I work at UWS as a Professor of Sociology & Social Policy, based in the School of Education and Social Sciences on the Paisley Campus. Prior to starting at UWS, in September 2013, I worked at Strathclyde (Associate Dean/Senior Lecturer in Sociology), Newcastle (Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy) and Glasgow (Lecturer in Social Policy) Universities. My PhD was from Edinburgh University (Social Policy & Anthropology, 2001) and my Undergraduate Degree from Dundee University (Political Science and Social Policy, 1992). My research work and writing is mainly in the field of Ethnic and Racial Studies, with a particular interest and specialism in Romani Studies. I supervise a number of PhD students in these broad areas. Phone: 07826068961 (Direct) Address: School of Social Sciences Elles Building East The University of the West of Scotland High Street Paisley, PA1 2BE Scotland
There is growing public interest in who Gypsies are, where they come from and how they have survi... more There is growing public interest in who Gypsies are, where they come from and how they have survived centuries of discrimination: all questions answered by this completely new edition of the standard introduction for professionals, first published as On the Verge (1990 and 1995) and Moving On (1999). The book looks at Gypsy and Traveller family, community and identity. It asks whether they are "moving on or here to stay" by considering government policy on sites and local authority provision, the conflict between the planning system and the establishment of privately owned sites, and by looking at the possibility that the move into bricks and mortar might not necessarily mean their extinction as a separate community. Their place within wider British society with regards to the law, health and the media is considered and the work concludes by looking at human rights and the European dimension.
--
“Here to Stay provides a politically engaged and detailed analysis of the position of Britain’s major Traveling communities. … Clark’s opening chapter provides one of the best introductions to the contentious and much-debated issues surrounding the definition, naming, origins, and ethnicity of the various Traveling populations…. Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are where the authors engage with the issue of citizenship and belonging and usefully compare the status of Gypsies/Travelers with asylum seekers.” - Becky Taylor, Journal of British Studies
--
"For anyone who wishes to teach undergraduate courses for teachers, lawyers, local authority workers, planners, policy-makers or journalists - or Traveller community activists themselves - this will be the first item on the reading list." - Thomas Acton, Ethnic and Racial Studies
Human rights impact on all of our lives every day. They belong to all of us and can be a powerful... more Human rights impact on all of our lives every day. They belong to all of us and can be a powerful driver of humane, dignified and fair reatment in our homes, our workplaces, our schools, our hospitals and are homes, in fact everywhere we go in all aspects of our everyday lives. Human rights set the conditions in which we should all be able to live with dignity, free from degrading treatment and with the capability to live a full life. Realising this potential requires the right structures and processes to be in place to influence outcomes. That means ensuring that the right laws and institutions are in place to respect, protect and fulfil the full range of civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights. It means taking effective steps to put those rights into practice, for example through policy and strategy setting and in the allocation of resources. Monitoring is also required to make sure that what happens in practice meets the requirements of international human rights law. Scotland needs a more systematic approach to assure - and not assume - the realisation of human rights in our day to day lives.
The spectre of Brexit has raised issues of concern for Roma communities living and working in Sco... more The spectre of Brexit has raised issues of concern for Roma communities living and working in Scotland and other parts of the UK. The effective ending of freedom of movement has produced new uncertainties and insecurities for people living outside their EU countries of origin, especially for those who are racialised and stigmatised by ‘hostile environment’ policies. Brexit is best understood as both a process and effect of everyday bordering as well as a continuation of historically embedded structural divisions. This paper looks at everyday Roma life in Glasgow, via the work of the NGO Romano Lav (Roma Voice), to assess how Brexit is impacting on people’s lives. Further, the paper examines how Scotland can best move forward in terms of independence and the European project. It is argued that a second independence referendum that gives full political independence to Scotland is the only way to secure future EU membership.
This paper examines the contemporary situation of different central and Eastern European Roma com... more This paper examines the contemporary situation of different central and Eastern European Roma communities who are currently living in Govanhill, Glasgow. Although adopting a microsociological and ethnographic approach, the wider European and UK political and policy context is discussed and broader structural factors, surrounding migration for example, are not overlooked. The primary focus of ongoing fieldwork in Govanhill is an attempt to witness and account for experiences and understandings of integration and stigmatisation of Roma communities, drawing on the work of Howard Becker, Erving Goffman and Richard Yarwood to assist the analysis. Theoretically and methodologically, the paper embraces an intersectional approach, including reference to the work of feminists such as Kathy Davis and Mari Matsuda. Such an approach is a
means of ensuring that issues of class and gender, alongside ethnicity, are documented and appreciated when examining the situation of Roma vis-à-vis identity, integration and community interactions. In particular, various issues around welfare
and social policy provision stand out as being principle concerns for Roma communities and service providers in Govanhill. Data from Glasgow illustrates that accommodation, employment and education are all key areas demanding further investigation to improve access, take-up and delivery of services. Responses to some of these urban policy challenges are addressed with evidence to support the argument that some successes are apparent, although there is still much work still to be done. It
is notable that some of the most successful ‘on-the-ground’projects are Roma-led, working in partnership with Glasgow City Council and other public and third sector
agencies.
