Professor Paul Chaney presents civil society research findings at National Assembly for Wales seminar

On 27th June, WISERD Co-director, Professor Paul Chaney discussed the third sector’s relationship with the state with a mixed audience of assembly members, policy-makers, practitioners and members of the public, at the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay, as part of the National Assembly for Wales’s Exchanging Ideas seminar. He argued that issues of voluntary sector…

Paul Chaney gives plenary speech at the 2015 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference

This week WISERD Co-Director Professor Paul Chaney was the invited plenary speaker at the 2015 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference, which took place at the University of Leeds from 8th – 9th September. The event is the UK’s leading interdisciplinary research conference for academics, policy makers and practitioners with a shared interest in researching…

Congratulations to Paul Chaney

WISERD would like to congratulate our Co-Director Paul Chaney on his recent promotion to Professor in the 2015 round of Cardiff University promotions. Professor Chaney said he was delighted to be given a Personal Chair – and was looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues on Wiserd’s exciting research programme. Paul is Professor of Policy and…

New WISERD fieldwork explores the contemporary citizenship rights of indigenous people in south India

Professors Paul Chaney (Cardiff University) and Sarbeswar Sahoo (IIT Delhi) (pictured), in association with Dr Reenu Punnoose (IIT Palakkad) and Dr Haneefa Muhammed have been conducting fieldwork examining civil society perspectives on the contemporary citizenship rights of indigenous people in south India. This is part of research funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences. By…

Cultural genocide? Exploring civil society perspectives on the contemporary human rights situation of indigenous people in Bolivia

A new study by Professor Paul Chaney examines civil society perspectives on the contemporary human rights situation of indigenous people in Bolivia. It is part of research funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences undertaken in partnership with Professor Sarbeswar Sahoo (Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi) and Dr Reenu Punnoose (Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad)….

GE2024: Do party manifestos reflect ‘supermajority’ civil society demand for better animal protection?

WISERD Co-Director, Paul Chaney, has co-authored a new report in a project led by Dr Steven McCulloch (University of Winchester). The report entitled “Political Animals: The Democratic and Electoral Case for Strong Animal Welfare Policies in UK General Elections”[i] was commissioned as part of a campaign by 23 leading animal welfare NGOs. To locate this…

GE2024: Why party manifestos need to address civil society demands on animal welfare

WISERD Co-Director, Paul Chaney, has co-authored a new report in a project led by Dr Steven McCulloch (University of Winchester). The report entitled “Political Animals: The Democratic and Electoral Case for Strong Animal Welfare Policies in UK General Elections”[i] was commissioned as part of a campaign by 23 leading animal welfare NGOs. To locate this…

Ymchwil newydd y gymdeithas sifil ar ddiwylliannau ac ieithoedd brodorol yn India

Mae’r Athro Paul Chaney a’r Athro Sarbeswar Sahoo (Sefydliad Technoleg India, Delhi) wedi cael grant Her Fyd-eang newydd gan Academi’r Gwyddorau Meddygol ac maen nhw’n dechrau prosiect sy’n edrych ar gymdeithas sifil a diwylliannau ac ieithoedd brodorol yn India. Byddan nhw’n gweithio ar y cyd â Dr Reenu Punnoose (Sefydliad Technoleg India, Palakkad). Mae’r astudiaeth…

Civil society and animal welfare lobbying in India

In October, as part of WISERD’s civil society and animal welfare research, a workshop was held in New Delhi. Academics present included co-investigators Professors Paul Chaney and Sarbeswar Sahoo, along with Research Associates Dr Pooja Sharma and Dr Debashree Saikia (pictured). Our work involves comparative analysis of developments in Wales, Scotland, England and India. We…

Civil society and animal welfare lobbying at Westminster

As part of a series of blog posts on WISERD’s civil society and animal welfare research, here we look at the views and experiences of civil society organisations (CSOs) lobbying Westminster for better animal welfare. These are emerging findings taken from a series of in-depth interviews with campaigners. This is worth studying because over recent…

Llyfr newydd gan WISERD ar gymdeithas sifil mewn oes o ansicrwydd

Mae llyfr newydd a olygwyd gan Paul Chaney ac Ian Rees Jones yn cyflwyno canfyddiadau gwreiddiol ac yn casglu elfennau craidd theori i dynnu sylw at rai o’r heriau dybryd sy’n wynebu cymdeithas sifil. Dyma’r gyfrol olygedig ddiweddaraf i’w chyhoeddi fel rhan o gyfres llyfrau Civil Society and Social Change gyda Policy Press ac mae’n…

Ymchwil newydd yn archwilio effaith datganoli ar lunio polisi cymdeithasol yng Nghymru

