about how our researchers have been looking at learn from one another. the effects of leaving the EU on black and minority ethnic women in Wales. I hope you enjoy this issue of WISERD News.
We have also been working on building new and stronger Professor Ian Rees Jones international links. We recently held a joint conference in WISERD Director
The Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD) is a national, interdisciplinary, social science research institute.
We have been designated by the Welsh Government as a national research centre. Using innovative Contact Us approaches, our research spans the fields of economics, sociology, geography and political science.
We are a collaborative venture between the universities of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, South Wales and Swansea – working together to improve the quality and quantity of social science research in Wales and beyond. 029 2087 9338 Our research effects change by influencing the development of policy and practice across a range of sectors.
WISERD hosts the UK-wide WISERD Civil Society Research Centre, a major investment by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and a number of other major research grants. At Aberystwyth www.wiserd.ac.uk University, WISERD includes the Centre for Welsh Politics and Society, and hosts the EU-funded GLOBAL-RURAL, IMAJINE and ROBUST projects. WISERD also hosts the Administrative Data Research Centre Wales (ADRC-W) at Cardiff University, part of a project led by Swansea University. @WISERDNews
/wiserdnews May 2018 | 3 Contents:
Recognised for contribution to research
WISERD Co-Director elected to Academy of Social Sciences 4 WISERD Co-Director Chris Taylor appointed Fellow of LSA 4 Wales Social Research Awards 4 GW4 Crucible 5 Dr Sioned Pearce selected for the Welsh Crucible 5
Informing policymakers
Successful Futures 6 Youth Unemployment and civil society devolution 6 Children’s Worlds 6 An update from ADRC Wales 7
International links
WISERD conference in Lyon marks next step in European collaboration 8 Exploring the Global Countryside 9 New WISERD Civil society research in India and Bangladesh 9
Education
Student network to be expanded 10 Hugh Owen Medal lecture 10 Charities are playing a growing role in schools - but is that a good thing? 11 WISERD Education’s most interesting findings 12 Welsh schools urgently need political participation 13
Changing communities
The ‘youthquake’ myth and Britain’s Millennials 14 Cultural Participation Research Network (CPRN) update 15 A space for the voices of young, BME women in the Brexit process 16 Better for More 17 Sharing research and extending learning 18 Building bridges not walls 19
Economy
Rhys Davies reveals how official figures have under-estimated the presence of trade unions within UK workplaces over many years 20 Sheffield Needs a Payrise 21 Empty shops research launched at the 3rd Welsh Leisure and Retail Summit 22 How the UK’s first McStrike was tweeted 23 Trade Union responses to the changing world of work 24
Health and wellbeing
Women in Sport: Reflections on a three-month student internship 25 The health gap: the challenge of an unequal world 25 How does disability affect life satisfaction? 26 Ageing, intergenerational relations, and barriers to social participation 27 Exploring spatial patterns in newly registered organ donors 28 4 | WISERD News
NEWS RECOGNISED FOR CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH
WISERD Co-Director elected to Academy of Social Sciences
WISERD Aberystwyth Co-Director Professor Michael Woods has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, the learned society for social science. Michael was one of fifty-eight new Fellows announced by the Academy in April. The fellowship has been conferred in recognition of Michael’s contribution to human geography and the rural social sciences, particularly his pioneering work on the global countryside.
Michael Woods commented, “It is an honour to have been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and pleasing to have further recognition of the importance of work in WISERD and its contribution to the British social science community”. Michael joins WISERD Director Ian Rees Jones, Co-Director Sally Power and former Directors Professor Mike Woods Huw Beynon and Gareth Rees as a Fellow of the Academy.
WISERD’s Wales Social Research Awards Co-Director Chris Taylor WISERD’s Co-Director Chris Taylor won a prestigious Welsh Social Research appointed Association award from an all-WISERD Shortlist. Fellow of LSW WISERD’s research impact was Responding to the award, highlighted at the inaugural Professor Taylor said: “I would like The Learned Society of Wales Wales Social Research Awards. to acknowledge all the research (LSW) facilitates the authoritative The shortlisted nominees for the champions outside of universities exchange of knowledge and Research impact Award were all that really make a difference in giving ideas and promotes public WISERD researchers. The prize was our research impact. This includes intellectual life in Wales. awarded to Professor Chris Taylor government social researchers Election to the Fellowship is a for his work leading a team on who work closely with their policy public recognition of academic evaluating the Welsh Government’s colleagues to ensure evidence excellence and brings together Foundation Phase, the school informs policy decisions, and school 460 of the most prominent curriculum for 3-7 year olds. practitioners who engage with the figures in Welsh academia. latest evidence in order to develop Other nominees were Dr Peter effective teaching and learning. Last year Professor Chris Taylor Mackie, who chairs WISERD’s received the Learned Society Housing Research Network I would also like to give thanks to of Wales’ inaugural Hugh Dr Elin Royles, Dr Huw Lewis and the organisations, including the Owen Medal in recognition of Dr Catrin Wyn Edwards, who are media and think-tanks, who aid his significant contributions to part of WISERD’s Centre for the public in engaging with and educational research in Wales. Welsh Politics and Society at debating research.” Aberystwyth University. July 2018 | 5
RECOGNISED FOR CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH NEWS
GW4 Crucible
Dr Muddiman has been awarded a place on the 2018 GW4 Crucible – an intensive programme focussed on pathways to impact, interdisciplinary networking and collaboration between early career researchers across the GW4 institutions (Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter Universities).
The crucible connects 30 researchers from different backgrounds during four residential ‘labs’, in which cruciblees participate in a suite of workshops and seminars with a range of external partners and expert guest speakers from government, media, and the third sector.
This year’s theme – Resilience, Environment and Sustainability – is one of the five key areas of the GW4 vision, and the programme explicitly aims to equip early career researchers with the tools to co-create and deliver innovative, cross-disciplinary solutions to global GW4 Crucible (Dr Muddiman, centre-front) challenges. For example, in lab three, after a number of ‘speed dating’ sessions where researchers Alongside hands-on training and Drawing on her current research from different fields identify shared mentoring on devising research exploring the role of family in people’s ground and possible research ideas, ideas and writing proposals, there accounts of civic and environmental a wall of potential project ideas are also opportunities to develop engagement, Dr Muddiman is now emerged and was then arranged into dissemination and engagement skills planning to work with colleagues cross-cutting themes to be developed including giving media interviews, in psychology, geography, law, into proposals. using social media effectively and environmental science and business connecting with journalists. on a community sustainability project.
Dr Sioned Pearce selected for the Welsh Crucible
Dr Pearce will join the award-winning Welsh Crucible programme in Cardiff, Bangor and Swansea during May, June and July this year. The programme provides personal, professional and leadership development for potential future research leaders in Wales. The aim is to bring early and mid-career researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds together to collaborate, think creatively Dr Sioned Pearce and make a difference to their work, career and the public sphere. 6 | WISERD News
NEWS INFORMING POLICY MAKERS
Successful Youth unemployment and futures for all civil society devolution
WISERD has received funding from the Higher Education Dr Sioned Pearce has been awarded a New Investigator Grant Funding Council for Wales which will will fund the WISERD-based research project (HEFCW), for a research project ‘Youth unemployment and civil society under devolution: that seeks to add value to the a comparative analysis of sub-state welfare regimes’. Welsh Government’s existing evaluation of the progress of the The grant from the Economic and Social Research Council will fund Pioneer Schools in developing a two-year project examining divergences in civil society responses the new curriculum for 3-15 year to youth unemployment in the four devolved nations of the UK, from olds in Wales. Dr Nigel Newton December 2018. The project aims to identify, categorise and compare scales and types of civil society involvement in youth unemployment is working on this research, led policy and provision at sub-state scales of governance. by Professor Chris Taylor and Professor Sally Power. Through critiquing the notion of ‘one UK welfare state’ it will also progress our understanding of the impact of decentralisation, The new curriculum offers an devolution and territorial rescaling on welfare state formation exciting and radical departure for across Western Europe. The research findings will provide education in Wales and this study recommendations based on the implications of devolved differences follows its development. in each devolved nation for youth unemployment policy and practice.