Sarah Pickard (Ed.) Anti-Social Behaviour in Britain: Victorian and Contemporary Perspectives, Sep 24, 2014
Over many years the multi-ethnic Gypsy and Traveller communities of Britain have been successfull... more Over many years the multi-ethnic Gypsy and Traveller communities of Britain have been successfully constructed in Parliament and the press as being ‘anti-social’ and ‘folk devils.’ This chapter examines why Gypsy and Traveller communities have been labelled as anti-social, principally in terms of their nomadism, settlement and accommodation preferences. We ask why, wherever they settle, Gypsies and Travellers are deemed to be ‘out of place’ in Britain and the neighbours that nobody wants. We suggest that behind normative and racialised assumptions of their presumed asociality are mainstream attitudes that formed as a result of the confluence of particular socio-economic trends and cultural understandings from the mid-nineteenth century which, by the end of the twentieth century, had become firmly entrenched in the British psyche.
Mobility in Transition: Migration Patterns after EU Enlargement, Jul 1, 2013
This volume presents new research on post-accession migration from Central and Eastern Europe in ... more This volume presents new research on post-accession migration from Central and Eastern Europe in the short period since the EU enlargements of 2004 and 2007. Explanations of post-accession migration patterns, trends and mechanisms delve into the complexities of these phenomena. New groups of migrants and types of migrations are identified -- such as young migrants, often students or graduates, without family obligations and without clear plans concerning their future life. Case studies on Poland, Romania, Hungary and Latvia as well as the United Kingdom and Germany - being major destination countries - divulge the multifaceted nature of transition, whether in the form of labour migration, short-term mobility (including among international students) or return migration. The volume insightfully points towards future migration trends and sets guidelines for further research.
The Gypsy 'Menace': Populism and the new Anti-Gypsy Politics , Jun 17, 2012
Across Europe, Roma and Gypsies are suffering increasing intolerance and hostility. A new populis... more Across Europe, Roma and Gypsies are suffering increasing intolerance and hostility. A new populist politics, that seeks political meaning in collective experiences and values forms of solidarity rooted in town, class, community or nation, finds in the Roma a suitable target population to which "ordinary citizens'' fears and frustrations can be attached. This politics draws on a rising tide of xenophobia; a feeling of loss of sovereignity and democratic oversight; disillusionment with political elites; frustrations with the failure of welfare programmes; the presentation of social and political conflicts as cultural issues; and a growing rejection of the ideal of a trans-national European order. The Gypsy Menace's fifteen chapters range geographically from Belfast to Sofia, via Paris, Rome, Prague and Budapest. They show how, in their reactions to the presence of ten million or so Romany persons in their midst, some Europeans are testing the limits of the 'social imaginary' and beginning to flesh out new ways of thinking about the ties that bind and connect citizens in Europe - and those that can be severed. The authors, who include political scientists, sociologists and anthropologists from across the continent, set the rapid shifts in political debate regarding Roma against the background of huge social and economic changes in the past thirty years, the recent, frightening resurgence of populist politics, and a noticeable increase in inter-ethnic violence and hate crimes. This book resets the agenda for thinking about Europe's largest minority, analysing not only the challenges a liberal, tolerant politics confronts but also suggesting ways of acting against the new xenophobia.
A definitive global survey of the interaction of race, ethnicity, nationalism and politics, this ... more A definitive global survey of the interaction of race, ethnicity, nationalism and politics, this handbook blends theoretically grounded, rigorous analysis with empirical illustrations, to provide a state-of-the art overview of the contemporary debates on one of the most pervasive international security challenges today. The contributors to this volume offer a 360-degree perspective on ethnic conflict: from the theoretical foundations of nationalism and ethnicity, to the causes and consequences of ethnic conflict, and to the various strategies adopted in response to it. Without privileging any specific explanation of why ethnic conflict happens at a specific place and time or why attempts at preventing or settling it might fail or succeed, the Routledge Handbook of Ethnic Conflict enables readers to gain better insights into such defining moments in post-Cold War international history as the disintegrations of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia and their respective consequences and the genocide in Rwanda, as well as the relative success of conflict settlement efforts in Northern Ireland, Macedonia, and Aceh. By contributing to understanding the varied and multiple causes of ethnic conflicts and to learning from the successes and failures of its prevention and settlement, the Handbook makes a powerful case that ethnic conflicts are neither unavoidable nor unresolvable, but rather that they require careful analysis and thoughtful and measured responses.
