Society and Policy Research Cluster (SPRC)

The Society and Policy Research Cluster (SPRC) brings together scholars from Sociology, Social Policy, Criminology and the wider Social Sciences working on a diverse range of social issues, but who share the common ambition to inform positive change on policy and practice, with a measurable impact at local, national and international level. The Cluster is part of the Centre for Applied Social Sciences, Policy, Practice and Research (CASSPPR) and is embedded in a network of interdisciplinary collaborations with stakeholders in the public, private and third sector.

Our aims

The cluster aims to:

Undertake topical and rigorous research on major societal challenges, providing innovative contributions to academic debates, informing policy developments, and impacting on local communities
Communicate our research effectively to key audiences and engage actively with the public, policy makers and practitioners through events, publications, blogs and knowledge-exchange activities
Involve and reflect upon the experiences and views of the users and beneficiaries of public services and policy interventions
Support members of the cluster, including well-established academics, early career researchers and PhD students, with opportunities for exchange, mentoring, peer-advice and interdisciplinary collaboration
Develop research-led teaching activities associated with the university research themes, including undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and continuous professional development for practitioners

Research Cluster Leads

Professor Alessio D’Angelo

At the University of Derby, I am Professor of Social Policy within the School of Law and Social Sciences, where I co-direct the Centre for Criminology and Social Policy Research.

Professor Kate Moss

I specialise in applied research, project management and income generation.

Our research

Examples of recent and ongoing research within the cluster include:

International comparative research, with key partnership collaborations across Europe and Asia (including South Korea)
Research on family policy and gendered experiences of accessing welfare
Research on social inequalities, including health inequalities and with a particular focus on race and ethnicity
Migration and forced migration research, at the intersection of sociological and social policy analysis
Social network research, including on local community networks, social infrastructure and online networks of support
Education and pedagogical research, including on access to higher education and on professionalisation of police forces and other public sector workers
Research on diverse communities, societal conflicts and transitional justice
Publications and public events on policy and political developments, including on UK political parties, social movements and political leaders
Development of innovative methodology, including visual methods, oral history research, mixed-methods and community-based research

Join us

If you are interested in joining the SPRC or would like to know more about its activities, please contact Professor Alessio D’Angelo (a.dangelo@derby.ac.uk) and Professor Kate Moss (k.moss@derby.ac.uk).