Mae llyfr newydd yn cynnwys ymchwil gan gyd-gyfarwyddwr WISERD, yr AthroPaul Chaney ar effaith datganoli ar lunio polisi cymdeithasol yng Nghymru. Mae “polisi cymdeithasol” yma yn cyfeirio at ymyriadau polisi’r llywodraeth i wella llesiant cymdeithasol. Mae’n cynnwys y rhan fwyaf o’r meysydd polisi a ddatganolwyd i Gymru o dan Ddeddfau datganoli olynol ers 1998, gan…

Cynhadledd Flynyddol WISERD 2022

Ar 6 a 7 Gorffennaf, daeth dros 140 o gynrychiolwyr, cyflwynwyr ac arddangoswyr o bum prifysgol bartner WISERD a thu hwnt ynghyd ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe i gynnal Cynhadledd Flynyddol gyntaf WISERD ers dechrau’r pandemig. Thema’r gynhadledd eleni oedd ‘Cymdeithas sifil a chyfranogiad: materion cydraddoldeb, hunaniaeth a chydlyniant mewn tirwedd gymdeithasol sy’n newid’, a denodd dros…

New civil society research highlights state repression of human rights defenders in South Asia

New research by WISERD co-director, Professor Paul Chaney examines state and civil society organisation (CSO) perspectives on the contemporary situation of human rights defenders (HRDs) in South Asia using data submissions to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the United Nations five-yearly monitoring process. “Human rights defender” refers to anyone acting to: address any human right on…

Safbwyntiau’r Gymdeithas Sifil ar Hawliau Dynol yn Affrica

Cyflwynir gan Paul Chaney Mae’r seminar hwn yn amlinellu canfyddiadau dwy astudiaeth newydd. Mae’r astudiaeth gyntaf yn dadansoddi effaith pandemig COVID-19 ar y sefyllfa hawliau dynol mewn chwe gwlad yn Nwyrain Affrica. Mae’r dadansoddiad yn amlygu gwybodaeth ‘sefyllfa-benodol’ y gymdeithas sifil am sut mae’r argyfwng byd-eang, gan gynnwys ymateb amherffaith llywodraethau yn y rhanbarth i’r pandemig,…

New civil society research confirms children’s human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

New research by WISERD Co-director Professor Paul Chaney examines civil society perspectives on children’s rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The study confirms widespread violations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Since 1967 Israel has occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In 1980, Israel officially annexed East Jerusalem…

New book on Civil Society and Citizenship in India and Bangladesh

A new book entitled ‘Civil Society and Citizenship in India and Bangladesh’ by WISERD Co-director Professor Paul Chaney and Dr Sarbeswar Sahoo of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, presents multidisciplinary research exploring the opportunities and challenges facing civil society in today’s India and Bangladesh. It informs contemporary understanding of citizenship, gender rights and social identities…

Cystadleuaeth Poster PhD WISERD 2021

Mae’n bleser gennym gyhoeddi enillydd ein Cystadleuaeth Poster PhD WISERD 2021 flynyddol. Muhao Du o Brifysgol Caerdydd sydd wedi ennill y wobr am ei boster – ‘Finding Harmony in Hardship: experiences of expatriates in subsidiaries of Chinese MNCs in the high technology sector’. Mae Emma Reardon o Brifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant wedi ennill…

New Research on Adult Social Care during the Pandemic Presented at International Conference

  WISERD Co-director Professor Paul Chaney has presented new findings on adult social care delivery during the pandemic at “Transnational and Transdisciplinary Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic – An International Symposium”. The conference was organised by Hong Kong Baptist University’s Department of Government and International Studies in association with the David C. Lam Institute for East-West…

What mass-support e-petitions on animal welfare tell us about new modes of civil society engagement with Westminster

In this second blog post, Professor Paul Chaney continues to share his research with Professors Ian Rees Jones and Ralph Fevre published by Oxford University Press and The Hansard Society, which analyses the significant rise in animal welfare petitions submitted to the UK parliament over the past decade. This analysis is part of the research project, New arenas for civic…

New modes of civic engagement – exploring Westminster public petitions on animal welfare

New research by WISERD Professors Paul Chaney, Ian Rees Jones and Ralph Fevre  published by Oxford University Press and The Hansard Society, analyses a significant rise in animal welfare petitions submitted to the UK parliament over the past decade. This analysis is part of the research project,  New arenas for civic expansion: humans, animals, and…

New research examines the electoral politics of adult social care following devolution in the UK

A global demographic shift means that an ageing population creates an unprecedent demand for adult social care. We live in an era when, for the first time, the number of older people (60+ years) will exceed younger people1. In the UK this challenge is magnified by the effects of austerity and welfare state capacity. New…

New research on civil society, welfare and the rights of persons with disabilities in the former Soviet Union