Neoliberal Scotland argues that far from passing Scotland by, as is so often claimed, neoliberali... more Neoliberal Scotland argues that far from passing Scotland by, as is so often claimed, neoliberalism has in fact become institutionalised there. As the mainstream political parties converge on market-friendly policies and business interests are equated with the public good, the Scottish population has become more and more distanced from the democratic process, to the extent that an increasing number now fail to vote in elections. This book details for the first time these negative effects of neoliberal policies on Scottish society and takes to task those academics and others who either defend the neoliberal order or refuse to recognise that it exists. Neoliberal Scotland represents both an intervention in contemporary debates about the condition of Scotland and a case study, of more general interest, of how neoliberalism has affected one of the “stateless nations” of the advanced West.
The history of the state, in relation to its ‘dealings’ with Gypsies and Travellers in Britain an... more The history of the state, in relation to its ‘dealings’ with Gypsies and Travellers in Britain and Ireland, has not been one worthy of endorsement, praise or special prizes (Hawes and Perez, 1986; Mayall, 1995). Since the emergence of written records detailing the presence of such groups on these Islands (around the fifteenth Century, according to Fraser, 1995: 111–120) a familiar series of tensions has tended to take shape, tensions that are explored by the articles within this themed section and that we might today discuss in terms of core dichotomies, such as ‘integration and assimilation’, ‘inclusion and exclusion’ and, with a social policy focus, ‘care and control’. Indeed, where objective academic analysis has been conducted of the state's enactment of social policy measures in relation to both nomadic and sedentary communities of Gypsies and Travellers a brightly coloured picture reveals itself, illustrating, on the one hand, a desire to ‘help’ (care) for their well-being, safety and security (Parry et al., 2004; Cemlyn, 2006; Mason et al., 2006) whilst, on the other hand, there is also a strong tendency to monitor, classify and regulate (control) their movement, accommodation, work practices and cultural identity (Clark and Greenfields, 2006; Richardson, 2006; James, 2007, forthcoming). No matter what specific area of interest the researcher might have, whether it is accommodation, education or health, the states’ activities regarding the care and control of its Gypsy and Traveller citizens often appears to be confused, shifting between the punitive and restrictive as well as being ill-informed and lacking any kind of joined-up coherent strategy. As we will see, through the articles within this themed section, the tensions between the state and Gypsies and Travellers show little signs of being resolved, although in the last few years there have been (policy) signs and (practice) signals that all parties recognise the fact that current entrenched positions are damaging and unsustainable.
The fourth edition of this respected introductory text to Sociology continues to approach the dis... more The fourth edition of this respected introductory text to Sociology continues to approach the discipline in an accessible but rigorous way. A solid theoretical and methodological introduction is followed by in-depth coverage of social insitutions and divisions. Brand new chapters cover the following issues: ‘Race, Ethnicity and Nationalism’, ‘Disability and the Body’, ‘Global Divisions’, ‘Families and Households’, ‘Health, Illness and the Body’, and ‘Religion’. All other chapters have been fully revised. Theory is illustrated and applied through contemporary examples, and students are also provided with reflective opportunities throughout. The text is highly illustrated in full colour, with images, tables and empirical data, and students are encouraged to engage with excerpts of primary readings. Substantial case studies, 'closer look' boxes and activities afford opportunities for discussion, extension and seminar work. Sociology: making sense of society remains essential reading for students of sociology, criminology, social policy, social work, cultural studies, media studies, anthropology and other related subjects.
This study explores the effects of private British boarding school on womenlandowners’ identity a... more This study explores the effects of private British boarding school on womenlandowners’ identity and their relationship to the land. In noting how theprivate British boarding school system and the Empire were symbioticallyrelated, it discusses how the ruling class were shaped within boarding insti-tutions that cultivated hegemonic superiority and self-perpetuating patterns ofsubjugation and domination. Boarding school ethos has played a key role inmaintaining these ‘norms’ of power as the young strive for place and identitywithin hierarchical, closed environments. Using a indepth qualitative, groundedtheory approach, eleven women in Scotland shared their stories with theprimary researcher, all of whom were ex-boarders and experienced beingremoved from their home environment usually in pre-adolescence. Almostexclusively, these women felt that their sense of identity had been damagedwhilst being formed in the process. In adulthood, they felt possessive andterritorial in arguably compensatory ways over their land, space and privacy.This possibly sheds light on dynamics of landownership that extend beyondusual considerations of economics and status. The study both commencesand concludes by noting the implications for people-land relationships in thelight of Scotland’s land reform process.
Migrant Cities is a multilateral project developed under Living Together, which aims to promote i... more Migrant Cities is a multilateral project developed under Living Together, which aims to promote intercultural understanding in (and within) South East Europe and the UK by exploring issues associated with migration and demographic change and its impact on society, at both the sending and the receiving end.
This is a regional project par excellence as every city within our region and the UK is experiencing the cultural and social impact of migration in an interlinked pattern.
We are working in nine cities in both South East Europe and the UK to stimulate debate and explore cultural and social phenomena associated with European migration.
We are joined by a group of South East Europe researchers and experts in the field who are conducting a simultaneous research study on the social and cultural issues associated wıth migration in eight European cities:
- the factual evidence will be centred around human stories – a collection of personal insights from those affected by migration
- featured case studies will include the voices of the migrants themselves and local community representatives, as well as those of relevant public bodies.
