Review of the 3rd Social Policy Association Postgraduate Conference.
Held at the Chrystal Macmillan Building, University of Edinburgh, Thursday 26th June 2008.
The 3rd Postgraduate Conference saw postgraduate students from around the UK and internationally, gather in Edinburgh. Following on from the success of the main Social Policy Association Conference, this forum gave the opportunity for postgraduate students to present and discuss their work in a supportive and constructive environment. The range and quality of postgraduate work being presented ensured that the day was stimulating and informative.
The day covered a wide range of topics:
- Poverty and Financial Exclusion – Christopher Deeming 'Determining semi-normative poverty lines using household expenditure data' and Nicole Lederle 'The benefits of improved financial inclusion: what service users think?'
- Care – Ahmed Albar 'Is policy transfer feasible? Looked after and care leavers' perspectives towards leaving care' and LynnMarie Sardinha 'Tackling domestic violence in India through education in schools.'
- Issues in Qualitative Research – Zabidah Putit 'Researching refuge provision in Malaysia: domestic violence and challenges in qualitative data interpretation' and Rachael Dobson 'Reflections on informal methodologies: 'insiderness' and qualitative social research.'
- Social and economic transitions – Katherine Botterill 'Transnational migrant networks and the social mobility of migrant workers from the post-socialist world' and Christine Bertram 'Discretion and trust in the delivery of employment advice in not-for-profit, public or for-profit organisations.'
- Gender – Helen Graham 'Behind the times? Family policy and family change over two generations?' and Nisrine Mansour 'Feminist interfaces or gendered policy spaces: women's groups and religious law reforms in post-conflict Lebanon.'
- Devolved Social Policy – Peter John Matthews 'Mind the gap: did evolution produce a Scottish regenerational policy?' and Kannawee Suebsuk 'Fiscal capacity of local governments in Thailand: what we missed in the past.'
- Mixed Themes – Michael Rasell 'Separation, society and the state: living with disabilities in Russia, Mi Ah Schoyen 'Pensions all'Italiana: a prime example of perverse redistribution' and Yun-Ju Chen (Eva) 'A synchronisation between cultural and social policy: the social value of museums in Taiwan.'
The quality of presentations and written papers ensured that their was plenty of enthusiastic discussion throughout the event.
The event was a huge success and the positive feedback demonstrates how important the conference is for postgraduates in providing them with an opportunity to meet other researchers working on similar topics, learn about completely new areas and to make new contacts. As the new postgraduate representatives, Rachael and I are looking forward to continuing to develop the success of the postgraduate conferences, workshops and activities. My thanks go to several people in particular: to Richard Parry and Alison Scott at the University of Edinburgh for organising the facilities for the day; the SPA Executive Committee for funding the day and travel costs and in particular to Adam Whitworth for being an enthusiastic postgraduate representative, rejuvenating the postgraduate position within the Social Policy Association, organising events and being a chair at this conference. Thanks are also due to all of the postgraduates who took part and who made the day so enjoyable and interesting.
Meredith Beaumont.