Description

About The Book

Exploring the relationships between qualitative research and social change, this book asks how social change is informed and influenced by research. Examples discussed are from research practice and experiences in the fields of sociology, social work, professional practice, education, criminal justice and anthropology.

Table Of Contents

Introduction: The Importance of Qualitative Research to Social Change – Preliminary

Considerations;

P. Cox, T. Geisen and R. Green

PART I: EXPLORING CONCEPTS AND APPROACHES

Changing Research, Research for Change: Exploring the Perspectives of Complexity Science; P.

Cox

The Notion of Ambivalence: Human Action and Social Change Beyond Analytical

Individualism; T. Geisen

A Complex Terrain of Words and Deeds: Discourse, Research and Social Change; S. Hicks and C.

Taylor

PART II: WELFARE ISSUES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Bringing about Social Change: The Role of Community Research; R. Green

Forum Theatre as a Participatory Tool for Social Research and Development: A Reflection on

'Nobody is perfect': A Project with Homeless People; M. Wrentschur

Psycho-social Perspectives in Policy and Professional Practice Research; C. Miller, P.

Hoggett and M. Mayo

PART III: ISSUES IN RESEARCH

Evaluating Risk Assessment: A Methodological Study of Mentally Disordered Offenders in the

London Probation Area;

W. Fitzgibbon

Educational Research Need Not Be Irrelevant; Z. Bekerman

Policy Analysis in Education – Multiplicity as a Key Orientation for Research; K. Kraus

Bibliography

About The Authors

Pat Cox is Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow, Research-informed Teaching in the

Department of Social Work, University of Central Lancashire, UK. Her research focuses on

children, young people and their families.

Thomas Geisen is Researcher and Lecturer in the School of Social Work, University of Applied

Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. His field of interest are work/ labour relations, migration,

violence and social theory, in which he has published widely.

Roger Green is Director of the Centre for Community Research, University of Hertfordshire, UK.

He is a sociologist specializing in applied social research and a community activist.