New research by WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney, analyses civil society organisations’ perspectives on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in nine former Soviet republics, latterly renamed the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Namely, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Over the past…

Seminar amser cinio WISERD ar-lein – Pleidiau, Deisebau a Gofynion Polisi’r Gymdeithas Sifil ynghylch Lles Anifeiliaid

Cyflwynir gan Paul Chaney. Mae’r seminar hon yn rhoi trosolwg o ddau ddarn o ymchwil gan CS2 WP1.2 ‘Meysydd newydd ar gyfer ehangu mewn modd dinesig: bodau dynol, anifeiliaid a Deallusrwydd Artiffisial’. Mae’n ceisio mynd i’r afael â’r cwestiwn cyffredinol: ‘Sut ac i ba raddau mae maniffestos etholiadol y Pleidiau Gwleidyddol – a deisebau cyhoeddus…

New study explores civil society perspectives on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in India

New research by WISERD Co-Director Professor Paul Chaney analyses civil society organisations’ perspectives on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) that was ratified by India in 2008. This is a benchmark study; the first to systematically examine the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights…

Exploring the issues facing third sector adult social care providers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Wales and Northern Ireland

  Research by WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney, Dr Christala Sophocleous, and Professor Daniel Wincott, provides new insights into the issues facing third sector community-based adult care services in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales and Northern Ireland. The findings come from two ESRC-funded studies that are part of WISERD’S civil society research programme. The first…

Electoral politics study reveals how devolution provides new political spaces to advance animal welfare

Research by WISERD Professors Paul Chaney, Ian Rees Jones and Ralph Fevre analyses over 1,300 pledges on animal welfare in party manifestos for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish elections from 1998 to 2017. It reveals the nature of political parties’ competition over the issue, as well as a significant increase in attention to this topic…

he Students Companion to Social Policy 6th ed. cover
Social Policy in Wales

Fully updated and expanded, the sixth edition of The Student’s Companion to Social Policy remains the most accessible and comprehensive review of UK and comparative social policy available for undergraduate students. Written and edited by leading experts in the field, this authoritative textbook covers all the perspectives, debates, issues and challenges in both the theory and practice…

New study on the electoral politics of refugees and asylum seekers reveals distinctive approaches to welfare in the different countries of the UK

New research by WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney analyses political parties’ policy record on refugees and asylum seekers in party manifestos for post-war Westminster, and post-1998 Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish elections. A refugee is someone who is outside her or his country of nationality due to a well-founded fear of persecution and who is…

Y Gymdeithas Sifil a Newid Cymdeithasol – Lansiad llyfr

Ymunwch â ni i ddathlu lansiad cyfres o lyfrau Policy Press Cymdeithas Sifil a Newid Cymdeithasol WISERD Mae’r gyfres newydd hon yn darparu safbwyntiau cymharol a rhyngddisgyblaethol ar natur cymdeithas sifil sy’n newid yn gyflym ar raddfeydd lleol, rhanbarthol, cenedlaethol a byd-eang. Mae’r pedwar llyfr cyntaf yn adrodd ar ganfyddiadau ymchwil ar draws Canolfan Ymchwil…

Ymchwilwyr yn datblygu model newydd i ddadansoddi darpariaeth lles cymdeithas sifil mewn gwledydd datganoledig

Mae astudiaeth ymchwil empirig gan Gyd-Gyfarwyddwr WISERD, yr Athro Professor Paul Chaney, Dr Christala Sophocleous a Daniel Wincott,yn cyflwyno model damcaniaethol newydd ar gyfer dadansoddi’r ffordd y mae cymdeithas sifil yn rhoi cymorth lles i ddinasyddion mewn gwledydd datganoledig. Yn rhyngwladol, systemau lles datganoledig yw’r drefn fel arfer. Mae’r ymchwil newydd hon yn ceisio archwilio ehangder y ffactorau…

Ymchwil yn tynnu sylw at atal cymdeithas sifil a thorri hawliau dynol pobl LGBT+ ym Mangladesh

Mae ymchwil newydd gan Gyd-gyfarwyddwr WISERD, yr Athro Paul Chaney, Dr Sarbeswar Sahoo (Sefydliad Technoleg Indiaidd, Delhi) a Dr Seuty Sabur (Prifysgol BRAC, Dhaka) yn dadansoddi safbwyntiau sefydliadau cymdeithas sifil ar y sefyllfa gyfoes sy’n wynebu pobl LGBT+ ym Mangladesh. Er iddo gael ei anwybyddu i raddau helaeth mewn gwaith academaidd hyd yn hyn, mae’n fater sydd…

New research reveals civil society perspectives on human rights and social welfare across UK jurisdictions