The report will be looking at questions such as:
- What are the main migration patterns in your city?
- What are migrants’ expectations, experiences, and aspirations of life in the city?
- How do migrants engage in intercultural dialogue?
- Are there any good examples of intercultural dialogue in the city?
- How can intercultural dialogue in the city be promoted?
The findings will feed into a policy debate we will organise in Athens later this year. In the policy influencing stage, the aggregated report will be launched at a major Migrant Cities international conference in Glasgow in November 2008.
Scottish Gypsy/Travellers are 'to be regarded' as an ethnic group in Scotland by both the Scottis... more Scottish Gypsy/Travellers are 'to be regarded' as an ethnic group in Scotland by both the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive until a test case in a court of law clarifies matters. Since 2000-01 this fact has not been contested in any meaningful way and it is now the case that Gypsy/Traveller children, if they choose, can tick their own box in school Census counts. It logically follows from this that they can, in principle, experience racial discrimination. As it stands Scottish Gypsy/Travellers are undoubtedly as much an 'ethnic group' as any other which is currently protected by the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended 2000) despite the fact that at the moment they generally lack the substantive protection of the Act in the Scottish context. It follows that Scottish Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland or Britain can experience racial discrimination which is not dissimilar to that experienced by all the minority ethnic groups currently protected by race relations legislation, including English Gypsies and Irish Travellers. Whether they do experience racism is, of course, a matter for the police and courts to address in the individual cases that occur rather than any academic analysis. The next stage of the process will, eventually, see a test case come before the Scottish courts and complete its journey through the legal system. Only when this happens will the socio-legal status of Scottish Gypsy/Traveller ethnicity be firmly decided.
There is growing public interest in who Gypsies are, where they come from and how they have survi... more There is growing public interest in who Gypsies are, where they come from and how they have survived centuries of discrimination: all questions answered by this completely new edition of the standard introduction for professionals, first published as On the Verge (1990 and 1995) and Moving On (1999). The book looks at Gypsy and Traveller family, community and identity. It asks whether they are "moving on or here to stay" by considering government policy on sites and local authority provision, the conflict between the planning system and the establishment of privately owned sites, and by looking at the possibility that the move into bricks and mortar might not necessarily mean their extinction as a separate community. Their place within wider British society with regards to the law, health and the media is considered and the work concludes by looking at human rights and the European dimension.
--
“Here to Stay provides a politically engaged and detailed analysis of the position of Britain’s major Traveling communities. … Clark’s opening chapter provides one of the best introductions to the contentious and much-debated issues surrounding the definition, naming, origins, and ethnicity of the various Traveling populations…. Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are where the authors engage with the issue of citizenship and belonging and usefully compare the status of Gypsies/Travelers with asylum seekers.” - Becky Taylor, Journal of British Studies
--
"For anyone who wishes to teach undergraduate courses for teachers, lawyers, local authority workers, planners, policy-makers or journalists - or Traveller community activists themselves - this will be the first item on the reading list." - Thomas Acton, Ethnic and Racial Studies
Human rights impact on all of our lives every day. They belong to all of us and can be a powerful... more Human rights impact on all of our lives every day. They belong to all of us and can be a powerful driver of humane, dignified and fair reatment in our homes, our workplaces, our schools, our hospitals and are homes, in fact everywhere we go in all aspects of our everyday lives. Human rights set the conditions in which we should all be able to live with dignity, free from degrading treatment and with the capability to live a full life. Realising this potential requires the right structures and processes to be in place to influence outcomes. That means ensuring that the right laws and institutions are in place to respect, protect and fulfil the full range of civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights. It means taking effective steps to put those rights into practice, for example through policy and strategy setting and in the allocation of resources. Monitoring is also required to make sure that what happens in practice meets the requirements of international human rights law. Scotland needs a more systematic approach to assure - and not assume - the realisation of human rights in our day to day lives.
The spectre of Brexit has raised issues of concern for Roma communities living and working in Sco... more The spectre of Brexit has raised issues of concern for Roma communities living and working in Scotland and other parts of the UK. The effective ending of freedom of movement has produced new uncertainties and insecurities for people living outside their EU countries of origin, especially for those who are racialised and stigmatised by ‘hostile environment’ policies. Brexit is best understood as both a process and effect of everyday bordering as well as a continuation of historically embedded structural divisions. This paper looks at everyday Roma life in Glasgow, via the work of the NGO Romano Lav (Roma Voice), to assess how Brexit is impacting on people’s lives. Further, the paper examines how Scotland can best move forward in terms of independence and the European project. It is argued that a second independence referendum that gives full political independence to Scotland is the only way to secure future EU membership.
