The Academic Contribution to Social Reform

Abstract

The twelve years of the Wilson and Callaghan governments are a particularly interesting period for anyone studying the contributions made by academics to social and urban policies in Britain. They were never more active in the corridors of power. This paper begins by outlining the origins and priorities of policy during these years. An account is then given of the "drama" through which British social reforms usually proceed, and the parts played by different kinds of people in each act of that drama. In the more important debates a crucial stage is often reached when the issues at stake are reformulated. A new "story" about society's problems comes to be accepted in the nation's policy forums. This analysis sets the scene for an exploration of the contributions made by academics during the Wilson and Callaghan years, throwing some light on their strengths and weaknesses. The paper ends with conclusions which may be helpful today.

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“…). Additional forms of policy engagement were policy consultations (to governmental bodies, think tanks or third sector organizations), leadership or membership in formal committees or taskforces, and even decision‐making positions (Bond and Paterson ; Donnison ; McLennan et al . ).…”

“…In most cases, these focused on knowledge dissemination, which traditionally includes policy-related research (Vedung 2010;Ward et al 2011), the preparation of policy papers (Huberman 1990;Ahmad 2008), and the dissemination of research findings through personal communication (Lavis et al 2003). Additional forms of policy engagement were policy consultations (to governmental bodies, think tanks or third sector organizations), leadership or membership in formal committees or taskforces, and even decision-making positions (Bond and Paterson 2005;Donnison 2000;McLennan et al 2005). Lastly, they also included more proactive effortsthe use of the media (Sommer and Maycroft 2008;Orr 2010), testifying before policy committees (Chandler 2009), and collaboration with advocacy organizations and service users as advisers or participants in social action (Kaufman 2004;Strier 2011).…”

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“…Frankly professionalism is often equated to refraining from and rising above sectional politics. Detractors can often seem to be 'flat earthers' amidst the professional hegemony of delivering official policy and practice messages dispassionately (Holman and Cree, 1995;Brandon and Hawkes, 1998;Donnison, 2000). It is, then, not surprising that most of the books conveying the reality of disablement and the more enlightened and critical approach to professional standpoints have been written by disabled people and their close allies within UK disability studies (Morris, 1993;French, 1994;Oliver and Sapey, 1999;Barnes and Mercer, 2007).…”

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