New research by WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney analyses civil society organisations’ perspectives on how the UK, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland governments are responding to their international human rights treaty obligations in the formulation and delivery of social policy. This socio-legal study is the first that examines human rights and the territorialisation of social welfare…

New Research reveals civil society perspectives on the contemporary threat to religious freedom in Bangladesh

New research by WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney and Dr Sarbeswar Sahoo (Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi) analyses civil society organisations’ (CSOs’) perspectives on religious freedom violations in Bangladesh. These have been recently thrown into stark relief following the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 2011 that confirmed Islam as the State religion of the…

Archif digidol o adroddiadau blynyddol

Mae tîm ymchwil Sefydliad Ymchwil, Data a Methodoleg Gymdeithasol ac Economaidd Cymru (WISERD), sy’n cynnwys yr Athro Paul Chaney, Dr Christala Sophocleous a’r Athro Daniel Wincott, wedi gweithio gyda Chyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru (CGGC) a Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru i greu archif digidol sy’n arwyddocaol yn hanesyddol o adroddiadau blynyddol CGGC a’i sefydliadau rhagflaenol.  Rydym yn…

WISERD’s civil society research the subject of a major new book series

The Series entitled ‘Civil Society and Social Change’ is published by Policy Press and edited by Professors Ian Rees Jones,  Mike Woods  and Paul Chaney.  This timely landmark will extend the field of knowledge, offering new criticality and providing an original set of perspectives on the challenges facing civil society in the twenty-first century. It…

New research reveals rights violations of disabled people in the Commonwealth of Independent States

New research by WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney, analyses civil society organisations’ (CSOs’)  perspectives on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Over the past decade, the majority of CIS countries have finally ratified the CRPD, offering new rights for the region’s…

WISERD yng Nghynhadledd Ymchwil Flynyddol Cyngor Cenedlaethol y Sefydliadau Gwirfoddol (NCVO)

Denodd stondin WISERD gryn ddiddordeb gan y cynadleddwyr Cafodd canfyddiadau ymchwil WISERD i gymdeithas sifil sylw amlwg yng Nghynhadledd Flynyddol Cyngor Cenedlaethol y Sefydliadau Gwirfoddol (NCVO) ym Mhrifysgol Aston yr wythnos ddiwethaf (10-11 Medi).  Cyflwynodd ymchwilwyr WISERD nifer o bapurau. Bu’r myfyriwr PhD Amy Sanders yn eu mysg, a rhannodd ganfyddiadau cychwynnol ei hymchwil ynghylch…

WISERD holds joint international conference on the Rohingya Crisis in Bangladesh

  In cooperation with the Department of Anthropology at the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, WISERD recently held a conference attended by 250 delegates on citizenship rights and the Rohingya crisis. This was part of a series of events stemming from a Global Challenge Research Fund project led by Professor Paul Chaney and Professor Nasir Uddin….

Cymrawd Gwadd o Sefydliad Technoleg India, Delhi, yn cyflwyno seminar WISERD ar Gymdeithas Sifil, Ffydd a Thrawsnewidiad Cymdeithasol yng nghefn gwlad India

Ar 25 Gorffennaf, daeth y Cymrawd Gwadd enwog, Dr Sarbeswar Sahoo o Sefydliad Technoleg India, Delhi, i gyflwyno seminar llawn gwybodaeth o dan y teitl: ‘“The Lord Always Shows the Way!” Women’s Narratives on Conversion and Social Transformation in Rural India’. Yn y cyflwyniad, dadansoddodd Dr Sahoo pam mae nifer fawr o fenywod llwythol yn…

WISERD yng Nghynhadledd Rhwydwaith Cyd-gynhyrchu Cymru

Denodd stondin arddangos WISERD lawer o ddiddordeb yng nghynhadledd flynyddol Rhwydwaith Cyd-gynhyrchu Cymru yn Wrecsam heddiw. Gallwn Gyda’n Gilydd: Cynigiodd Dathliad o Gyd-gynhyrchu a Chynhwysiant yng Nghymru gyfleoedd allweddol i rwydweithio a chysylltu ein gwaith â sefydliadau o’r trydydd sector a’r sector cyhoeddus. Nod y diwrnod oedd ystyried llunio polisïau a gwasanaethau ar y cyd,…

Eiriolaeth Cymdeithas Sifil ac Argyfwng y Rohingya ym Mangladesh: Heriau ac Atebion

Dan arweiniad yr Athro Paul Chaney, mae’r prosiect rhyngwladol hwn yn cysylltu â’r Athro Nasir Uddin o Brifysgol Chittagong, ysgolhaig rhyngwladol blaenllaw ar y Rohingyas. Mae’r cydweithrediad newydd hwn yn cyd-fynd â galwad y Gronfa Ymchwil Heriau Byd-eang (GCRF) am ymchwil newydd ar hyrwyddo hawliau dynol, llywodraethu da a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol. Trwy ganolbwyntio ar argyfwng…