Children’s Worlds
WISERD has funded Children’s Worlds, an International Survey of Children’s Well-being which is being held for the first time in Wales.
This is the largest study of its kind, funded by the Jacobs Foundation and is supported by multiple partners, including the Welsh Government and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
The purpose is to improve children’s well-being by creating awareness among children, their parents and their communities, opinion leaders, decision makers, professionals and the general public. The study aims to collect solid and representative data on children’s lives and daily activities, their time use and in particular on their own perceptions and evaluations of their well-being. July 2018 | 7
INFORMING POLICY MAKERS NEWS
An update from ADRC Wales
ADRC-W welcomes new face through ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership Wales
The Administrative Data Research Based at the Data Science Building Homelessness Centre Wales (ADRC-W) has in Swansea, Lauren has embarked study funding welcomed Lauren Burns to its on a three-year period of research team of researchers. funded by the ESRC Doctoral Training The Welsh Government and the Partnership (DTP) Wales, working UK Collaborative Centre for Lauren Burns alongside Dr Ana Da Silva and Housing Evidence (CaCHE) have Professor Ann John to investigate agreed to fund a feasibility study the impact of non-clinical patient led by ADRC-W and WISERD’s factors in mental health clinical Dr Ian Thomas, which could decision-making. radically change the evidence base on homelessness in Wales. Lauren is the third member of the research team in Wales to have gained Dr Ian Thomas will work a place conducting research alongside with Welsh Government on ADRC-W as a result of funding calls. a part-time basis for a year introducing new expertise and capacity, with the primary First Year PhD Student Awarded focus of exploring the feasibility of introducing an individual Prestigious Housing Prize level data collection, reporting and analysis in relation to ADRC-W PhD student Hannah “I am delighted to have won this homelessness in Wales. Browne Gott has been awarded award. This was my first time the prestigious Housing Studies attending and presenting at an Welsh careers and Association Valerie Karn Early academic conference, so it is a education data analysis Career Researcher Prize. huge honour to have received this. underway at ADRC-W I hope that by winning this accolade Hannah picked up the award for her I can contribute to improving The Administrative Data paper ‘Housing rights, homelessness our homelessness services Research Centre Wales prevention and a paradox of here in the UK.” (ADRC-W) has appointed bureaucracy?’. The prize is awarded Dr Suhaer Yunus to conduct to the best early career paper at analysis of Careers Wales the Housing Studies Association administrative data. Annual Conference. The role, which is jointly funded Speaking following receipt of the by Careers Wales, will see award, Hannah, who is conducting Dr Yunus conduct research on her PhD on housing rights and the effectiveness of careers homelessness at the School of guidance interventions in Geography and Planning at Cardiff Wales and how they support University said: Hannah Browne Gott the participation in education, training and employment. 8 | WISERD News
NEWS INTERNATIONAL LINKS
WISERD conference in Lyon marks next step in European collaboration
In May 2018, the ‘Trust-Transparency Paradoxes’ conference marked the beginning of a formal collaborative agreement between WISERD and TRIANGLE in Lyon, France.
The Memorandum of Understanding, Professor Alistair Cole has been extend our joint activities in key areas signed on the eve of the conference, Professor at Sciences Po Lyon including education; policy innovation; will support the development of since 2015, on secondment from comparative research on multi-level exciting joint research projects, Cardiff University’s School of Law governance, trust and civil society future academic exchanges and and Politics. He sits as an elected and city regions.” collaborative publications. member of the TRIANGLE Scientific Committee and has a long-standing Professor Gautier commented: TRIANGLE and WISERD are both association with WISERD. “I look forward to fruitful future cross-institutional, multi-disciplinary collaboration, especially in the context centres of research excellence. WISERD Director, Professor Ian of TRIANGLE’s cross-cutting priority While WISERD brings together Rees Jones, comments: in the field of education and learning, researchers from the Universities of “Our research has a deep concern as well as in the respective converging Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, for contemporary policy challenges interests in cities, regions, governance South Wales and Swansea, and with Europe, and the UK and public policy.” TRIANGLE spans the Universities in particular, facing a period of of Lyon, Lyon 2, Ecole Normale considerable uncertainty it is vital Professor Alistair Cole, who Supérieure, Sciences-Po, that we work with European partners organised the conference, comments. Jean Monnet in St Etienne and the to address the consequence of ‘The conference represents an Centre national de la recherche social, economic and political important opportunity to discuss scientifique (CNRS). Both institutions change. This agreement between interim findings from the WISERD include researchers in the fields TRIANGLE and WISERD offers a Civil Society research projects of sociology, social policy, politics, unique and exciting opportunity to represented and is a concrete economics and education. Future build on our already close working realisation of a shared collaborations will be focused relationships and to deepen and internationalisation strategy that will around three main areas of benefit both TRIANGLE and WISERD.” interest – education; public policy and governance; associations and civil society.
The collaboration between TRIANGLE and WISERD has the potential to provide new and important insights into enduring and emerging political, social and economic issues in France, Wales and the UK. It builds on long-standing relationships between researchers in Cardiff and Lyon. WISERD Education Director, Professor Sally Power, has regularly been invited to the Ecole Normale WISERD Director Ian Rees Jones (right) Supérieure (ENS) over the past decade, & Director of TRIANGLE, Professor Claude Gautier one of the most prestigious institutions signing The Memorandum of Understanding in French higher education. July 2018 | 9
INTERNATIONAL LINKS NEWS
Exploring the New WISERD civil Global Countryside society research in India and Bangladesh WISERD researchers in the GLOBAL-RURAL team at Aberystwyth University have launched a new online resource that will Photo: flickr/IDWF (cc-by-nc-nd 2.0) allow students, teachers, policy-makers, campaigners and interested members of the public to explore the complexities and impacts of globalization in rural communities.
The website, www.global-rural.org, is a result of the 5-year European Research Council GLOBAL-RURAL project led by Professsor Michael Woods and is designed to make the project findings openly available in an accessible and engaging way.
The centrepiece of the website are multimedia Storymaps that combine text, A new WISERD International Partnership project images, GIS maps and visualisations, film and audio to tell narratives about examining civil society in India and Bangladesh globalization in rural contexts around the has been announced. world. Many of the Storymaps present case studies from GLOBAL-RURAL field The ‘Exploring Effective Practice in Civil Society Organisations’ research in countries including Australia, Promotion of Human Rights, Good Governance and Social Justice Brazil, Canada, China, Ireland, Italy, Liberia, in India and Bangladesh’ project is led by Professor Paul Chaney Malawi, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria and (Cardiff University) and Sarbeswar Sahoo (Indian Institute of Tanzania, as well as Wales, whilst others Technology, Delhi). provide overviews of topics such as migration, land-grabbing and the global dairy industry. This project will combine mixed research methods drawing on sociology, political science and anthropology and is funded by the Among the first Storymaps to be featured on Medical Research Council Global Challenges Research Fund. the website are narratives about Welsh wool and the global economy, the export activities Professor Paul Chaney said, ‘With religious freedom and gender of businesses in Newtown, and immigration equality being key to realising the UN Sustainable Development and diversity in an Irish small town. Further Goals, our project focuses on the key challenges facing civil content will be added over the coming year. society with ongoing deep-set patterns and processes of gender oppression and religious conflict in both countries. Attention As well as the Storymaps the website will centre on civil society organisations’ views of the key issues, provides access to papers and presentations areas of progress and ongoing challenges in relation to human from the GLOBAL-RURAL project and special rights advocacy and service delivery for women, girls and different resources for schools and for community religious communities’. leaders. The website aims to promote public understanding of globalization, especially The project will inform understanding of civil society’s in a rural context, but also aims to help role in meeting both countries’ international human rights rural communities respond to the challenges obligations, as set out in the Universal Declaration of and opportunities that globalization brings. Human Rights and other treaties. 10 | WISERD News
NEWS EDUCATION
The Welsh Government have announced plans to extend their pilot network for high achieving school pupils.
