Investigating the 'gender critical' influence on policymaking in the UK through a novel methodology in interpretive policy analysis

通过解释性政策分析的新颖方法来调查“性别批评”对英国政策制定的影响

• 批准号: ES/Y007468/1
• 负责人: Zoe Rubenstein
• 金额: $ 12.14万
• 依托单位: University of Brighton
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FY007468%2F1
• 关键词: Investigating; gender; critical; influence; policymaking

This application sets out a programme of work which will allow me to study 'gender critical' advocacy through the lens of interpretive policy analysis (IPA) and field theory (Bourdieu, 1984, 1996) to better understand policymaking in the UK. By 'gender critical', I refer to the set of discourses deployed by thosewho seek to limit trans rights or resist gender self-identification on the basis of an essentialist understanding of sex/gender. A key contribution of my PhD was to show how policy could be studied by focusing on the everyday practices of policy actors, who operate with their own aims and preconceptions,within particular structural constraints.For my PhD I developed an innovative pairing of IPA and field theory to demonstrate that a practice-based approach can bring valuable insights. Although some scholars in IPA have explored practice (Wagenaar and Cook, 2003; Behagel et al., 2017; Bartels, 2018), and others have noted similarities between field theory and IPA (Fligstein and McAdam, 2012; Brenninkmeijer, 2018), these approaches had not been deployed together. Doing so enabled me to explore macro and micro influences on policy change, and show how actors create policy in the context of a specific set of macro-cultural influences.I am a fluent and reflexive qualitative researcher, and I approach data generation and analysis with confidence and curiosity. As an expert in the methodology I developed, I am in a unique position to bring it to an urgent area of policy change, that of the 'gender critical' influence on policymaking in the UK. In so doing, I will continue to enrich the tradition of IPA with my methodological contributions, and provide much needed insight into concerning changes in policy in the UK relating to trans inclusion.Individuals who may define as 'gender critical' frequently indicate that they feel silenced, and appear to be a minority voice. Nevertheless, some arguments appear to be influencing policymaking in the UK. For example, in December 2022 the Scottish Government passed a Bill simplifying the process of obtaining aGender Recognition Certificate (GRC), but it was blocked by the UK government (Sim, 2023). This happened in spite of the Bill having been consulted on twice, both times finding a majority of respondents in favour ofthe changes (Scottish Government, 2023), and a poll in which 57 per cent of Scottish people surveyed agreed that it should be easier to get a GRC. It is this puzzle that I plan to create the conditions to research during the ESRC postdoctoral fellowship.The proposed programme of work is designed to generate societal impact and to form a crucial step in my career trajectory. These aims are entwined, as I am committed to pursuing research which contributes to a greater understanding of issues with relevance to policy, and leads to positive, considered policymaking. I am personally motivated by this topic, and intend to remain close to the issue on a long-term basis. The fellowship will give me the tools and capacity to design and pilot a research project investigating 'gender critical' discourse from an IPA perspective. This is likely to be small-scale, qualitative, and to incorporate the perspectives of those who engage in 'gender critical' advocacy.Being based at the Brighton Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender would give me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of the prevailing discourse surrounding the issue in a gender inclusive research environment with expertise across LGBTQ+ research and gender and citizen rights. The workplan is designed to pave a trajectory from my position post-PhD to one I intend to occupy as an established academic. I finish my PhD an expert in practice-based approaches to IPA with an orientation to issues relating to sexual harm. I plan to retain the methodological expertise, entrench myself in the discipline of IPA and establish myself in gender studies, fostering an expertise on gender inclusive policymaking.

该申请制定了一个工作计划，使我能够通过解释性政策分析（IPA）和场域理论（Bourdieu，1984，1996）的视角研究“性别批判”倡导，以更好地理解英国的政策制定。我所说的“性别批判”，是指那些基于对性别的本质主义理解而寻求限制跨性别权利或抵制性别自我认同的人所使用的一系列话语。我的博士学位的一个关键贡献是展示了如何通过关注政策参与者的日常实践来研究政策，这些政策参与者在特定的结构限制内以自己的目标和先入之见运作。在我的博士学位中，我开发了 IPA 和领域的创新配对理论证明基于实践的方法可以带来有价值的见解。尽管 IPA 的一些学者已经探索了实践（Wagenaar 和 Cook，2003；Behagel 等，2017；Bartels，2018），而其他学者也注意到了场论和 IPA 之间的相似之处（Fligstein 和 McAdam，2012；Brenninkmeijer，2018），这些方法尚未一起部署。这样做使我能够探索对政策变化的宏观和微观影响，并展示行动者如何在一组特定的宏观文化影响的背景下制定政策。我是一名流利且反思性的定性研究员，我使用以下方法进行数据生成和分析：信心和好奇心。作为我所开发的方法论的专家，我处于独特的地位，可以将其带入政策变革的紧迫领域，即“性别关键”对英国政策制定的影响。在此过程中，我将继续用我的方法论贡献来丰富 IPA 的传统，并提供有关英国跨性别包容性政策变化的急需的见解。那些可能定义为“性别批判”的个人经常表示，他们觉得沉默了，而且似乎是少数人的声音。尽管如此，一些论点似乎正在影响英国的政策制定。例如，2022 年 12 月，苏格兰政府通过了一项简化获得性别承认证书（GRC）流程的法案，但遭到英国政府的阻止（Sim，2023）。尽管该法案已被征求两次意见，但这种情况还是发生了，两次都发现大多数受访者都支持这些变化（苏格兰政府，2023年），并且在一项民意调查中，57％的受访苏格兰人同意应该更容易获得GRC。正是这个难题，我计划在 ESRC 博士后奖学金期间创造研究条件。拟议的工作计划旨在产生社会影响，并形成我职业轨迹中的关键一步。这些目标是相互交织的，因为我致力于开展研究，这有助于更好地理解与政策相关的问题，并导致积极、深思熟虑的政策制定。我个人对这个话题很感兴趣，并打算长期关注这个问题。该奖学金将为我提供设计和试点一个研究项目的工具和能力，从 IPA 的角度调查“性别批判”话语。这可能是小规模的、定性的，并且纳入了那些从事“性别批判”倡导者的观点。在布莱顿性欲和性别转变中心让我有机会加深对当前流行趋势的理解。在性别包容的研究环境中围绕该问题进行讨论，并拥有 LGBTQ+ 研究以及性别和公民权利方面的专业知识。该工作计划旨在为我从博士后职位到我打算成为一名知名学者的职位铺平一条轨迹。我完成了博士学位，成为基于实践的 IPA 方法方面的专家，重点关注与性伤害相关的问题。我计划保留方法论方面的专业知识，巩固自己在 IPA 学科中的地位，并在性别研究中确立自己的地位，培养性别包容性政策制定方面的专业知识。