New international research project announced

      WISERD has been successful in gaining funding for new international research. Led by Professor Paul Chaney, the project is entitled: ‘Civil Society Advocacy and the Rohingya Crisis in Bangladesh: Challenges and Resolutions’. Co-investigator of the new study is Professor Nasir Uddin of the University of Chittagong, a leading international scholar on the…

WISERD Politics and Governance Research Network

The WISERD Politics and Governance Research Network is a multidisciplinary network which brings together scholars who conduct and publish research that centres on Welsh politics and governance, from across the five WISERD partner universities. The Network is jointly led by Dr Matthew Wall and Dr Bettina Petersohn from Swansea University’s Department of Political and Cultural Studies. Network…

WISERD and Indian partner deliver workshop on civil society and good governance in New Delhi

    Leading academics presented as part of a two-day workshop held by WISERD and the Indian Institute of Technology, in New Delhi on 24 and 25th January. The event, ‘Civil Society and Good Governance’, was part of a project funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Global Challenges Research Fund and led by…

New WISERD Working Paper: Trust-transparency paradoxes: proceedings of an international conference

WISERD’s latest working paper outlines the  main  proceedings  of  an  international  conference  held  at Sciences Po Lyon, France, on 4 May 2018.  The symposium and subsequent working paper was led by Professor Alistair Cole (Professeur de Science Politique, Directeur du pôle Stratégie et partenariats internationaux, Sciences Po, Lyon and WISERD). The new publication pulls together…

Launch of WISERD Politics and Governance Research Network

The newly established WISERD Politics and Governance Research Network was launched at a well-attended event in Swansea today. This multidisciplinary network will bring together scholars who conduct and publish research that centres on Welsh politics and governance, from across the five WISERD partner universities. The Network is jointly led by Dr Matthew Wall and Dr…

WISERD Keynote Address at H.M. Treasury, Government Economic Service and Government Social Research Annual Conference

    On Friday 21 September 2018, WISERD Co-Director Professor Paul Chaney gave a keynote address at H.M. Treasury, Government Economic Service and Government Social Research Annual Conference in Aldersgate, London. The conference theme was ‘Better Analysis through Diversity of Thought, Place and People’. Professor Chaney presented the findings from WISERD research into international progress…

WISERD holds joint research workshop on civil society, human rights and social justice in Bangladesh

Following the recent violence and civil unrest in Bangladesh over the summer https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-45069935 some of the country’s leading human rights activists attended a one-day civil society research workshop organised by WISERD and BRAC University in Dhaka on August 30. It was held as part of the project ‘Exploring Effective Practice in Civil Society Organisations: Promotion of Human…

Female Foeticide and Bride Trafficking in India: New Perspectives from Civil Society

  Constitutionally a secular state, India is a diverse country with marked religious divides. Recent years have seen growing international and domestic concerns over multiple forms of discrimination affecting persons belonging to religious and linguistic minorities, and a growing trend of violence against members of religious minorities. There are similar worries over discrimination and oppression…

Strong WISERD presence at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) Annual Research Conference

Work from WISERD’s Civil Society Research Programme features prominently at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) Annual Conference in London, taking place today and tomorrow September 6-7. The WISERD stand (pictured) is doing brisk business with high levels of interest from conference-goers.     WISERD researchers will be presenting a raft of papers. For…

WISERD- IIT Delhi – joint Civil Society and Citizenship Research Workshop held in New Delhi

India’s leading human rights NGOs attended the two-day WISERD- Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi joint civil society Research Workshop held in New Delhi on August 17-18. It was held as part of the project ‘Exploring Effective Practice in Civil Society Organisations: Promotion of Human Rights, Good Governance and Social Justice in India and Bangladesh’ project…

WISERD Civil Society Programme at the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) Conference, Amsterdam

WISERD will have a strong presence at the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) Conference (10-13 July) hosted by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Philanthropic Studies Department. Founded in 1992, the ISTR is the major international association promoting research and education in the fields of civil society, philanthropy, and the non-profit sector. It is committed to building…

Dr Sioned Pearce awarded ESRC New Investigator funding

Dr Pearce’s successful research grant will fund the WISERD-based research project ‘Youth unemployment and civil society under devolution: a comparative analysis of sub-state welfare regimes’.  The £211,000 grant from the Economic and Social Research Council will fund a two-year project examining divergences in civil society responses to youth unemployment (policy) in the four, devolved nations…

Exploring effective practice in civil society organisations’ promotion of human rights, good governance and social justice in India and Bangladesh