This paper examines the contemporary situation of different central and Eastern European Roma com... more This paper examines the contemporary situation of different central and Eastern European Roma communities who are currently living in Govanhill, Glasgow. Although adopting a microsociological and ethnographic approach, the wider European and UK political and policy context is discussed and broader structural factors, surrounding migration for example, are not overlooked. The primary focus of ongoing fieldwork in Govanhill is an attempt to witness and account for experiences and understandings of integration and stigmatisation of Roma communities, drawing on the work of Howard Becker, Erving Goffman and Richard Yarwood to assist the analysis. Theoretically and methodologically, the paper embraces an intersectional approach, including reference to the work of feminists such as Kathy Davis and Mari Matsuda. Such an approach is a
means of ensuring that issues of class and gender, alongside ethnicity, are documented and appreciated when examining the situation of Roma vis-à-vis identity, integration and community interactions. In particular, various issues around welfare
and social policy provision stand out as being principle concerns for Roma communities and service providers in Govanhill. Data from Glasgow illustrates that accommodation, employment and education are all key areas demanding further investigation to improve access, take-up and delivery of services. Responses to some of these urban policy challenges are addressed with evidence to support the argument that some successes are apparent, although there is still much work still to be done. It
is notable that some of the most successful ‘on-the-ground’projects are Roma-led, working in partnership with Glasgow City Council and other public and third sector
agencies.
Sarah Pickard (Ed.) Anti-Social Behaviour in Britain: Victorian and Contemporary Perspectives, Sep 24, 2014
Over many years the multi-ethnic Gypsy and Traveller communities of Britain have been successfull... more Over many years the multi-ethnic Gypsy and Traveller communities of Britain have been successfully constructed in Parliament and the press as being ‘anti-social’ and ‘folk devils.’ This chapter examines why Gypsy and Traveller communities have been labelled as anti-social, principally in terms of their nomadism, settlement and accommodation preferences. We ask why, wherever they settle, Gypsies and Travellers are deemed to be ‘out of place’ in Britain and the neighbours that nobody wants. We suggest that behind normative and racialised assumptions of their presumed asociality are mainstream attitudes that formed as a result of the confluence of particular socio-economic trends and cultural understandings from the mid-nineteenth century which, by the end of the twentieth century, had become firmly entrenched in the British psyche.
Mobility in Transition: Migration Patterns after EU Enlargement, Jul 1, 2013
This volume presents new research on post-accession migration from Central and Eastern Europe in ... more This volume presents new research on post-accession migration from Central and Eastern Europe in the short period since the EU enlargements of 2004 and 2007. Explanations of post-accession migration patterns, trends and mechanisms delve into the complexities of these phenomena. New groups of migrants and types of migrations are identified -- such as young migrants, often students or graduates, without family obligations and without clear plans concerning their future life. Case studies on Poland, Romania, Hungary and Latvia as well as the United Kingdom and Germany - being major destination countries - divulge the multifaceted nature of transition, whether in the form of labour migration, short-term mobility (including among international students) or return migration. The volume insightfully points towards future migration trends and sets guidelines for further research.
The Gypsy 'Menace': Populism and the new Anti-Gypsy Politics , Jun 17, 2012
Across Europe, Roma and Gypsies are suffering increasing intolerance and hostility. A new populis... more Across Europe, Roma and Gypsies are suffering increasing intolerance and hostility. A new populist politics, that seeks political meaning in collective experiences and values forms of solidarity rooted in town, class, community or nation, finds in the Roma a suitable target population to which "ordinary citizens'' fears and frustrations can be attached. This politics draws on a rising tide of xenophobia; a feeling of loss of sovereignity and democratic oversight; disillusionment with political elites; frustrations with the failure of welfare programmes; the presentation of social and political conflicts as cultural issues; and a growing rejection of the ideal of a trans-national European order. The Gypsy Menace's fifteen chapters range geographically from Belfast to Sofia, via Paris, Rome, Prague and Budapest. They show how, in their reactions to the presence of ten million or so Romany persons in their midst, some Europeans are testing the limits of the 'social imaginary' and beginning to flesh out new ways of thinking about the ties that bind and connect citizens in Europe - and those that can be severed. The authors, who include political scientists, sociologists and anthropologists from across the continent, set the rapid shifts in political debate regarding Roma against the background of huge social and economic changes in the past thirty years, the recent, frightening resurgence of populist politics, and a noticeable increase in inter-ethnic violence and hate crimes. This book resets the agenda for thinking about Europe's largest minority, analysing not only the challenges a liberal, tolerant politics confronts but also suggesting ways of acting against the new xenophobia.
A definitive global survey of the interaction of race, ethnicity, nationalism and politics, this ... more A definitive global survey of the interaction of race, ethnicity, nationalism and politics, this handbook blends theoretically grounded, rigorous analysis with empirical illustrations, to provide a state-of-the art overview of the contemporary debates on one of the most pervasive international security challenges today. The contributors to this volume offer a 360-degree perspective on ethnic conflict: from the theoretical foundations of nationalism and ethnicity, to the causes and consequences of ethnic conflict, and to the various strategies adopted in response to it. Without privileging any specific explanation of why ethnic conflict happens at a specific place and time or why attempts at preventing or settling it might fail or succeed, the Routledge Handbook of Ethnic Conflict enables readers to gain better insights into such defining moments in post-Cold War international history as the disintegrations of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia and their respective consequences and the genocide in Rwanda, as well as the relative success of conflict settlement efforts in Northern Ireland, Macedonia, and Aceh. By contributing to understanding the varied and multiple causes of ethnic conflicts and to learning from the successes and failures of its prevention and settlement, the Handbook makes a powerful case that ethnic conflicts are neither unavoidable nor unresolvable, but rather that they require careful analysis and thoughtful and measured responses.
