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Research Interests

Globalisation

Globalisation remains a central area of discussion across the social sciences and researchers at CRSPS represent some highly innovative interventions in this important debate. This includes:

  • Examination of cultures of Asian-centred globalisation
  • the globalisation of discourses of women’s rights
  • regionalism and multi-level governance
  • environment, sustainability and climate change
  • political leadership
  • political philosophy
  • globalisation and the reorganisation of public services
  • global civil society
  • international political economy, geopolitics and leadership

Gender, Sexuality and the Body

CRSPS members represent considerable expertise in the study of gender, sexuality, women’s rights and embodiment in social life. This is a growth area at Aston and current work includes:

  • an examination of women’s contraceptive choices
  • public representations of sexuality in the War on Terror
  • women’s writing and feminism theory
  • domestic violence and sleep
  • women, war and testimony
  • women in multicultural societies

Social Movements

CRSPS brings together a variety of research on social movements, political mobilisation and new and old forms of activism.

This includes work on:

  • international trade unions
  • direct action and environmental activism
  • climate change and governance
  • women’s rights and global justice campaigns
  • local campaigning against public service restructuring
  • anti-war movements and resistance to the War on Terror

Public services and social change

The maintenance, restructuring and modernisation of public services across a range of locations have initiated new waves of scholarship and political activism. CRSPS reflects the dynamism of these debates in key areas of new research, including:

  • an investigation of the experience of international students in UK universities
  • an assessment of the impact of public service modernisation in Birmingham and the West Midlands on disadvantaged communities
  • the origins and development of climate change as a global social and political issue
  • attitudes to migration and the self-organisation of migrant communities

Race, ethnicity and diverse societies

Ideas of multiculturalism and cultural diversity have been highly contentious debates in recent years. The questions of how individuals and groups understand and express identity, how different cultural groups co-exist and co-operate and the persistence of racism and racialised disadvantage all continue to pose urgent challenges to contemporary societies. Researchers at CRSPS contribute to these debates in a number of ways, including work on:

  • analysis of the impact of the War on Terror on everyday life
  • political responses to ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland
  • International student experience at UK universities
  • Religion and politics
  • Fascist literature and communications
  • Clothing, appearance and multiculturalism
  • Global cultures of racism

Birmingham and the World

Research at CRSPS spans high theoretical discussion, collaborative research and consultancy for local, regional, national and international partners. A significant aspect of all of this work is an attention to Birmingham as a city and regional centre. A number of researchers at CRSPS have expertise on local and regional matters and seek to link their discussions of social, cultural and political change to an analysis of Aston’s surroundings. Work in this area includes:

  • work with local trade unions on changes in workplaces and local services
  • an examination of services for older people in a key local authority
  • questions of heritage and belonging in the city and region
  • considerations of migration and divided societies
  • studies of citizenship and political engagement among young people
  • the impact of demographic change on the social, cultural and political landscape of Birmingham and the West Midlands