Dr Alexandra Plows - Research

My Profile

Research Interests

I am a genuinely interdisciplinary academic, with extensive and longstanding interests in the social dimensions of environmental issues (for example, mobilisations over climate justice) and in bio and techno scientific developments (eg human genetics and nanotechnology). I have considerable experience in participatory, reflexive forms of qualitative research and the practice of participant observation as both research methodology and as a form of ‘upstream public engagement’ and knowledge transfer. My research interests, experience and expertise stretch from regional governance and human geography, through social movement theory and practise, to science and technology studies (STS), bioethics and environmental politics and sociology; and I enjoy writing and researching around these convergences. Eco-feminist and environmental social justice perspectives inform my research approach. I have a particular interest in the issue of public engagement as theoretical concept, as policy practice, and as social phenomenon, and I have researched public participation across a spectrum from green protest movements to the governance of emerging technologies and associated citizen participation initiatives. My current role at WISERD has enabled a development of research interests on ‘located’ public participation; the local specificity of civil society.

Research Activities

For an overview of my current research activities at WISERD please click here.

Research News

Feilzer, M., Plows, A. and Williams, K. (2010-2011), collaborative project of WISERD and WCCSJ (Welsh Centre for Crime and Social Justice), Bangor and Aberystwyth Universities.
An evaluation of the Women’s Turnaround Project in North Wales

The Women’s Turnaround project aims to engage women offenders so that they make necessary changes to stop offending, following a holistic, woman-centred, service model recommended by the Corston Report in 2007. The research will explore the women’s and stakeholder’s perspectives on what women need and whether the Turnaround project in North Wales has helped women to move forward in achieving their targets. Using a mixed methods approach, the research will evaluate whether the project has altered the behaviour/life-styles of the women participating in the research and how far any changes were internalised (from the perspective of the women) rather than just an external perception (on the part of workers). The research explores these questions in relation to the Women’s Turnaround project based in the Women’s Centre in Rhyl, North Wales.

Previous Project Work

The Emerging Politics of New Genetic Technologies Cesagen, Cardiff University (Principal Investigators Dr Ian Welsh, Dr Robert Evans)
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/cesagen/politics/index.htm

SCEnE: Sustainability, Community, Environment, Economy – Bangor University (part of the WAG TASK programme. Principal Investigator: Professor John Farrar)
www.wefo.wales.gov.uk/resource/PMC_02_57.pdf

Radical Participation: Protesters Identities and Networks in Manchester, North Wales and Oxford (Principal Investigator: Dr Brian Doherty)
http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/ViewAwardPage