WISERD and ADRC-Wales researchers AM, Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Seren Network and what practical Rhys Davies and Dr Suhaer Yunus announcing a £3 million, two-year and methodological issues that contributed to the recent evaluation of investment to further develop the would need to be considered ahead of the Seren Network commissioned by Welsh Government’s policy for more conducting a full impact evaluation of the Welsh Government. able and talented younger learners. the Seren Network based upon linked Further to the investment Kirsty administrative data. SEREN helps Wales’ brightest sixth Williams AM, also set out three key formers gain access to top universities principals to drive improvements: A link to the full report is here. across the world. bit.ly/2JkvEnr Better identification and support at school, regional The evaluation was led by colleagues and national levels at Old Bell 9 Ltd www.ob3research.co.uk Opportunities that will inspire the highest levels of achievement The development of evidence to support further investment and work Credit: Wellington College CYBYNC
The evaluation’s findings and Rhys and Suhaer examined how recommendations were so significant administrative data sources could be they have resulted in Kirsty Williams used to assess the effectiveness of
Hugh Owen Medal lecture 2017
Last year WISERD’s Co–Director come. In 2015 the Welsh Government Professor Chris Taylor was awarded set out to introduce a new school the inaugural Hugh Owen Medal, curriculum for all 3-16 year olds, the largest curriculum reform by the Learned Society of Wales ever seen in Wales. in recognition of his outstanding contribution to educational research. The ambition to have a new curriculum in place by September 2021 The Wales Institute of Social & In honour of receiving his medal has already been delayed. Economic Research, Data & Methods Professor Chris Taylor delivered Kirsty Williams AM, the Cabinet (WISERD) has been heavily involved a lecture titled ‘Implementing the Secretary for Education, announced in evaluating and challenging many new curriculum in Wales: lessons to that there would be a one year delay in of the education reforms introduced learn?’ to a large audience of policy the introduction of the new curriculum, by the Welsh Government in the last makers, teachers and academics. and that its final implementation ten years. In this lecture he reflected would now be ‘phased’ in. Professor on WISERD’s evaluation of these He argued that since devolution Taylor argued that this deceleration reforms and considered what other Wales has seen a number of radical recognises the scale of the task, but lessons could be learnt to support changes to its education system but it also provides a good opportunity to the successful implementation of the that the most significant is still to reflect on its implementation. new curriculum. July 2018 | 11
EDUCATION BLOG
Charities are playing a growing role in schools — but is that a good thing?
While there have been At WISERD Education, we have been heavily sponsored by Lloyds Bank and growing concerns about examining this, especially looking the supermarket chain ASDA. Sports at the increasingly close relationship Relief, the third most frequently the permeation of business between young people, schools mentioned charity, also has business in education, relatively and charities. partners, including Sainsbury’s, little attention has been BT, British Airways and Amazon. paid to how schools are Our research, based on surveys of The logos and links to all these over 1,000 school students in Wales, companies feature on nearly all the increasingly engaged shows that young people have a high promotional resources for schools. in the “business” of degree of engagement with charities. fundraising for charities. The research showed us that a huge It has also been argued that children majority of students aged 14 – 18 had are being taught that charities been involved in donating money to present the solution for a range of charities as well as participating in social ‘ills’ and that this ignores fundraising activities. other approaches. Many of the Professor causes tackled by these charities, Sally Students were asked to name the such as child abuse, child poverty, charities their school last fundraised homelessness and animal cruelty, Power for. Thirty-seven charities were might be tackled more appropriately identified; within the top ten were through political solutions. Prior to joining the School of Children in Need, Cancer Research It might be argued that charities Social Sciences, Cardiff University UK, Sports Relief and Wales Air are providing a form of sticking in 2004 as a Professorial Fellow, Ambulance. It would be fair to say plaster, a way of masking or Sally Power was based at the that schools play a big part in raising ‘fixing’ chronic social needs. Institute of Education, University awareness of charities to children of London, where she was Head and encouraging them to take part in Though there are undoubtedly many of the School of Educational charitable activities. benefits of charitable engagement Foundations and Policy Studies in schools, there are still concerning and Director of the Education It can be argued that these ‘charitable issues too. Is the mainstreaming Policy Research Unit. activities’ provide a sense of of charities evidence of increasing She is currently leading the citizenship, in terms of individual commercialisation within schools? ‘Generations’ strand of the engagement and participation in Set within a political climate ESRC/WISERD Civil Society collective school activities. However, where civil society is increasingly Research Centre and is concerns have been raised about the being heralded as the answer to a involved in a number of projects promotional activities of charities. wide range of enduring social and exploring the education reform In addition to worries that some economic problems, it is open to programme in Wales. bigger charities are essentially little question whether schools should different from business, almost all be endorsing the virtues of charities wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ of the charities that our schools when state interventions may be people/sally-power supported have visible links with more appropriate. businesses. Children in Need is 12 | WISERD News
BLOG EDUCATION WISERD Education’s most interesting findings
For the last six years, WISERD Education have 4. They think that the scenery been giving surveys about their lives and landscape are the best things to over a thousand children (8-18) across about living in Wales These were followed closely by people and community. Wales every year. Here are some of our most The worst things were the weather and perceived lack interesting findings about children in Wales: of opportunities.
1. Girls are better than boys at school, 5. Their sleep is disrupted by but are less happy social media While girls tend to do better academically, they are also Just under a quarter of 12-15 year olds wake up to check more anxious. In 2014, 25% of girls, compared to 16% of social media most nights. Unsurprisingly, those who did boys said that they felt worried at school. this were far more likely to report being tired the next day.
2. They are more likely to hear 6. Over a quarter think they will have sexism and racism at school than to leave Wales to get a job in their local areas There was also a lot of ambivalence around whether they In 2017 we found that children were much more likely wanted to stay in Wales, with around half of students not to hear racist language (55%) and sexist language (61%) indicating any preference either way. at school than in their local area (43%). 7. Support for votes at 16 has grown 3. Private tutoring is less prevalent following Brexit in Wales than in England Until 2017, pupils over 16 tended to be opposed to votes at However, it is still high for subjects such as Mathematics, 16. However, after the referendum they started supporting where one in ten students reported having a private tutor. the lower voting age, telling us that the referendum result was ‘unfair’ as they hadn’t had a say.
8. Give them a million pounds each and a quarter of them would give it away Dr Rhian Barrance A further 25% said that they would give at least some of it away, and 14% told us that they that they would save it all. Only 36% would spend most of it.
Dr Rhian Barrance is a Research Associate on the 9. Climate change and poverty are as WISERD Education research programme. Prior to much of a threat as terrorism for many joining WISERD, Rhian completed her PhD in Education Younger children tended to report terrorism as their at Queen’s University Belfast. Rhian is a qualified number one fear, whereas older children were more likely English Teacher. She is currently working on the to select climate change and poverty as major concerns. WISERD Education Multi Cohort Study, a large-scale longitudinal cohort study which has been surveying 10. They value the Welsh language, but pupils across Wales on aspects of their lives and are less keen on learning it themselves education over the last six years. In 2013, nearly three-quarters of children told us that it was important for Welsh to remain a living language, wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/people/rhian-barrance although fewer pupils (65%) stated that it was important for them to learn it. July 2018 | 13
EDUCATION BLOG Welsh schools urgently need political participation
After 20 years of devolved politics, one would assume that Wales’s government and parliament would have solidified its place in the country, and the people of Wales would be well aware of what they do. Yet surveys and research have shown time and time again that awareness of what authority these bodies have is still shockingly low.
