Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series

KESS provides a forum to present and disseminate research findings in a straightforward format. Watch the seminars here.

The Northern Ireland Prison Reform Programme: Progress Made and Challenges Remaining

Dr Michelle Butler (QUB)  With the devolution of justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly following the Hillsborough Agreement (2010), a commitment was given to undertake a review of prison conditions, management and oversight. The findings emerging from this review fed into a significant penal reform programme which was launched in 2011 (DOJNI, 2011). In… Continue Reading The Northern Ireland Prison Reform Programme: Progress Made and Challenges Remaining

Children’s attitudes towards old age: findings from the Kids Life and Times Survey 2015

Dr Gemma M. Carney and Dr Paula Devine (QUB) Mindful of Northern Ireland’s history of religious and ethnic segregation, this paper investigates another, more prevalent form of segregation: age segregation. Public policy tends to divide people into age groups by virtue of the ‘natural’ association of childhood with schooling, middle age with work and old… Continue Reading Children’s attitudes towards old age: findings from the Kids Life and Times Survey 2015

A Question of Sport: Perspectives of Children and Young People

Dr Dirk Schubotz, Dr Katrina Lloyd and Dr Martina McKnight (QUB)  In 2015 ARK surveyed children and young people, who were at the end of their primary and post-primary education respectively, about their experiences of sport and physical activity. A module of questions on sport was included in the Kids Life and Times (KLT) survey… Continue Reading A Question of Sport: Perspectives of Children and Young People

Negativity toward immigrant out-groups among Northern Ireland’s Youth – are younger cohorts becoming more tolerant?

Dr Stefanie Doebler (University of Liverpool), Dr Ruth McAreavey, Prof Sally Shortall and Dr Ian Shuttleworth (QUB) Negativity toward immigrants is a known problem in Northern Ireland. Media reports of racist hate crimes have been so frequent that Northern Ireland was famously dubbed the ‘race hate capital of Europe’. There exist several accounts on this,… Continue Reading Negativity toward immigrant out-groups among Northern Ireland’s Youth – are younger cohorts becoming more tolerant?

Options for public debt management

Dr Dimitris P. Sotiropoulos (OU) Austerity policies in the wake of the 2008 global financial meltdown have left a host of developed capitalist economies struggling with very high levels of sovereign indebtedness. Given that prospects for economic growth still remain anaemic, and that financial risks have not been completely eliminated, the recovery process is slow… Continue Reading Options for public debt management

Unlocking Benefits and Opportunities through Social Infrastructure

Dr Sharon McClements, Prof Martin Haran and Mr Andrew McErlane (Ulster) Research has established that social infrastructure provision positively influences economic growth and social development, and a review of historical spending in NI indicates an identified need to upgrade and replace social infrastructure. Yet, as the UK Government continues to implement its austerity policies, the… Continue Reading Unlocking Benefits and Opportunities through Social Infrastructure

Competitiveness Scorecard for NI

Mr Richard Johnston and Miss Laura Heery (Ulster) Competitiveness is a key driver in the rate of economic growth and living standards.  Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC) developed the Competitiveness Scorecard on behalf of the Economic Advisory Group, taking a similar approach to the Republic of Ireland’s National Competitiveness Council.  The Scorecard benchmarks NI’s… Continue Reading Competitiveness Scorecard for NI

Tensions in Abortion law and policy, and effects on women

Dr Lesley Hoggart, (OU) and Prof Sally Sheldon (Kent University) – Tensions in Abortion law and policy, and effects on women This presentation will focus on the tensions between the legal and policy framework for abortion, and women’s abortion experiences, throughout the UK. First, we will report on a mixed methods study into different aspects… Continue Reading Tensions in Abortion law and policy, and effects on women

Beyond Article 8

Dr Kathryn McNeilly (QUB) – Beyond Article 8: The European Convention on Human Rights and Abortion in Cases of Fatal Foetal Abnormality and Sexual Crime In November 2015 the Northern Ireland High Court determined prohibition of abortion in Northern Ireland in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and sexual crime incompatible with Article 8 of the… Continue Reading Beyond Article 8