Arts and humanities researchers in the UK have an incredible wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise to share with policymakers. The AHRC is continually pioneering new ways to increase the exposure of cutting edge research to policymakers across Government. You can see below some of things we do.
To find out more about the AHRC’s work in this area, please contact the AHRC’s communications team on publicpolicy@ahrc.ac.uk.
Policy seminars
These seminars are usually held in a Government Department, aimed at bringing together academics and policymakers to address a specific policy area. Some examples:
• Prevention of Torture. Held in partnership with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), this seminar aimed to help enhance the UK Government’ strategy on torture prevention around the world. The Human Rights and Democracy Department at the FCO said: 'The seminar generated fruitful discussion between policy officials, academics and the NGO community about how the FCO could take forward a priority area of work: torture prevention. The subject expertise and varied experience of the participants helped us to identify realistic objectives, criteria for prioritising our efforts and activities which would contribute to achieving our objectives. This has come together to form the FCO Strategy for the Prevention of Torture 2011-2015.'
• Communities and Local Government. The AHRC leads on a cross council concordat with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The primary aim of the concordat is to provide a framework for current and future collaborative activities between DCLG and RCUK to enhance knowledge exchange and improve the evidence base relevant to the Department’s strategic objectives. An additional aim is to consider ways of developing the analytical capacity both within DCLG and in the wider research community by bringing together experts in relevant policy and methodological fields with Government officials, to share new knowledge, strengthen collaboration and stimulate further research and analytical activity to produce the best cutting edge evidence.
• Contested Autonomy in Public Policy and Professional Practice. The AHRC has commissioned research to be undertaken by Professor Wayne Martin and colleagues at the University of Essex, to assess the Mental Capacity Act and the impact of case law coming through the court of protection on the delivery of frontline services affecting vulnerable people. They provide training for care workers, medical practitioners, legal professionals and others, plus they work directly with the Government officials responsible for the development of policy in this area holding regular seminars and meetings.
• Lessons Learnt from the History of British Intelligence and Security. A series of seminars were held in the summer of 2010 in partnership with King's College London (KCL) at the FCO, the Cabinet Office and The Royal United Services Institute. See details and briefing documents and what people said about the seminars. As a result of this seminar series, the AHRC is commissioning further research and seminars throughout 2011 and 2012 in partnership with Loughbrough University and the Cabinet Office to build on the previous seminars, improving and developing the relationship between historical researchers and Government.
• Parliaments and Human Rights. The AHRC has funded Professor Murray Hunt (visiting Professor of Law at Oxford and Legal Adviser to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights [JCHR]) to undertake the first systematic analysis of the work of the JCHR over the course of one Parliament. It will comprehensively assess the effectiveness of legislative - rather than judicial methods - of protecting the human rights of citizens in the UK.
• Human Rights policymaking seminar held at the Ministry of Justice. This brought together academics and policymakers to discuss future challenges in human rights policymaking in the UK. You can also read a report of the event.
• Genetic Discrimination. Held in partnership with the Human Genetics Commission (HGC), this seminar marked the start of an investigation of the concept of genetic discrimination by academics, practitioners and policymakers. Full details can be found on the HGC website.
• Preventing Violent Extremism; a seminar held at the Home Office chaired by then Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Paul Wiles.
DCMS Science and Research Advisory Committee.
The AHRC’s Chief Executive is a member of this committee, and is Chairing a group working on ageing and culture. AHRC and ESRC are also in discussion with DCMS about further ways to develop the relationship between academia and Government.
Policy fellowships
This scheme places a researcher in a policymaking organisation to work directly in a live policy tropic. Two examples are:
Public policy case studies
You can see a selection of more detailed examples of how arts and humanities researchers focus on public policy development.
Public policy survey
In February 2010, the AHRC conducted a major survey on the contribution that the UK’s arts and humanities researchers make to the development of public policy. The results of this survey are being used to develop the AHRC’s activities and priorities for the future.
You can also listen to Jonathan Breckon, then Director of Policy and Public Affairs discuss the public policy survey.
AHRC funding programmes
The AHRC funds research programmes that ask urgent policy and cultural questions that are of relevance beyond the academic community. The AHRC meets policy makers at an early stage in the development of these programmes, raising their awareness of the contribution that arts and humanities research can make and ensuring that the outcomes contribute towards the development of policy in various areas.