Fig. 1: % interest in different scales of politics by age Fig. 2: % Political leaders correctly matched to job
14–15 years old 99% 16–17 years old 100% 100% Local politics 91% 87% 90% Welsh politics 90% 78% 80% UK politics 80% 77% 76%
70% World politics 70%
60% 60% 52% 53% 50% 50% 45% 43% 40% 40% 31% 33% 30% 27% 30% 22% 19% 19% 19% 20% 15% 20% 10% 11% 10% 10%
0% 0% 13–14 years old 15–16 years old 17–18 years old Jeremy Corbyn Theresa May Leanne Wood Carwyn Jones
What students think We then asked the students to match on Facebook, family and friends, the political leader to their job (Figure and newspapers and websites. Over the last five years, WISERD 2). Unsurprisingly the older group The interesting thing to come out of Education has been researching the displayed a higher level of awareness, this was that students found school role education can play in Welsh but both groups were more aware lessons to be the least important politics. We’ve gone straight to the of the UK leaders than Welsh ones. source of information. Given the low source, asking Welsh pupils about There was some confusion when it levels of awareness in Wales, basic their interest in politics, as well as came to the Welsh leaders too, with a political literacy should be a core pillar the role that school plays in their significant amount getting Plaid Cymru of Welsh Citizenship education. understanding of current affairs. leader Leanne Wood and First Minster Carwyn Jones roles mixed up. This In 2016, we asked over 700 students disparity illustrates the importance from across Wales how interested afforded to the different scales of Dr Daniel they were in different scales of politics: British politics is clearly more Evans politics. As you can see in Figure 1, visible than Welsh Politics in Wales. not many reported much interest, although, importantly, students were By carrying out these tests we Dr Daniel Evans was a Research far less interested in local or Welsh got a level of understanding of Assistant with WISERD Education. politics than they were in UK and what students thought about the He contributed to WISERD’s work world politics. role of school in teaching political on the Foundation Phase, the awareness and knowledge. It seemed evaluation of the Pupil Deprivation It should be noted the students are that the majority felt that school Grant and the WISERD Education not apolitical. They care about Brexit, did not increase their interest in Multi Cohort Study. His research racism and their communities. Welsh politics. interests include Welsh devolution Disengagement from ‘formal’ and the political economy of Wales. politics does not equal apathy, We asked the students to choose however the lack of interest in the main sources they turn to for wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ Welsh politics is concerning. information on current affairs, people/daniel-evans it wasn’t surprising most relied 14 | WISERD News
BLOG CHANGING COMMUNITIES
The ‘youthquake’ myth and Britain’s Millennials
During the 2017 UK General Validated Turnout by Generation: 1997-2017 election, it seemed that 100% youth engagement was at 90% an all-time high – many 80% academics, politicians and 70% journalists quickly concluded 60% that we were witnessing 50% a ‘youthquake’ that had 40% 30% deprived the Conservatives 20% of their majority in the House 10% of Commons and propelled 0% Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour to a 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 spectacular result. Millennials 90s 80s 60-70s Post-War Pre-War
Claims about the turnout of particular ‘youthquake’ while the overwhelming sub-groups of the electorate are, majority of those young people who however, hard to verify, because official voted supported Labour, there was statistics do not provide information no significant difference between on the age or background of who their turnout in 2017 and that of the voted – though this did not stop some previous election. While turnout has concluding that the ‘youthquake’ had gradually increased for all age groups occurred on the basis of photographs since the record low of 2005, the of polling stations or at rallies, student Millennials’ propensity to go to the Dr Stuart Fox interviews and unverifiable surveys. polls continues to lag well behind that of their elders. Dr Stuart Fox is a Quantitative The best estimate of turnout of the UK Research Associate at Cardiff comes from the British Election Study Another regular claim about the University and part of the team (BES); a face to face survey of adults ‘youthquake’ is that young people working on WISERD’s Young about their engagement with politics are more engaged with politics, as people and Brexit project, and general elections in particular. the Brexit Referedum and Jeremy which involves fellow The BES includes a measure of Corbyn’s distinct appeal has given academics at Cardiff University ‘validated turnout’ for its respondents them more reason to take an interest and Aberystwyth University. i.e., regardless of whether they said in politics. This is also, however, not they voted or not, it can tell us whether supported by the evidence. The BES To find out more about they actually voted according to the shows that not only has political Dr Stuart Fox’s work, visit electoral register – it is the ‘gold interest barely changed throughout www.wiserd.ac.uk/stuartfox standard’ of voter behaviour in Britain. the electorate since 2015, but that the Millennials continue to lag behind The BES for 2017 casts considerable their elders. 14% of Millennials, for doubt on the claim that there was a example, reported being July 2018 | 15
CHANGING COMMUNITIES CHANGING COMMUNITIES NEWS
‘very interested’ in politics – this compares with a fifth of the 80s and 90s generations, and more than a Cultural Participation quarter of the baby boomers. Research Network (CPRN)
The BES presents a serious challenge to politicians, academics and citizens The Cultural Participation Research Network (CPRN) brings concerned about the engagement of academics, researchers, community organisations and people young people with British democracy working in the cultural sector (arts and heritage) together to develop and the ability of our politicians a programme which explores the role of the arts and culture and Parliaments to represent the sectors in research, policy making and community development. interests of their citizens. Voting in elections, and being interested in politics, is a habit developed during We also seek to work with artists and organisations that are childhood: someone who gets into committed to addressing the involvement and recognition gap, the habit of voting and taking an recognising that the cultural sector itself reproduces inequalities interest in political events by the in the production and consumption of cultural products. time they are 25 is likely to continue doing so throughout their adult lives. Growing rapidly, with national and local cultural and community Conversely, someone who does not organisations now offering spaces for participants to meet, develop a habit of political interest it is supported as a WISERD network. Responses to date or voting is likely to avoid the polling have suggested that people welcome the space for lively stations throughout adulthood. critical reflection and debate, and in articulating, finding and Britain’s Millennials continue to be the understanding points of both common interest and difference. least politically interested and active generation in the electorate – and the We have recently funded five seed-corn projects which came to an Brexit Referendum, Jeremy Corbyn’s end this spring. They have had a number of positive impacts and leadership and the unique 2017 have provided ideas for future research. The themes emerging election campaign has done nothing so far include theatre and performativity of data for knowledge to change that. exchange, the ‘city region’ identity and the role of arts and culture; place–based heritage and regeneration; and arts/culture based The lesson we can take from the methods for engagement and data production. myth of the ‘youthquake’, therefore, is that it will take a lot more hard However these are not exhaustive, and we anticipate a number of work to reverse the decline of different collaborations and research proposals to be produced political interest and turnout over the coming months. amongst younger generations than a controversial referendum or change in To find out more about joining the network, or taking part in party leadership. forthcoming events and opportunities, visit www.wiserd.ac.uk 16 | WISERD News
NEWS CHANGING COMMUNITIES
A space for the voices of young, A joint blog between Dr Sioned Pearce BME women in the Brexit process & Dr Esther Muddiman