Neoliberal Scotland argues that far from passing Scotland by, as is so often claimed, neoliberali... more Neoliberal Scotland argues that far from passing Scotland by, as is so often claimed, neoliberalism has in fact become institutionalised there. As the mainstream political parties converge on market-friendly policies and business interests are equated with the public good, the Scottish population has become more and more distanced from the democratic process, to the extent that an increasing number now fail to vote in elections. This book details for the first time these negative effects of neoliberal policies on Scottish society and takes to task those academics and others who either defend the neoliberal order or refuse to recognise that it exists. Neoliberal Scotland represents both an intervention in contemporary debates about the condition of Scotland and a case study, of more general interest, of how neoliberalism has affected one of the “stateless nations” of the advanced West.
The history of the state, in relation to its ‘dealings’ with Gypsies and Travellers in Britain an... more The history of the state, in relation to its ‘dealings’ with Gypsies and Travellers in Britain and Ireland, has not been one worthy of endorsement, praise or special prizes (Hawes and Perez, 1986; Mayall, 1995). Since the emergence of written records detailing the presence of such groups on these Islands (around the fifteenth Century, according to Fraser, 1995: 111–120) a familiar series of tensions has tended to take shape, tensions that are explored by the articles within this themed section and that we might today discuss in terms of core dichotomies, such as ‘integration and assimilation’, ‘inclusion and exclusion’ and, with a social policy focus, ‘care and control’. Indeed, where objective academic analysis has been conducted of the state's enactment of social policy measures in relation to both nomadic and sedentary communities of Gypsies and Travellers a brightly coloured picture reveals itself, illustrating, on the one hand, a desire to ‘help’ (care) for their well-being, safety and security (Parry et al., 2004; Cemlyn, 2006; Mason et al., 2006) whilst, on the other hand, there is also a strong tendency to monitor, classify and regulate (control) their movement, accommodation, work practices and cultural identity (Clark and Greenfields, 2006; Richardson, 2006; James, 2007, forthcoming). No matter what specific area of interest the researcher might have, whether it is accommodation, education or health, the states’ activities regarding the care and control of its Gypsy and Traveller citizens often appears to be confused, shifting between the punitive and restrictive as well as being ill-informed and lacking any kind of joined-up coherent strategy. As we will see, through the articles within this themed section, the tensions between the state and Gypsies and Travellers show little signs of being resolved, although in the last few years there have been (policy) signs and (practice) signals that all parties recognise the fact that current entrenched positions are damaging and unsustainable.
The fourth edition of this respected introductory text to Sociology continues to approach the dis... more The fourth edition of this respected introductory text to Sociology continues to approach the discipline in an accessible but rigorous way. A solid theoretical and methodological introduction is followed by in-depth coverage of social insitutions and divisions. Brand new chapters cover the following issues: ‘Race, Ethnicity and Nationalism’, ‘Disability and the Body’, ‘Global Divisions’, ‘Families and Households’, ‘Health, Illness and the Body’, and ‘Religion’. All other chapters have been fully revised. Theory is illustrated and applied through contemporary examples, and students are also provided with reflective opportunities throughout. The text is highly illustrated in full colour, with images, tables and empirical data, and students are encouraged to engage with excerpts of primary readings. Substantial case studies, 'closer look' boxes and activities afford opportunities for discussion, extension and seminar work. Sociology: making sense of society remains essential reading for students of sociology, criminology, social policy, social work, cultural studies, media studies, anthropology and other related subjects.
This study explores the effects of private British boarding school on womenlandowners’ identity a... more This study explores the effects of private British boarding school on womenlandowners’ identity and their relationship to the land. In noting how theprivate British boarding school system and the Empire were symbioticallyrelated, it discusses how the ruling class were shaped within boarding insti-tutions that cultivated hegemonic superiority and self-perpetuating patterns ofsubjugation and domination. Boarding school ethos has played a key role inmaintaining these ‘norms’ of power as the young strive for place and identitywithin hierarchical, closed environments. Using a indepth qualitative, groundedtheory approach, eleven women in Scotland shared their stories with theprimary researcher, all of whom were ex-boarders and experienced beingremoved from their home environment usually in pre-adolescence. Almostexclusively, these women felt that their sense of identity had been damagedwhilst being formed in the process. In adulthood, they felt possessive andterritorial in arguably compensatory ways over their land, space and privacy.This possibly sheds light on dynamics of landownership that extend beyondusual considerations of economics and status. The study both commencesand concludes by noting the implications for people-land relationships in thelight of Scotland’s land reform process.
