Research and Policy in Ethnic Relations: Compromised Dynamics in a Neoliberal Era

Description

In the field of ethnic relations the complex, often tortuous, interactions among academic researchers, research funders and those who use the research often result in social policy interventions that are poorly conceived and flawed in their implementation. In this unique book, the contributors seek to develop a dialogue about the multiple constraints that skew research and its findings, and to kick-start a wider debate about the political context of current research and policy. In doing so, they aim to produce a renewed awareness of the current links between research and social policy in ethnic relations and to provide a critically reflexive basis for shaping interventions. It will be of interest to academics working in higher and further education as well as to students at higher undergraduate and postgraduate level, and to a wide range of people working in ethnic relations policy fora.

Charles Husband is an interdisciplinary social scientist with a commitment to policy-relevant research in the area of ethnic relations. He is Professor Emeritus in Social Analysis at the University of Bradford (UK), Docent in Sociology at the University of Helsinki (Finland), and Visiting Professor at the Sami University College (Norway).

"This engrossing and timely collection of critical perspectives explores the impact of the commodification of knowledge on contemporary ethnic relations, suggesting an urgent need for establishing a more effective dialogue between policymakers and social scientists." Professor Michael Meadows, Griffith Centre for Cultural Research, Brisbane, Australia "A lucid collection at the cutting edge of critical engagement with how academic research may be used or ignored, this book stands out as a novel and distinct contribution to our understanding and will be of vital use to researchers and practitioners alike." Dr Nasar Meer, Reader in Comparative Social Policy and Citizenship, Strathclyde University "A richly rewarding collection that challenges both academics and policymakers to think differently about how we can develop better policy agendas in this complex field" Professor John Solomos, Department of Sociology, University of Warwick "Combining reflective and detailed case studies and thoughtful theoretical accounts, this collection provides a well-judged and challenging intervention in how academic research and policymaking in the field of 'ethnic relations' intersect." Dr Gavan Titley, National University of Ireland Maynooth