in their views associated with how ‘others’ perceive them ‘after Brexit’. Many moved away from an assumption that the ‘person on the street’ is tolerant, or at least neutral, towards their dress or accent, and described becoming more uncertain about how others see them. Being an asylum seeker was an added source of anxiety for three of the 11 participants; with increased uncertainty in an already uncertain situation a compounding impact of Brexit. With EU-UK exit negotiations well The findings so far underway, this study was carried out Discussion in partnership between WISERD and This small scoping study has collected the Ethnic Youth Support Team for data from focus groups with 11 young Themes emerging from this first Wales (EYST) for three reasons. BME women aged 15-25. The women set of data include losing a sense were from diverse backgrounds and of certainty and belonging. For the Firstly, in the words of Akwugo heritages, including those born in and women in the project, the fallout Emejulu, “Despite vociferous claims outside of Wales, and all were Muslim. of the EU referendum has caused to the contrary, Brexit really is about ongoing feelings of isolation and race”. Racist incidents rose by 57% Words used to describe the pre-Brexit alienation – similarities with being a following the EU referendum and, metaphor were overwhelmingly victim of a racist incident highlighted in this context, race and ethnicity positive and largely focused on by discussions around ‘recovery’ are an identified ‘missing piece’ in and ‘living life as normal’, phrases feelings of belonging: ‘happy’, our WISERD study of minority and associated with trauma or shock. marginalised voices during Brexit ‘united’, ‘together’, ‘alright’. - a gap identified by EYST team- The closer each description came This project will continue running members Yasmin Begum and Mymuna to the EU referendum, the more focus groups to gather views of Mohamood. Secondly, much like words like ‘worried’, ‘surprised’ Brexit among young, BME women in young people - who overwhelmingly and ‘anxious’ arose. a partnership with EYST. It will also supported ‘remain’ - Black, Asian and provide training in ‘action research minority ethnic (BME) groups were on Discussions on ‘after the Brexit vote’ skills’ to focus group participants. the losing side of the EU referendum, were largely negative and included as 75% of BME voters opted to remain the words: ‘nervous’, ‘shocked’, in the EU. Finally, we chose to work ‘disappointed’ and ‘unhappy’. Thanks are due to all partners with young, BME women because we Less passive descriptions included at EYST and particularly felt data collection in a female-only ‘anger’, ‘corruption’, ‘frustration’ and Yasmin Begum, Mymuna environment would create a safe ‘betrayal’. More than one participant Mohamood, Ginger Weigand, space for participants to voice their described feeling ‘unsafe’ and ‘afraid’. Dr Constantino Dumangane Jr. and Dr Dawn Mannay. views and experiences. Participants also discussed a change July 2018 | 17
CHANGING COMMUNITIES NEWS
Exploring organisational change at the National Museum of Wales
Patricia Jimenez, a WISERD research assistant is working with the National Museum of Wales / Amgueddfa Cymru to assess the ‘More and Better’ project, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Within the context of the More and context characterised by the rule of Better project Patricia will investigate standards and numeric indicators the extent and the way organisational of success. I’ve found this to be an change is taking place within the four incredibly rich opportunity to get to settings of the National Museum of know Wales better’. Wales / Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans National ‘The tradition of researching Museum, Big Pit National Coal Museums usually focuses on Museum and National Slate Museum). investigating ‘a final product’ – e.g. exhibitions – ignoring the Key objectives include identifying the critical areas of action of the commonly problematic processes More and Better project, as well as by which these products are staff members understanding of it. accomplished, this project looks The data collection techniques will at the process instead which mostly consist of a participant and I find very interesting’. non-participant observations, such as general observation within meeting rooms, and galleries or observation in less formal setting such as during lunch or ad hoc breaks. There will also be semi-structured interviews with staff members at various stages.
When asked why this project inspired her, Patricia replied saying ‘I thought this project represented a good opportunity to consider which kind of insights an ethnography can identify in a sociopolitical
Images (top to bottom): Big Pit National Coal Museum / Photo: Steinsky (cc-by-sa/2.5) National Slate Museum / Photo: David Neild (cc-by-sa/3.0) St Fagans National History Museum / Photo ©Mick Lobb (cc-by-sa/2.0) National Museum Cardiff / Photo: Ham II (cc-by-sa 3.0) 18 | WISERD News
BLOG CHANGING COMMUNITIES
Sharing research and extending learning
Dr Christala Sophocleous reflects on the experience of co-writing with WISERD colleagues.
What did we learn from Communities This seemed significant and called back-and-forth between analyses in First? This question was at the heart for more careful investigation. an ever more systematic way, and of many (often fierce) debates, as Our discussions became more emerging slowly through a process this government programme ended. systematic, attending to where our of refinement. Each author has Across Wales, in communities, policy findings and analysis were similar added, amended, and fine-tuned the circles and, academia, Communities or complementary, and where they arguments, leading to a greater focus. First (CF) stirred the emotions. diverged. While each project stood The analysis is stronger both because Those of us in WISERD whose alone, bringing our analyses together of our iterative method and its roots research focused on CF were no created depth and greater insight, in different research projects. exception. We feared history was generating a new collective analysis. being re-written with CF being Co-writing across projects has been labelled too simplistically, a ‘failure’. We started asking ourselves ‘What a new experience for us all and has In this context four researchers in raised some interesting issues, e.g. WISERD started to reflect on our might we be able to say about about what is ‘data?’ and the validity work through informal conversations Communities First collectively of using data collected in one context and some serendipitously in another. We have reflected on timed seminars. that we couldn’t do alone?’ the value of sharing work and what might be gained in doing so. Sharing and debating our Working together and reflecting Our co-location in the Cardiff analytically on how different research WISERD hub is significant, creating respective research, we with similar but distinct methodology opportunities for developing joint realised our work had much might be harnessed for greater work. This environment allows insight, we have written a joint and encourages researchers to in common, with similar paper, which will be submitted for share ideas, question and reflect, themes and a remarkable publication shortly. It addresses the supporting collaborative working CF programme and its place in policy- across projects and enabling us alignment of findings. making and implementation in Wales. to ask, how our different work can inform social issues. This was all-the-more notable The paper is not a synthesis, although because between us we had worked there is an element of drawing our So, while we’re not able to answer on six research projects, across a work together, but an extension of the question ‘What did we learn from 10-year period from 2008. Each had a the analysis. It has developed through Communities First?’ collectively, different focus, and were located an on-going conversation between we have been able to make a small, in different areas. us and our individual studies; moving but more informed contribution.
The four researchers involved in this joint writing project are:
Dr Sioned Pearce Dr Eva Elliott [email protected] / @sionedpearce [email protected] / @WISERDNews
Dr Helen Blakely Dr Christala Sophocleous [email protected] / @WISERDNews [email protected] / @DrChristala July 2018 | 19
CHANGING COMMUNITIES BLOG
Building bridges not walls
Wales in the 1950’s might seem a strange place to start a blog about the impact of Brexit on young people and of the potential of young people to influence Brexit. However just after the Second World War was a time where fundamental questions were being asked about the nature of identity within states across Europe.
An interesting Welsh contribution First it is possible to contest the about the extent of the role of youth to this debate about how to shape a erection of walls or boundaries organisations and how they can future Europe arose in the context of between different nations and states continue to help young people to the work of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the – not least between the UK and develop their own identities in Wales Welsh Guild of Hope), which had been Europe – which could be a result and the UK, especially because created in 1922 as a Welsh-speaking of BREXIT. Europe during the 50’s of funding cuts associated with counterpart to the Scouting and the was a subdivided continent and yet austerity. I contend there is now more Girl Guide movements. young people and youth organisations need than ever for them to provide as were determined to build bridges much support as they possibly can for The Urdd placed a great emphasis across the continent; through young people to maintain pre-existing on humanitarianism and on the words and deeds. links and to forge new ones with need to build bridges between distant youth, wherever they are. different communities. The second Second, this was a dialogue that element of its pledge stressed was promoted and sustained in the need to love one’s fellow the absence of any European-level humans; both commitments which institutional infrastructure. There continue to this day. was no European Union in existence then and yet young people and During the 1950’s the Urdd sponsored organisations such as the Urdd trips for its members to different explored imaginative ways of creating European countries including dialogue between countries. Bielefeld, Oberammergau in Germany Professor the Spanish capital of Madrid; it also Third, the example from the 1950’s Rhys Jones encouraged people from Europe and demonstrates the important role beyond to visit Wales. that can be played by voluntary Professor Rhys Jones is a youth organisations in fostering political geographer who studies There may be some lessons that can links between young people in the state, nationalism and the be learnt by young people and by Europe. Questions have been asked Welsh language. He is based youth organisations in Wales from the at Aberystwyth University and Urdd’s activities: is part of the WISERD research team exploring ‘Education, language and identity’.
