The Social Science social: New and early career researchers

Lindsay Badger (Plymouth Business School) | Mental health issues from different perspectives

Mental health issues at work is an under researched field of study but has the potential to highlight, challenge and change experiences of work for people with mental health issues. To do this though, multiple perspectives need to be considered and looked at, including the individual themselves and line managers.

The aim of the talk was to discuss these views, the importance of looking at the different viewpoints and insights for practice.

Felix Gradinger (Peninsula Medical School) | Embedded research - being helpful in the real world

What are embedded researchers-in-residence and why do we need them now?

It takes 17 years on average for evidence to reach practice. Most researchers assume it is someone else's responsibility to implement it. In the meantime, people in the real world innovate all the time without researchers learning from it. There is a clear opportunity for mutual benefit in filling these gaps and prevent waste. 

Felix talked about his experiences (good and bad) over the past five years and shared examples of the impact of co-producing knowledge for action (for example increasing capacity for mutual learning, empowering the voluntary sector, making sure the public voice is heard, holding the system to account, and identifying areas of unmet need for further research and improvement).

Suparna Bagchi (Plymouth Institute of Education) | Enacting and implementing multiculturalism in primary education

Following George Floyd’s brutal killing in the USA, important questions related to diversity and racism have resurfaced. Isabelle Mukadi, a BLM British activist said in a BBC interview that it is high time that the National Curriculum should be revised. This is because the curriculum is a reflection of the dominant social group in Britain, which has sadly resulted in a narrow, monocultural expression of the world in which the ‘others’ in the society are side-lined.

Suparna’s research questions involve:

• How do schools interpret the guidelines in the National Curriculum with respect to promotion of multiculturalism?
• How does multiculturalism permeate school life?
• What are the experiences of children, parents and practitioners with respect to cultural awareness?

Nigel Firth (School of Law, Criminology and Government) | Assaults on emergency workers - COVID crime?

Offences that could be charged against those who assault emergency services staff.

• Is the current law adequate?
• How does the law deal with those whose assault involves spitting and the threat of transmitted COVID-19?
• Is there enough being done to investigate and charge offenders?
• Are the sentences imposed sufficient?
• What needs to change?