Migrant Cities is a multilateral project developed under Living Together, which aims to promote i... more Migrant Cities is a multilateral project developed under Living Together, which aims to promote intercultural understanding in (and within) South East Europe and the UK by exploring issues associated with migration and demographic change and its impact on society, at both the sending and the receiving end.
This is a regional project par excellence as every city within our region and the UK is experiencing the cultural and social impact of migration in an interlinked pattern.
We are working in nine cities in both South East Europe and the UK to stimulate debate and explore cultural and social phenomena associated with European migration.
We are joined by a group of South East Europe researchers and experts in the field who are conducting a simultaneous research study on the social and cultural issues associated wıth migration in eight European cities:
- the factual evidence will be centred around human stories – a collection of personal insights from those affected by migration
- featured case studies will include the voices of the migrants themselves and local community representatives, as well as those of relevant public bodies.
The report will be looking at questions such as:
- What are the main migration patterns in your city?
- What are migrants’ expectations, experiences, and aspirations of life in the city?
- How do migrants engage in intercultural dialogue?
- Are there any good examples of intercultural dialogue in the city?
- How can intercultural dialogue in the city be promoted?
The findings will feed into a policy debate we will organise in Athens later this year. In the policy influencing stage, the aggregated report will be launched at a major Migrant Cities international conference in Glasgow in November 2008.
Scottish Gypsy/Travellers are 'to be regarded' as an ethnic group in Scotland by both the Scottis... more Scottish Gypsy/Travellers are 'to be regarded' as an ethnic group in Scotland by both the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive until a test case in a court of law clarifies matters. Since 2000-01 this fact has not been contested in any meaningful way and it is now the case that Gypsy/Traveller children, if they choose, can tick their own box in school Census counts. It logically follows from this that they can, in principle, experience racial discrimination. As it stands Scottish Gypsy/Travellers are undoubtedly as much an 'ethnic group' as any other which is currently protected by the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended 2000) despite the fact that at the moment they generally lack the substantive protection of the Act in the Scottish context. It follows that Scottish Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland or Britain can experience racial discrimination which is not dissimilar to that experienced by all the minority ethnic groups currently protected by race relations legislation, including English Gypsies and Irish Travellers. Whether they do experience racism is, of course, a matter for the police and courts to address in the individual cases that occur rather than any academic analysis. The next stage of the process will, eventually, see a test case come before the Scottish courts and complete its journey through the legal system. Only when this happens will the socio-legal status of Scottish Gypsy/Traveller ethnicity be firmly decided.
At Greatest Risk: the children most likely to be poor (Edited by Gabrielle Preston) , Jun 1, 2005
This chapter examines the poverty and social exclusion of Gypsy and Traveller children in contemp... more This chapter examines the poverty and social exclusion of Gypsy and Traveller children in contemporary Britain. We set the scene by exploring who Gypsies and Travellers actually are and how poverty and social exclusion impacts on these minority communities. We examine the legal and policy context and illustrate the ways in which, in particular, Gypsies and Travellers often suffer from spatialised forms of poverty and can be rendered
‘invisible’ in policy areas where other ethnic minority groups are
usually able to at least have their voices heard. We argue that the ‘poverty’ faced by Gypsy and Traveller children tends to reflect the group’s wider relationship with the dominant settled society and the discrimination and denial of human rights they endure across a range of aspects of day-today living. To illustrate these points we look at key policy areas and report on how Gypsies and Travellers are provided for in terms of accommodation, education, income/employment, health, family support, and political/ community participation.
Institutional Racism in Higher Education (Edited by Ian Law, Debbie Phillips and Laura Turney), Jan 1, 2004
This book reports on leading edge research on racism in higher education a matter that has receiv... more This book reports on leading edge research on racism in higher education a matter that has received far less attention in western societies than racism in schools. The book examines the evidence of institutional racism in higher education and prepares for the forthcoming web-based guide to assist institutional change.The chapters here are drawn from the presentations by leading social science researchers in the field at a conference at the University of Leeds in 2002. The conference made it possible to assess the extent and nature of racism in higher education institutions today, and the structural constraints on change. There are theoretical and philosophical explorations that further understanding, and also accounts of evidence of positive new responses to these issues.This important book is for managers, academics and teachers in Higher Education, for policy makers, professionals and academics concerned with race equality and for students of the social sciences.