To find out more about Professor Rhys Jones’ work, visit www.wiserd.ac.uk/rhysjones 20 | WISERD News
BLOG ECONOMY
Rhys Davies reveals how official figures have under-estimated the presence of trade unions within UK workplaces over many years
This summer the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published its latest estimates for trade union membership in the UK based upon data from the Labour Force Survey.
These figures reveal that 6.2 million union members. These results reveal In light of these findings, statisticians employees were members of trade that just 23% of employees in the at BEIS have revised their methodology unions during 2017. Whilst overall UK were members of trade unions for estimating trade union presence. levels of membership within the UK during 2017. Twenty years ago, This publication reveals that 49% of have increased slightly since 2016, union density was over 30%. employees are employed at workplaces they remain well below the peak of where trade unions are present. 13.2 million that was observed in The influence of trade unions at the The effect of the change has been to 1979. The headline figure for trade workplace however extends beyond increase the rate of union presence union membership is ‘union density’ those who are members. Official by 8 percentage points, roughly which measures the proportion of statistics produced by BEIS therefore equivalent to 2 million employees. employees in employment who are also estimate the proportion of employees who are employed at Rhys Davies comments: workplaces where trade unions “Declining levels of trade union are present, referred to as union membership is often cited as evidence Rhys presence. These figures are also that trade unions have become less derived from interview data collected relevant within the modern UK economy. Davies by the Labour Force Survey. Between Whilst the downward trend in union 1996 and 2016, official estimates of membership is not open to debate, today trade union presence also declined there are many more workers employed Dr Rhys Davies is a Research from 50% to 41%. at workplaces where trade unions are Fellow at WISERD and present than was previously thought. Associate Director of the Wales Research undertaken by Rhys Davies By implication this suggests that the Administrative Data Research at WISERD has revealed that official workplace influence of trade unions Centre (ADRC), based at statistics of trade union presence in the UK has been significantly Cardiff University. have been incorrectly estimated underestimated for many years.” over the last 20 years. Government As an applied quantitative statisticians have mistakenly treated For more information about this researcher Rhys has undertaken those who did not respond to the research, please see the WISERD Blog a variety of research projects question on trade union presence as Measuring Trade Union Membership: examining a variety of issues if they had said that nobody at their Harder than it may seem? More related to employment and place of work were union members. detailed analysis is available from the the labour market. Normal practice would be to exclude Research Note Making Sense of Official such people from the calculations. Estimates of Trade Union Membership. Prior to joining WISERD he worked at the Institute for Employment Research at Warwick University and the Office for National Statistics.
wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ people/rhys-davies May 2018 | 21
ECONOMY BLOG
Sheffield Needs a Payrise
The Sheffield Needs A Payrise (SNAP) research project follows the campaign of the same name and builds on the WISERD Spaces of New Localism Civil Society research project. It looks primarily into forms of grassroots, civil society and trade union working together to address issues of low pay and precariousness in work in Sheffield.
in the autumn of 2014. STUC has Our project has sought to highlight sought to develop this campaign on a best practice in addressing issues more grassroots basis. of low pay and precariousness Dr David and extends the impactful work of Beel Secondly, STUC was struck by a WISERD funded research by drawing series of reports by the Resolution on the links between civil society, Foundation, which showed that the employment and skills. The team will After completing his undergraduate City of Sheffield has the largest be presenting our research findings degree in Geography at the University proportion of its workforce paid below back to the community in Sheffield of Hull and then a masters and the National Living Wage (NLW). at an event organised by STUC. PhD at the University of Glasgow It has suffered the largest pay drop again in Geography David became a of the UK Core Cities since the onset This piece of work sits within our Research Fellow at the University of of the 2008 recession, suffered work package 1.4 which partakes Aberdeen, working in the dot.rural most from issues of low pay, and in extensive research under the digital economy hub. He is now the consequently potentially had the most heading of - Spaces of Localism: Senior Reseracher on the spaces of to gain from the introduction of the Stakeholder Engagement and new localism project which is part Conservative government’s National Economic Development in Wales of the WISERD Civil society research Living Wage. This highlighted and England, it is a project that centre. The project is interested in to the STUC the necessity for Dr David Beel, Professor Martin understanding the ways in which greater campaigning around Jones (Staffordshire University) and NEW Localism and devolution is the issue of pay. WISERD’s Director Professor Ian being delivered at the city regional Rees Jones are jointly responsible scale within the UK. Finally, STUC has been impressed for. This is a collaborative piece by the successes of innovative of work with colleagues To find out more about new organising strategies being Dr. David Etherington Dr David Beel’s work, visit deployed by unions such as (Middlesex University) wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ the GMB, UNITE and BFAWU, and Dr. Robert Jefferey people/david-beel and has sought to share and Dr. Peter Thomas best practice and replicate (Sheffield Hallam University). such work amongst Professor Martin Jones is also SNAP is a campaign that has union branches in the working on this research. been initiated by Sheffield city. SNAP was officially Trades Union Council launched on 14th October by (STUC). The first impetus John McDonnell MP, Shadow for the campaign was the Chancellor of the earlier creation of the Exchequer, at a round Britain Needs A Pay Rise table event with organised by the National representatives from Trades Union Congress UNITE, BFAWU, which was inaugurated the GMB and STUC. 22 | WISERD News
Back row, left to right - Chris Fowler & Dr Scott Orford NEWS Front Row, left to right - Carole Green, Beverly Owen, Dr Eleri Rosser & Simon Baston
Empty shops research launched at the Welsh Leisure and Retail Summit
2017 saw a slight decline in the number of empty shops on Welsh high streets, but that number is still much higher than England or Scotland, according to a new report compiled by WISERD academics. 11.9% Empty Data researchers Dr Scott Orford and Samuel Jones worked with the shop rates Local Data Company (LDC) on the report, which found a clear link in 2017 between local levels of deprivation and the rates of empty shops.
The report was launched at the 3rd annual Welsh Retail and Leisure Summit, held in January 2018 at Cardiff University.
62 people from across the retail and leisure industry attended the event, which included presentations from Dr Orford and Chris Fowler of the LDC.
ITV Wales Business Editor Carole Green chaired a panel of retail experts comprising Dr Eleri Rosier (Cardiff University Business School), Simon Baston (Loftco) and Beverly Owen (Newport City Council).