This multidisciplinary research network project is jointly hosted by WISERD and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. It is funded under a Global Challenge Research Fund award from the Academy of Medical Sciences. The Principal Investigators are Professor Paul Chaney (WISERD, Cardiff) and Dr Sarbeswar Sahoo (IIT, Delhi) – in collaboration with Dr Seuty Sabur…

New WISERD civil society research in India and Bangladesh

A new WISERD international partnership project examining civil society in India and Bangladesh has been announced. The project, entitled “Exploring effective practice in civil society organisations’ promotion of human rights, good governance and social justice in India and Bangladesh” is led by Professor Paul Chaney (Cardiff University) and Sahoo Sarbeswar (Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi). Funded by the…

Syniadau mawr gan genedl fach

Noson o ddadlau a rhwydweithio fel rhan o Wythnos Cymru yn Llundain Mae Sefydliad Ymchwil Gymdeithasol ac Economaidd, Data a Dulliau Cymru (WISERD), yr IWA a Chymdeithas Ddysgedig Cymru yn eich gwahodd chi i noson o ddadlau a rhwydweithio fel rhan o Wythnos Cymru yn Llundain. Rhaglen: Cyflwyniad – Syr Emyr Jones Parry – Llywydd,…

WISERD takes civil society research to Indonesia

WISERD has been sharing research on civil society at the International Society for Third Sector Research’s tenth Asia Pacific Regional Conference hosted by CECT Trisakti University, Jakarta, Indonesia. The WISERD stall at the conference did brisk business, attracting interest from many senior academics, students, policy-makers and members of third sector organisations attending the event. Presentations…

‘It’s bringing new life in.’ Teenage parents and inter-generational values of family life

Presenter: Dr Sally Brown, School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University Chair: Professor Paul Chaney This seminar is part of the WISERD Civil Society Seminar Series and shares the findings from a new study of multi generational experiences of teenage pregnancy and parenting. It will question the idea that teenage pregnancy and parenting is problematic and…

Civil Society research presented to leading Chinese institution

Findings from the WISERD Civil Society project, ‘Territoriality and Third Sector Engagement in Policy-making and Welfare Provision’, were recently presented to two of China’s leading institutions. WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney, gave a presentation to the leading Chinese Government Research body, the Beijing-based Institute of Economic Reform. He outlined research findings on the impact of…

Young People and Brexit – One year on

The EU referendum was one of the most remarkable events in British politics for generations: it led to a redefining of the relationship between the UK and the European Union, the resignation of a sitting Prime Minister, to more young people voting than in any election since the 1990s, and it is now related to…

Social innovation in Italy

Presenters: Professor Filippo Barbera (University of Torino and Collegio Carlo Alberto) Chair: Professor Paul Chaney Location: Cardiff University As part of the 2016 WISERD Civil Society Seminar Series this seminar explores the role of “social innovators” in Italy through qualitative research. It critiques the contemporary trend of portraying social innovation purely as a functional reaction to market…

Poverty and Food Banks in Wales

Presenters: Mr David Beck and Dr Hefin Gwilym, School of Social Sciences, Bangor University Chair: Professor Paul Chaney This seminar is part of the WISERD Civil Society Seminar Series and focuses on the findings of original research on the food bank phenomenon in Wales. It will contextualise the rise of food banks in a society…

Measuring trust and transparency: Exploring a mixed methods approach

Presenters: Dr Ian Stafford and Professor Alistair Cole (Cardiff University) Chair: Professor Paul Chaney The perceived decline in trust in democracy and government has become a cliché of our times. Furthermore, transparency has frequently been identified as a potential remedy to this phenomena. However, both the concepts of ‘trust’ and ‘transparency’ have been the subject of intense…

Religious continuity and discontinuity in three generation families: Are grandparents important agents of transmission

Presenters: Professor Merril D Silverstein (Syracuse University) Chair: Professor Paul Chaney Location: Main Building, Council Chamber, Cardiff Although religiosity is often considered a personal characteristic, it is also a social product, forged by early socialization that primarily takes place in nuclear and extended families. In this presentation I examine the strength with which religious attitudes, beliefs, and…

Civil Society and Democratization in India

Presenter: Professor Sahoo Sarbeswar (Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi) Chair: Professor Paul Chaney This seminar examines how Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), as part of civil society, contribute towards democratization in India and what conditions facilitate or inhibit their contribution. On the basis of in-depth empirical analysis and comparative case studies of three developmental NGOs that work among the…

Strong WISERD presence at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) Annual Research Conference

Work from WISERD’s Civil Society Research Programme featured prominently at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) Annual Conference in Nottingham, September 7-8. The WISERD stand (pictured) did brisk business with high levels of interest from conference-goers. Dr David Dalimore (WISERD, Bangor University) gave a paper on ‘Place, Belonging and the Determinants of Volunteering’. This presented…

WISERD Co-Director named ‘Man of the Year’

WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney has been named Chwarae Teg’s ‘Man of the Year’. The organisation recognised Professor Chaney “as a true advocate for gender equality through his writing and policy influence, which has had an impact on the lives of women in Wales and beyond.” Chwarae Teg is Wales’ leading gender equality charity and…

WISERD Co-Director gives keynote address at ‘Gender in Wales Then and Now’ conference

On Wednesday 7th June, WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney gave a keynote address on Women, Civil Society, Politics and Policy-making at the College of Human and Health Sciences (CHHS), Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and University of Wales Press Research conference, ‘Gender in Wales Then and Now’ at Swansea University. In the presentation, Professor Chaney…

‘Without European intervention, equality for disabled people in Britain would be a distant dream’ reasons WISERD Co-director

Research by WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney, reveals the institutionalised ableism of parliament. In his recent article on The Conversation, he emphasises that without the EU’s help, the situation for disabled people could become even worse than it already is. “The representation of disabled people in government has never been more important. In 2014, 19%…

Without European intervention, equality for disabled people in Britain would be a distant dream

The representation of disabled people in government has never been more important. In 2014, 19% of British residents said that they were disabled. The country also has an ageing population and 42% of state pension age adults – 5m people altogether – are living with disabilities. Before the EU referendum, fears abound that the laws in place to help and protect…

WISERD gender equality in politics research highlighted on International Women’s Day 2017

WISERD Co-Director, Professor Paul Chaney’s research into gender equality and public policy was featured in an International Women’s Day blog written for the ESRC by former political correspondent and Daily Telegraph social affairs correspondent, Sarah Womack. International Women’s Day 2017 took place on 8th March with the theme: #BeBoldForChange. The aim of this globally-supported day…

WISERD Presentation at Westminster – Accountability: Re-thinking Feminist Policy Actors and Interventions

On Tuesday 17 January Professor Paul Chaney presented findings from the WISERD Civil Society Programme research project ‘Territoriality and Third Sector Engagement in Policy-Making’ at the House of Commons. The presentation at the ESRC ‘Feminizing Politics: Voice, Access and Accountability’ seminar highlighted the role of civil society as political space for accountability with a focus…

New WISERD Research on Civil Society and Equality in Seven Middle Eastern States

A new study by Professor Paul Chaney provides new insight into why Middle Eastern states continue to languish at the bottom of world rankings on gender equality. The core finding relates to the policy process, and poor communication and dialogue between governments and the communities they serve. In short, despite their UN obligations to engage…

WISERD Research presented at Launch of New Book “Our Changing Land: Revisiting Gender, Class and Identity in Contemporary Wales”

On Wednesday 27 October Professor Paul Chaney presented findings from “Territoriality & Third Sector Engagement in Policy-Making and Welfare Provision” – a project that is part of the WISERD Civil Society Programme. These have been published in a chapter (‘Women and Policy-Making: Devolution, Civil Society and Political Representation’) – in a new edited collection by…

Visiting International Fellow Presents WISERD Seminar on “Civil Society and Democratization in India”

Thursday 20th October saw Professor Paul Chaney introduce Visiting International Fellow Professor Sahoo Sarbeswar of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Professor Sarbeswar was giving the latest in the WISERD civil society seminar series at Cardiff University. The presentation examined how Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), as part of civil society, contribute towards democratization in India. In…

International Research from WISERD’s Civil Society Programme Reveals Gender Equality Challenges across the UN’s five sub-regions of Africa

Research by Professor Paul Chaney examines civil society organizations input into African states’ implementation of the gender mainstreaming (GM) goals set out in the United Nations’ Beijing Declaration. The Declaration is explicit in its requirement that, in the course of their efforts to promote gender equality, state signatories secure: ‘the participation and contribution of all…

WISERD at the 2016 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference

WISERD research was given prominent attention at the 2016 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference. This is one of the UK’s foremost forums for research on civil society and the third sector, with diverse presentations from academics and practitioners. It was jointly hosted by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Voluntary Sector Studies…

New Social Theory Research from WISERD: Civil Society and Political Representation

New research by Professor Paul Chaney has been published in the leading international academic publication Journal of Civil Society (Routledge, T & F, Impact factor 1.22). It argues that existing studies generally fail to systematically examine the way that contextual factors shape political representation outside of political parties, government and the formal business of electing parliamentarians….