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Books by Colin Clark
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“Here to Stay provides a politically engaged and detailed analysis of the position of Britain’s major Traveling communities. … Clark’s opening chapter provides one of the best introductions to the contentious and much-debated issues surrounding the definition, naming, origins, and ethnicity of the various Traveling populations…. Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are where the authors engage with the issue of citizenship and belonging and usefully compare the status of Gypsies/Travelers with asylum seekers.” - Becky Taylor, Journal of British Studies
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"For anyone who wishes to teach undergraduate courses for teachers, lawyers, local authority workers, planners, policy-makers or journalists - or Traveller community activists themselves - this will be the first item on the reading list." - Thomas Acton, Ethnic and Racial Studies
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Papers by Colin Clark
means of ensuring that issues of class and gender, alongside ethnicity, are documented and appreciated when examining the situation of Roma vis-à-vis identity, integration and community interactions. In particular, various issues around welfare
and social policy provision stand out as being principle concerns for Roma communities and service providers in Govanhill. Data from Glasgow illustrates that accommodation, employment and education are all key areas demanding further investigation to improve access, take-up and delivery of services. Responses to some of these urban policy challenges are addressed with evidence to support the argument that some successes are apparent, although there is still much work still to be done. It
is notable that some of the most successful ‘on-the-ground’projects are Roma-led, working in partnership with Glasgow City Council and other public and third sector
agencies.
This is a regional project par excellence as every city within our region and the UK is experiencing the cultural and social impact of migration in an interlinked pattern.
We are working in nine cities in both South East Europe and the UK to stimulate debate and explore cultural and social phenomena associated with European migration.
We are joined by a group of South East Europe researchers and experts in the field who are conducting a simultaneous research study on the social and cultural issues associated wıth migration in eight European cities:
- the factual evidence will be centred around human stories – a collection of personal insights from those affected by migration
- featured case studies will include the voices of the migrants themselves and local community representatives, as well as those of relevant public bodies.
The report will be looking at questions such as:
- What are the main migration patterns in your city?
- What are migrants’ expectations, experiences, and aspirations of life in the city?
- How do migrants engage in intercultural dialogue?
- Are there any good examples of intercultural dialogue in the city?
- How can intercultural dialogue in the city be promoted?
The findings will feed into a policy debate we will organise in Athens later this year. In the policy influencing stage, the aggregated report will be launched at a major Migrant Cities international conference in Glasgow in November 2008.
Participating cities: Athens, Belfast, Bucharest, Cardiff, Glasgow, Istanbul, Nicosia, Nottingham, Tirana.
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“Here to Stay provides a politically engaged and detailed analysis of the position of Britain’s major Traveling communities. … Clark’s opening chapter provides one of the best introductions to the contentious and much-debated issues surrounding the definition, naming, origins, and ethnicity of the various Traveling populations…. Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are where the authors engage with the issue of citizenship and belonging and usefully compare the status of Gypsies/Travelers with asylum seekers.” - Becky Taylor, Journal of British Studies
--
"For anyone who wishes to teach undergraduate courses for teachers, lawyers, local authority workers, planners, policy-makers or journalists - or Traveller community activists themselves - this will be the first item on the reading list." - Thomas Acton, Ethnic and Racial Studies
--
means of ensuring that issues of class and gender, alongside ethnicity, are documented and appreciated when examining the situation of Roma vis-à-vis identity, integration and community interactions. In particular, various issues around welfare
and social policy provision stand out as being principle concerns for Roma communities and service providers in Govanhill. Data from Glasgow illustrates that accommodation, employment and education are all key areas demanding further investigation to improve access, take-up and delivery of services. Responses to some of these urban policy challenges are addressed with evidence to support the argument that some successes are apparent, although there is still much work still to be done. It
is notable that some of the most successful ‘on-the-ground’projects are Roma-led, working in partnership with Glasgow City Council and other public and third sector
agencies.
This is a regional project par excellence as every city within our region and the UK is experiencing the cultural and social impact of migration in an interlinked pattern.
We are working in nine cities in both South East Europe and the UK to stimulate debate and explore cultural and social phenomena associated with European migration.
We are joined by a group of South East Europe researchers and experts in the field who are conducting a simultaneous research study on the social and cultural issues associated wıth migration in eight European cities:
- the factual evidence will be centred around human stories – a collection of personal insights from those affected by migration
- featured case studies will include the voices of the migrants themselves and local community representatives, as well as those of relevant public bodies.
The report will be looking at questions such as:
- What are the main migration patterns in your city?
- What are migrants’ expectations, experiences, and aspirations of life in the city?
- How do migrants engage in intercultural dialogue?
- Are there any good examples of intercultural dialogue in the city?
- How can intercultural dialogue in the city be promoted?
The findings will feed into a policy debate we will organise in Athens later this year. In the policy influencing stage, the aggregated report will be launched at a major Migrant Cities international conference in Glasgow in November 2008.
Participating cities: Athens, Belfast, Bucharest, Cardiff, Glasgow, Istanbul, Nicosia, Nottingham, Tirana.
‘invisible’ in policy areas where other ethnic minority groups are
usually able to at least have their voices heard. We argue that the ‘poverty’ faced by Gypsy and Traveller children tends to reflect the group’s wider relationship with the dominant settled society and the discrimination and denial of human rights they endure across a range of aspects of day-today living. To illustrate these points we look at key policy areas and report on how Gypsies and Travellers are provided for in terms of accommodation, education, income/employment, health, family support, and political/ community participation.