You can see tweets from the event bit.ly/2HkdQXO 13% 11.1% and download the full report here: bit.ly/2JtSdt6
Dr Scott Orford also featured in two parts of a three-part series on BBC Radio 4’s ‘You and Yours’ programme exploring this issue. You can listen to these here: bit.ly/2JtSs7u July 2018 | 23
ECONOMY BLOG
How the UK’s first #McStrike was tweeted
In September 2017, McDonald’s workers went on strike for the first time in the UK. Researchers at WISERD analysed the social media conversation that surrounded the ‘McStrike’ at the time. Wil Chivers outlines key findings from this research. Figure 1
Young workers unite On 4th September 2017, 40 McDonald’s McStrikers in the public eye employees in two UK restaurants, McDonald’s is a major user of mostly aged 25 and under, went on More detailed examination of the zero-hours contracts, reportedly strike for £10 an hour, an end to McStrike Twitter activity reveals one employing 90% of its workforce in this zero hours contracts and recognition communication strategy that we plan to way (42% of whom are under 21). of their union. analyse in more detail: the prominent positioning of young workers in the Critics attack these arrangements as #McStrike on Twitter campaign. In written accounts and, exploitative, particularly for the low more particularly, in pictures and waged, and workers have responded One key element of the campaign videos, the McStrikers’ stories were with sustained collective action to fight was the way the physical presence on deployed to personalise the strike and for decent work around the world, the picket line was complemented by generate popular support. Although most notably Fight for $15 in the US. its social media presence. McStrike McStrike was (and is) part of a wider was a simple and effective hashtag labour movement campaign, it is (a McStroke of genius if you like), and notable for the ‘backstage’ support Dr Wil Chivers using this hashtag, our research team of the strikers’ own union, the collected live data from Twitter over the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Social Media two weeks before, during and after the Union, and civil society organisations Research Associate strike. This produced a little over 90,000 like War on Want. tweets featuring #McStrike, from Wil is a WISERD Research Associate 46,247 different users. We analysed this Theorising the strike based at the School of Social activity, identifying influential Twitter Sciences at Cardiff University. accounts and tweets. The retweet Despite McStrike causing little in His PhD thesis explores the nature network image (Figure 1) captures the the way of disruption to McDonald’s of contemporary governance by first week’s activity. day-to-day operations, in January examining the changing landscape of 2018 McDonald’s recommended that digital surveillance and resistance. The social media campaign was its 1,200 franchises, which set their designed to exert pressure on the own pay rates, increase pay for all Will is working across the WISERD McDonald’s brand by framing the staff. Our research will continue to Civil Society research programme, protest with a strong social justice explore how McStrike has implications exploring the relationship between narrative, harnessing the symbolic for how we reformulate traditional engagement with social media power of the workers. Unsurprisingly, conceptualisation of strike activity in and civil society. the defining characteristics of Twitter the contemporary era, particularly in activity on the strike day were tweets the light of social media. wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ and retweets of images and video of people/wil-chivers the picket lines. Special thanks to Dr Helen Blakely and Dr Steve Davies 24 | WISERD News
BLOG ECONOMY
Trade Union responses to the changing world of work
WISERD researcher Dr Helen Blakely is working with UNI Global Union to identify trade unions’ responses to the changing world of work from around the world. This work is being presented at UNI Global Union’s World Congress in June 2018, the largest single Dr global union gathering in the UK in 2018. Here Dr Blakely and her Helen team outline some of the case studies they have been examining Blakely and reflect on some of the challenges facing trade unions at present.
I am currently working with UNI off’ in terms of securing collective Dr Helen Blakely is currently Global Union to consider how trade bargaining coverage or membership working with Dr Steve Davies, unions are adapting to the rapidly fees for unions, to activity which Senior Lecturer at Cardiff changing world of work, an issue has secured collective bargaining University, to learn more about provoking debate at a global scale. agreements and transformative trade union responses to the UNI represents more than 20 million increases in membership. changing world of work. This workers from over 900 trade unions research stems from ongoing in the fastest growing sectors in the Some have developed new collaboration with UNI Global Union world – skills and services. A total of approaches within established who are fighting to secure decent 90% of new jobs are expected to be organisations as in the case of Unite work for people around the world. in these sectors in the next decade. in the UK and its highly effective Helen is a Research Associate UNI and their affiliates are driven by leverage campaigning, and cases in on an ESRC WISERD Civil Society the responsibility to ensure these Germany (ver.di), the Netherlands Research Centre Project - ‘Trade jobs are decent and workers’ rights (FNV) and France (CFDT, CGT, FO), Union Membership, Associational are protected, including the right which relate to union activity in Life and Wellbeing’ to join a union. direct response to the digitalization and automation of work. Those wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ This is a qualitative project focusing working in uncharted territory and people/helen-blakely on a number of case studies of trade creating new unions in response union activity from around the world. to the fragmentation of the global The case studies cover a broad economy include SITT in Romania range of activity, but essentially all and SITRATEL in the Dominican The study shows the capacity of of the unions are grappling with Republic. There is also valuable work unions to respond to new challenges. the issue of establishing effective being done demonstrating unions’ We have found that in particular representation – whether this is in capacity to benefit society beyond the contexts it is possible for unions to terms of building on past success, workplace. Perhaps the most striking mobilise and strengthen existing and growing an existing union in new example of this is in the Democratic sources of power and harness ways, or building new unions to tackle Republic of Congo, where the new resources and capabilities to contemporary challenges. The case FNTPC has expanded its activity forge direct and indirect routes studies reflect a spectrum of trade to help to develop the nation’s to sustainable gains for the union responses, from forms of social postal infrastructure. labour movement. movement and community based unionism, with no immediate ‘pay July 2018 | 25
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BLOG
Prof. Sir Women in Sport: Michael Marmot Reflections on a three-month student internship
Philippa Davies is one of WISERD’s The internship involved working in PhD students, funded by the ESRC, their Insight and Innovation team, Civil Society Research Centre. carrying out specific tasks to support current research projects, such as As part of her studies, she recently writing reviews and briefings on The health gap: concluded an internship with the topics related to sports leadership the challenge of Women in Sport charity. Her research and women. I also shadowed research an unequal world examines gender representation in project and team meetings and Welsh sports and below she talks attended group interview sessions for WISERD was pleased to co-host about her time with the charity and the Beyond 30% Female Leadership Professor Sir Michael Marmot’s how it shaped her research. in Sport research project. Julian Tudor Hart Trust lecture at Cradiff University. Professor Marmot The Women in Sports charity’s role is What I learned during my time at the is a leading public health expert and to advance gender equality within the Charity has heavily impacted on my this lecture dealt with tackling the world of sport, and to work towards a research, the three key points that I issue of health inequalities. sector where men and women have took from this experience were: equal opportunities in sport, from The Julian Tudor Hart Trust lecture the playing field to the boardroom. Firstly, I gained a practical and held in partnership with Public I chose Women in Sport, as I wanted well-rounded insight into their work. Health Wales and Cardiff University’s to gain an in-depth understanding of This included research on examining School of Social Sciences, focused women leaders’ experiences in a major the impact of gender stereotypes on how when developing strategies sports charity dedicated to promoting on girl’s participation in sport and for tackling health inequalities gender equality. the representation gap between we need to confront the social sportswomen and men in the media. gradient in health and not just the I also learned about how the charity difference between the worst off and promoted and achieved policy changes, everybody else. built and influenced relationships with Philippa stakeholders and the facilitators and Professor Sir Michael Marmot argued Davies barriers experienced by women leaders. that there is clear evidence when we look across countries that national Secondly, the women I met were all policies make a difference and that Philippa Davies is a PhD student friendly and supportive of one another much can be done in cities, towns at WISERD. Her research topic is and offered me a new understanding and local areas. However policies gender equality in Welsh sports into a very different workplace. There and interventions must not be policy - specifically examining was a sense of encouragement and confined to the health care system; women sports leaders and policy celebration of success amongst the they need to address the conditions makers, how they are represented, staff and there was a positive attitude in which people are born, grow, their experience of Welsh gender towards issues such as flexible live, work and age. equality policy-making and their working patterns, something that is effect on gender equality in sports rarely seen in the world of business. The evidence shows that economic policy making in Wales. circumstances are important but Thirdly, at the end of this placement, are not the only drivers of health wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/people/ I felt more encouraged with my PhD inequalities, he concluded that philippa-davies and felt stronger about the research tackling the health gap will take I had set out to do. Seeing the team’s action, based on sound evidence, passion for gender equality was across the whole of society. inspiring and gave me a further boost Photo: NHS Confederation (cc-by 2.0) of confidence on this topic. 26 | WISERD News
BLOG HEALTH AND WELLBEING
How does disability affect life satisfaction?
For more information please see the extended WISERD blog: wiserd.ac.uk/news/how-does-disability-affect-life-satisfaction Melanie Jones Professor of 3 Economics 2
1 Melanie joined Cardiff Business School in 2015 having previously 0 held positions in the University of Sheffield and Swansea University. -1 Her research in empirical labour economics involves the quantitative
Change in satisfaction (points) Change in satisfaction -2 analysis of large scale secondary data. She has worked on a range -3 of policy relevant issues but -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 has a particular interest in the Years relative to becoming disabled interaction between health and Health Employment opportunities Local community Financial situation the labour market. Home Amount of free time How safe you feel Neighbourhood
Source: The figure is generated from results presented in Appendix Tables A.1-A.8 of Jones, M., wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ Mavromaras, K., Sloane, P. and Wei, Z. (2018) “The Dynamic effect of Disability on Work and Subjective people/melanie-jones Well-being” forthcoming at Oxford Economic Papers.