New Research Investigates Parliamentary Scrutiny and the Representation of Women and Disabled People in Westminister

On the 19th July, as part of the WISERD Cardiff Lunchtime Seminar Series, Professor Paul Chaney, WISERD Co-Director, outlined the findings of his research on parliamentary scrutiny and the representation of women and disabled people at Westminster. The work explores patterns and processes of “substantive representation” over the post-war period. This term refers to the situation whereby…

WISERD Attends International Third Sector Conference in Sweden

WISERD was present at the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) 12th International Conference at Ersta Skondal University College, Stockholm, Sweden. This year the conference theme was ‘The Third Sector in Transition: Accountability, Transparency, and Social Inclusion’. The WISERD stall did brisk business attracting interest from the many conference-goers drawn from all over the…

WISERD at the Research in Practice Leaders’ Forum

On June 10th Professor Paul Chaney was an invited plenary speaker at the Research in Practice Leaders’ Forum Conference in Birmingham. The Forum brings together Directors, assistant directors and strategic managers across a network of 80+ major third sector organisations and local authorities. This year’s conference centred on the topic of devolution and its implications…

WISERD Engagement – Civil Society Seminar: “Hidden Entrepreneurs? Social Innovation in Italy”

On May 12th WISERD was pleased to welcome Professor Filippo Barbera (University of Torino and Collegio Carlo Alberto) who gave the latest seminar in the WISERD Civil Society series. Chaired by WISERD Co-Director Prof Paul Chaney, his interesting and well-attended presentation explored the role of “social innovators” in Italy. Drawing on a qualitative research design…

New International Research from WISERD: Civil Society Perspectives on Gender Equality in Post-Conflict States

New International Research from WISERD published in the journal World Development* presents civil society perspectives on gender equality in post-conflict states. This comparative study by Professor Paul Chaney examined developments in twelve-countries including:  Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Georgia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. The findings reveal the specific data and governance challenges that exist in war-affected states as…

WISERD Engagement – with Cardiff University’s new Crime and Security Research Institute

On Monday 11th April WISERD Co-Director Professor Paul Chaney addressed a research community building conference at Cardiff SWALEC Stadium organised by Cardiff University’s new Crime and Security Research Institute (CSRI). This engagement activity is part of ongoing work to develop social science collaboration in Wales. Under the Directorship of Professor Martin Innes, the CSRI will…

International Research from WISERD’s Civil Society Programme Reveals Gender Equality Challenges in India and Nepal

A new study by Professor Paul Chaney reveals how governments in South Asia are failing to fully engage and respond to civil society organisations’ policy demands on women’s rights and representation. ‘Under the terms of a key United Nations’ agreement of 1995 (globally subscribed to by 180+ states), countries are required to listen and respond…

Women’s marginalisation in post-war UK politics

On 2nd February Prof Paul Chaney presented the findings of a recent study of political representation to a seminar organised by the Chwarae Teg Research Hub. The paper analysed the parliamentary scrutiny of the substantive representation of women (SRW) in UK Governments’ Post-War legislative programmes. The SRW refers to the situation whereby women’s needs and…

WISERD Engagement – December Meetings of the Research User Group & Language, Culture and Identity Research Network

  Dr Ceryn Evans presents to the Research User Group   December has seen further key activities as part of WISERD’s engagement work. December 15th saw the meeting of WISERD’s Research User Group – whilst earlier in the month, the Language, Culture and Identity Research Network met on December 4th. Both are integral to linking…

WISERD at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action Annual Conference 2015

The WISERD Stand was busy at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action Annual Conference 2015. Held in Llandudno, it is the leading third sector conference in Wales. This year’s event was valuable in developing existing strong links between third sector organisations and colleagues working on the Institute’s ESRC- funded Civil Society Programme. Welsh Government minister…

WISERD Engagement Events

UN Year of Evaluation – Welsh Government Event Series – 17th November 2015 Dr Dan Evans attends the WISERD stand as the Welsh Government picks up the “evaluation torch” with a series of daily policy and research events at the Crown Buildings in Cardiff to mark the UN Year of Evaluation in 2015 (www.unevaluation.org ). WISERD…

WISERD Civil Society Research Centre Launch – In Pictures

On Thursday 5th February, 2015, WISERD’s flagship Civil Society Research Centre enjoyed its official launch. The event was attended by some of the world’s foremost academics, public and policy stakeholders, and civil society organisations. Speakers included: Ruth Marks (MBE), Chief Executive of the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA); Rhodri Morgan, former First Minister for Wales;…

WISERD yn cyhoeddi ymchwil newydd ar gymdeithas sifil, lles a llywodraethu yn Tsieina

  Dros y tair blynedd ddiwethaf, mae WISERD wedi bod yn rhan o’r cynllun rhyngwladol llwyddiannus Uwch Gymrodoriaeth Newton gydag Academi’r Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol Tsieina (CASS)  a ariannwyd gan yr Academi Brydeinig. Arweiniwyd y cynllun gan yr Athro Sin Yi Cheung (Ysgol y Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol, Prifysgol Caerdydd), Dr Xiao Lin (Academi’r Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol Tsieina, Beijing), yr…