Position Details

School of Government 

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £34,980 to £44,263 with potential progression once in post to £46,974

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to August 2026 

Closing date: 21st May 2024

Background

The Research Fellow will contribute to the research project INSPIRE.

INSPIRE (Intersectional Spaces of Participation: inclusive, resilient, embedded) is funded by Horizon Europe/ UKRI and aims to strengthen intersectional inclusion in participatory deliberative processes.

INSPIRE brings together 17 partners across Europe and will:

• Assess past and current participatory deliberative processes through an intersectional lens to identify the explanatory factors that facilitate and/or hinder inclusion/ exclusion patterns
• Investigate the constraints and affordances generated by the interplay between social, economic and political conditions in the configuration and development of participatory assemblage
• Co-design and co-deliver intersectionally-inclusive participatory assemblages through engagement with marginalised groups
• Coproduce new learning and action with public officials, citizens and a range of stakeholders to inform a more inclusive, and yet pragmatic, approach to participatory design and practice

The School of Government is intellectually vibrant with an excellent record in both research and teaching. It provides a supportive environment, enabling colleagues to engage internationally, build networks and deliver excellent teaching and research. Resources are available to facilitate research, grant capture, and impact and engagement activities. Staff are encouraged and supported to be innovative in their teaching, enabling students to thrive and build firm foundations in the discipline. 

The School of Government comprises the Department of Political Science and International Studies, the Department of Public Administration and Policy (formerly Institute of Local Government Studies), and the International Development Department. We are one of the largest Schools of Government in the United Kingdom – home to more than 90 full-time academic staff, more than 1,500 undergraduate and taught postgraduate students, and more than 70 doctoral researchers.  

Role Summary

The role will support the consortium, by working closely with Dr Sonia Bussu to 1) co-design inclusive participatory spaces with marginalised groups to affect policy and social change and 2) coproduce more inclusive approaches to participatory designs with citizens and policymakers. A brief overview of the project is available here.

You will work on two main project aims:

Aim 1:

Co-design and co-create intersectionally-inclusive participatory processes through engagement with marginalised groups       

• Objective 1.1 - work with marginalised groups to gain understanding of different communicative and engagement norms, behaviours and needs, by using arts-based and creative methods of engagement that can strengthen inclusiveness and intersectionality 
• Objective 1.2 - co-analyse patterns of participation across a diverse range of lived experiences and intersectionalities, to unlock and embed opportunities for marginalised groups’ voice and impact 
• Objective 1.3 - assess inclusion/exclusion patterns emerging through rapid digitalization and coproduce solutions with affected groups that are context-/culture-sensitive and margin-responsive 

Aim 2:

Coproduce new learning and action with public officials, citizens and a range of stakeholders to inform a more inclusive, and yet pragmatic, approach to participatory design and practice

• Objective 2.1 - establish pathways to impact through knowledge coproduction with a range of stakeholders, including groups experiencing intersectional oppressions, public officials, practitioners and activists, through digital and analogue platforms 

Specifically, the Research Fellow will:

• Support the development and evaluation of a UK-based participatory process, working with diverse groups of young people experiencing intersectional oppressions to influence youth policies;
• Help develop learning from across different participatory spaces co-designed with marginalised groups across the wider project (e.g., migrant women; people with disabilities; refugees from conflict zones; homeless people).

You will contribute to testing creative and arts-based methods to foster greater intersectional equality within participatory deliberative democracy processes. Some examples of the methods we plan to use: 

• Legislative Theatre (LT) where communities most impacted by oppressive institutions create a play identifying problems and co-develop solutions with public officials and an audience of spect-actors from the wider community.
• Participatory Performance Lectures combining simulated practice integrated with an art-based teaching strategy involving artistic and cognitive tools (sound design, light design, dance, argumentation, schemes presentation, critical analysis).
• Living labs as open innovation ecosystems that integrate action research and innovation processes in real communities and locations for participants to gain and coproduce knowledge and apply it in their day-to-day living.

Main Duties

Research 

• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods 
• Support young participants in the UK-based participatory process in self-evaluating their experience of being involved and their social impact, through participatory research methods
• Analyse and interpret data
• Produce and present accessible content in various formats (e.g. presentations, briefings, blog posts, journal articles) and for a range of audiences (e.g. researchers, policymakers, practitioners). 
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods

Project management 

• Undertake management/administration arising from research – e.g., communications with relevant partners and stakeholders; organising regular meetings; supporting organisations of public events
• Contribute to project-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research project
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff who may be assisting with the research 
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

Skills and Knowledge

Essential:

• Knowledge of the literature and recent practice of participatory deliberative democracy 
• Excellent ability to undertake research by preparing, setting up, conducting and recording the outcome of fieldwork
• Excellent ability to work with an interdisciplinary research team and with partners outside academia
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, and ability to share and discuss research in accessible formats for diverse audiences
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with ability to work on own initiative and meet competing deadlines
• Prepared to travel for meetings and events, and ability to work remotely (e.g. video conferences)
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively 
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly 

Desirable:

• Interest in arts-based methods of participation for social change 
• Interest in and understanding of participatory action research
• Ability to identify and address ethical issues in knowledge exchange, and public and stakeholder engagement.
• Understanding of the complex interface between research and public policy to address major societal challenges.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• PhD (or near completion) in social sciences (or considerable equivalent experience).
• Competence of qualitative research methods
• Proficiency in the use of relevant software packages such as Nvivo 

Desirable:

• Knowledge of creative and participatory research methods 
• Experience of evaluating participatory deliberative processes 
• Experience in peer-reviewed publication commensurate with career stage.

Informal enquiries to Dr Sonia Bussu, email: s.bussu@bham.ac.uk 

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.