Professor Melanie Jones (Cardiff satisfaction with health and economic (typically 0.6-0.8 points), illustrating Business School and WISERD), circumstances, to the community and the range of impacts of disability. In neighbourhood. Each is increasing contrast, there is a temporary positive with co-authors Professor Peter on an ordered scale (0-10) and, the impact on satisfaction with the amount Sloane (Swansea University), and Figure above, which presents results of free time, a likely consequence of Professor Kostas Mavromaras from 3 years before to 10 years after lower employment levels and, albeit and Dr Zhang Wei (Future of becoming disabled, measures the providing no indication of its quality. Employment and Skills Research change relative to more than 3 years before. Unsurprisingly disability The results suggest that the traditional Centre, University of Adelaide), has has a pronounced negative impact focus on income will underestimate explored the impact of becoming on satisfaction with health (about the disadvantage experienced by disabled, that is, the onset of 2.5 points). However, there is also disabled people and highlight the a long-term limiting health a negative impact on employment need for wider policy support. This opportunities (up to about 2 points) is consistent with the Australian condition, on life satisfaction. and, to a lesser extent, financial National Disability Insurance Scheme situation (up to about 1 point). The which targets the social and economic Using the Household, Income and Labour latter does not persist, potentially participation of disabled people. Dynamics in Australia Survey (2001- reflecting government (e.g. welfare) or 2013), in which individuals are traced over family support (e.g. spousal income) in time; life satisfaction is compared before the event of job loss. ‘Full reference: Jones, M Mavromaras, K, and after becoming disabled. The results Sloane, P. and Wei, Z (2018) ‘’The Dynamic effect of Disability on Work and show a sharp decline in wellbeing and While the impact is more modest, Subjective Well-being’’ forthcoming at Oxford this persists when disability is long-term. becoming disabled also leads to Economic Papers. a decline in satisfaction with the https://academic.oup.com/oep/advance- article/doi/10.1093/oep/gpy006/4991925 A range of dimensions of life neighbourhood, with feeling part of ?guestAccessKey=0d46fa69-34c5-4c2a- satisfaction are analysed, from the community and personal safety 95ec-61ed8822faf9 July 2018 | 27
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BLOG
Ageing, intergenerational relations, and barriers to social participation
In ageing societies, promoting active ageing and intergenerational solidarity has been a key aim of policy at national as well as European level. Governments have promoted these policies as a response to concerns over the social exclusion of older people; critics have suggested that such policies merely serve to ease the economic and financial burden of ageing societies and ‘exploit’ older people’s capacity for work or voluntary activity.
These policies, whatever the motivation, In our research we have started to at existing survey data in new ways raise questions about how strongly interrogate existing survey research on we hope to find out more about the involved and invested older people are ageing and intergenerational relations complex relationship between ageing, in their communities; how actively they through the lens of ‘fear of crime’ and fear of crime, intergenerational participate in civil society; and what attitudes towards the threat posed relations and much more. the barriers are to participation and by young people. civic engagement. When we look at the available In this context, relationships, cohesion, survey data, some fairly clear and Professor and solidarity between different well-rehearsed headline statistics Martina generations have been raised as a emerge. The older we get the more potential cause for concern across unsafe we feel being out at night, the Feilzer Europe, the US, New Zealand and the more worried we are about crimes UK. Some research suggests that committed by people in their 20s, and Martina studied law at the increasing fear of the young among the the more worried we are about the University of Tübingen before older generation leads to a reduction impact of burglary. These findings completing an MSc in Criminology in intergenerational relationships and should be considered against lower and Criminal Justice at the interaction outside people’s immediate levels of victimisation reported as we University of Edinburgh in 1999, family which in turn has a negative age and are framed as the age-fear and a DPhil on the influence of effect on older people’s wellbeing, their of crime paradox. the media on public perceptions willingness to participate in civil society, of crime and criminal justice at and levels of fear of crime. Additionally, However, digging a little deeper into the the University of Oxford in 2008. it has a negative effect on young people data, some more complex relationships Martina is a member of the ESRC as they are stereotyped as anti-social appear. Worries about becoming a funded WISERD Civil Society and troublesome and are subjected to victim of violent crime are unrelated Centre; is a network co-ordinator more stringent forms of social control. to age; we consider teenagers less at the Welsh Centre for Crime and of a problem as we age, and fear of Social Justice; and a co-applicant Fear of crime and old age has often crime across all ages appears to on the ESRC-funded seminar been linked and there is a widespread respond to actual crime levels. There series: DATA - PSST! Debating perception among policy-makers, are clear contradictions in the data and Assessing Transparency the public, as well as academics that and some indications of underlying Arrangements - Privacy, Security, fear of crime is a serious problem factors which may affect headline rates Surveillance, Trust. for the elderly and one that may – physical vulnerability, sociability, impact on people’s perception of where we live, etc. Our research is wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ their community and prevent their trying to explore in much more depth people/martina-feilzer active participation in civil society. some of these findings and by looking 28 | WISERD News
BLOG HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Exploring spatial patterns in newly registered organ donors prior to the introduction of the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013 For the full article visit: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829218300388
On visiting the NHS Blood and numbers of non-religious residents. Transplant website for information on Spatially, this meant lower organ donation organ donation a person is likely to registration rates were identified in South Dr come across phrases such as “Give the Wales valleys communities in contrast to Nicholas gift of life today” and “Together we can higher rates around major urban areas save more people”. The use of such and areas close to the Wales-England Page emotive language is designed primarily border (Figure 1). Moreover, our results to encourage visitors to the site to implied that education level, as recorded Nick joined WISERD as a Senior sign-up to the NHS Organ Donor at the area level, had the greatest effect Research Assistant in 2016. Register (ODR) – on which over on ODR sign-up rates in Wales over He is currently working for one-third of the UK population are the study period. WISERD on a work package that currently registered, representing 24.9 aims to use existing secondary million people. Despite such numbers, Following a recent policy change, sources of data to investigate the demand for organs remains implemented under the Human levels of social capital within local greater than the available supply, both Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013, an Welsh communities in relation to domestically and globally, and as such opt-out system of consent for organ changing levels of provision of key more than 6,000 people are currently donation now exists in Wales; all adults public services. on the UK transplant waiting list. are thus deemed to be consenting organ donors unless explicitly registering to wiserd.ac.uk/about-us/ people/nicholas-page Within the UK, there is some evidence opt-out. A similar policy is also being that spatial variations in ODR sign- considered in both England and Scotland. up rates may exist – for example, lower rates of registrations are found Whilst data on opt-out rates for organ in England (35% of the populous), donation under this new policy are not compared with Wales (38%), Northern yet available at local level, it is hoped Ireland (40%), and Scotland (44%). this research will act as a benchmark Whilst these trends could be indicative for future studies seeking to compare of some underlying spatial factors, spatial patterns in opt-out rates – few studies have attempted to explore particularly in light of 6% of the organ donation registration rates at Welsh population having already more detailed spatial scales. opted-out of donation since the implementation of this Act. In our most recent research we examine spatial patterns in, and Dr Nicholas Page, Dr Mitchel Langford potential drivers of, registrations to and Professor Gary Higgs (WP 3.2) the ODR in Wales between January <11% 2010 and November 2015. This work 11-12% aims to redress a noticeable gap in the 12-13% existing evidence-base concerning the 13-15% effects of geographical factors on local >15% variations in ODR sign-up. We found 11% 11-12% that areas characterised by higher Fig. 1: Age-standardised levels of education had higher rates rates of registered12-13% of newly registered donors, whereas organ donors13-15% aged 15% lower rates were found in areas of 16-70 years between January 2010 and November 2015 higher deprivation and areas with great Source: NHS Blood and Transplant