Research projects

Principal Investigator: Dr Luke D. Graham

Funder: Hallsworth Conference Fund

This project brought together a variety of stakeholders, from across disciplines, to discuss the forgotten right to adequate clothing. This was with a view towards identifying clothing challenges and exploring the potential of these challenges to inform the meaning of the right to adequate clothing. At the same time, the project examined the potential for the right to adequate clothing to serve as a new regulatory framework to address these clothing challenges.

The project was structured around four themes. The first two themes ‘clothing longevity’ and ‘clothing consumption’ were the basis for a roundtable discussion on ‘clothing sustainability’. The second two themes ‘clothing adequacy’ and ‘clothing knowledge & dialogue’ were the basis of a second roundtable discussion on ‘clothing adequacy’. The project recognised a tension between clothing sustainability and clothing adequacy, and this was a key point of discussion.

Intersex And Healthcare in Malta: Evaluating the Operation of Malta's Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act 2015

Principal Investigator: Dr Fae Garland with Dr Mitch Travis (University of Leeds)

Funder: British Academy

In 2015, Malta introduced groundbreaking legislation in regards to intersex rights through the Gender Identity, Gender Expressions and Sex Characteristics Act (2015). Section 14 was specifically designed to protect the bodily integrity of intersex persons by prohibiting unnecessary medical interventions on intersex infants. The international reception to this was overwhelmingly positive with the GIGESC frequently depicted as the ‘gold standard’ in terms of intersex-specific law reform.

However, little is known about s.14’s actual impact and commentators have begun to identify potential flaws in the legislative framework. As States are beginning to look to Malta to inform their legislative agendas on intersex-specific matters, this project uses doctrinal and empirical methodology to evaluate the operation of s.14 GIGESC and considers what lessons States can learn as they begin to give serious thought to medical standards in this area.

Principal Investigator: Professor Geoff Pearson

Funder: N8 Research & Police Partners

The N8 Policing Research Partnership is a collaborative network comprising the N8 Universities and the 12 police forces in the north of England. Its purpose is to encourage, enable, and champion co-produced research and knowledge exchange and improve the evidence base upon which policing policy and practice are based. The N8 PRP organises events, CPD, and awards small grants for collaborative research projects focused on improving policing in the north of England and beyond.

Principal Investigators: Professor Geoff Pearson with Dr Jonathan Kasstan (University of Westminster)

Funder: Arts and Humanities Research Council

The Rethinking Research Ethics project established an academic network designed to identify problems in the ethical approval processes for (mostly qualitative) academic research in the humanities and to propose solutions. The network organised seminars and workshops to identify the main themes and then consider solutions, before reporting back to the AHRC with a number of recommendations for improving the awarding of ethical approval and the management of research projects by HEI URECs.

The project’s report is available here:

• AHRC Rethinking Research Ethics - Research Report (google.com)

Principal Investigators: Dr Elaine Dewhurst with Dr Sarah Campbell (Manchester Metropolitan University) and led by Ruth Edson, Learning Manager: Communities, Manchester Art Gallery. Conceived by Suzanne Lacey.

Funder: Arts Council England; Awards for All; ESRC Festival of Social Science; Evan Cornish Foundation; Metropolis; MICRA (Manchester Interdisciplinary Collaboration on Research into Ageing)

Uncertain Futures is an art and research project that explores experiences of work for women over 50 in Manchester. It is an immense collaborative project that examines paid and unpaid work by women over 50, focusing on gender, age, race, disability, class and migration.

14 women, all activists and leaders in their communities, constituted an Advisory Group, which met regularly over 4 years and participated in all decisions, research analysis and public events.

Working collectively to advocate for policy change, they have identified and made public the many interconnected issues confronting older women and work. The findings of this unique, co-produced art and research project are now available.

The project has:

A documentary: Suzanne Lacy Uncertain Futures - Research Findings - YouTube

A Manifesto: 507_MAG_Uncertain-Futures_Manifesto_A3_AWK_v3-2.pdf (mcrmetropolis.uk)

It’s current exhibition will be at Manchester Art Gallery until Jan 2025: Stories of Women, Work and Uncertain Futures (manchesterartgallery.org)