News and Blog

The ADR Wales team within the Welsh Government has been shortlisted for a Civil Service Award, one of the most respected honours recognising excellence across the UK Civil Service. The Civil Service Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across government showcasing inspirational individuals and innovative projects that deliver real benefits for citizens. ADR Wales has been recognised…

A new book by Professors Paul Chaney and Sarbeswar Sahoo was published on 26 September by Policy Press, an imprint of Bristol University Press. Civil Society Activism and Animal Welfare Rights provides a timely and in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of animal rights and governance. The new volume argues that despite increasing legal recognition…

A history of deprivation in the South Wales Valleys has shaped its young men’s aspirations and views of masculinity, Cardiff University research shows. Dr Richard Gater conducted in-depth interviews with young men aged 13-21 who were living in the Aber Valley, in the borough of Caerphilly. The study explored their transition from school to work…

In an exciting new collaboration, WISERD’s UnionMaps data has been integrated into Strike Map,  a worker-powered and funded map of industrial action, which has mapped 230,000 strikes since 2020. The combined functionality of both platforms will allow users to see union strength in the areas where industrial action is happening. Rhys Davies, WISERD co-director and…

ADR Wales has been awarded almost £26million to continue its ground-breaking work using administrative data to inform public policy and improve lives across Wales. The funding will run from 2026-2031 and was officially announced today by the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS during his address to delegates at the ADR UK Conference in Cardiff. Following…

UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has awarded more than £1m to a research team from Swansea and Aberystwyth universities to lead the Welsh Election Study 2026 (WES 2026), a four-year project that will provide high-quality, impartial survey data on political attitudes and voting behaviour in Wales. The collaboration brings together Professor Matt Wall…

On the 30 June and 1 July, the 15th WISERD Annual Conference took place at Aberystwyth University, welcoming over 130 delegates. The agenda comprised 14 paper sessions, two panels, and three symposia and workshops under the theme of ‘Participation and partnership in a time of precarity and polarisation’. For the first time, this year’s agenda…

From 8 to 11 July 2025, the WISERD Politics and Governance Research Network held a four-day Quantitative Methods Bootcamp at Swansea University. This intensive course was led by Dr Kevin Fahey, Assistant Professor in Politics at Nottingham University and included lectures, practical demonstrations, hands-on practice and group work. Its aim was to provide essential training…

The WISERD Annual Conference 2025 took place at Aberystwyth University on Monday 30 June and Tuesday 1 July. Scroll through the gallery below to see some of our favourite moments from the event.        

We are delighted to announce that the keynote speaker for the WISERD Annual Conference 2025 is Professor Irene Hardill from Northumbria University. Professor Hardill’s keynote address will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the crucial role of civil society and charities in addressing inequality and unmet needs. It will also explore research examining voluntary action…