Sir Antony Gormley’s sculpture, the Angel of the North, has acquired iconic status but relatively little is known about its impact on wellbeing. The aim of this research is to investigate this impact by exploring what outcomes were intended, the extent to which these have been realised, and why and how these outcomes occurred. The methodology used is realistic evaluation, framing the Angel as an intervention. The Angel has been an important part of the culture-led regeneration of the town of Gateshead, but its role also reflects the local authority’s work to improve wellbeing in a non-material sense. This is conceptualised, and the empirical findings interpreted, by drawing on cultural analysis, especially the work of Raymond Williams and Pierre Bourdieu. The research combines interpretivist approaches to explore meanings and empirical approaches to measure effects, including documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews, a population survey and focus groups. The analysis identifies themes and sub-themes and patterns and associations in the data. The findings show that there are various types of audience for the Angel, presenting a complex picture of impact varying by residents’ characteristics and circumstances, and playing into people’s everyday lives and life events in different ways. Local identity, home and home-coming, and pride and confidence are intrinsic to its effects, but its attributes have also given it a global status as an image and brand. The findings make original contributions to our understanding of the little researched area of the benefits of public art, and to the role of public art in everyday cultural life and local government practice.

It is argued by different social researchers that the Western contemporaneous world is living under a different set of conditions than in the one that classical sociologist’s theorised. Taking a reflexive modern perspective through a cosmopolitan sociological imagination this thesis discussed how a particular socio-cultural manifestation was used discursively by individuals to understand their being and becoming in a globalised world. As argued in this thesis, football’s transnationalism provided supporters a locus for creating and expressing cosmopolitan identities that challenge the modern sociological imagination, particularly the one centred in the nation-state. My understanding of the modern sociological imagination impact on football fandom theorisations emerges from a critical analysis of the academic discourse on authentic supporters. As demonstrated in the thesis, the authentic supporter under a modern sociology is imagined as homogeneously male, white, working class, and especially local. Thus, based on an 18-month ethnographic inspired research on Liverpool FC’s supporters in Brazil and Switzerland the argument that emerges from this empirical research is fourfold: the cosmopolitan football flâneur should be conceptualised ambivalently governed by individualisation; instead of a Bastelbiographie, individualisation should be understood as a Dasein-für-Gewälthe-Andere, where those others are the re-modernised structures of modernity; cosmopolitanism does not render the nation-state obsolete as a Zombie-category, whereas it should be imagined as Frankensteins-monster; and Ulrich Beck’s notions of nationalism and cosmopolitanism should be understood as more real than real simulacras.

As men’s intersecting identities as fathers and as perpetrators of domestic violence is increasingly acknowledged in research and practice, the issue of safe parenting has gained heightened attention on the social work agenda. Alongside this, domestic violence perpetrator programmes (DVPPs) in the UK have incorporated the issue of children’s safety and the harmful parenting of domestically violent fathers within their programme content. However, there is a lack of research on DVPPs that take into account the views of children and the outcomes for them of their father’s engagement in the programme. This thesis contributes to the literature on domestic violence and children in two ways; it closes the gap on outcomes for children of their fathers participation on a DVPP, and presents a new way of gathering data from children. While there was some reference in the literature to using task based methods as inquiry, this was quite general. A multi-methodological multi-stage approach was taken to explore how a positive outcome for children might be conceptualised. This consisted of thirteen interviews with children using a bespoke child friendly task-based research tool (research book), eleven interviews with DVPP workers, observation of a DVPP session on children and young people, and an online survey of forty-four Respect member domestic violence integrated services. Key findings reveal that despite a desire to improve the situation of children very few organisations provide a direct support service to the children of men on programmes. Findings also reveal that one of the barriers to children moving on is the silence regarding their father’s participation on a DVPP, and that few children are informed of their father’s engagement on a programme. DVPP workers also reveal that the specific work undertaken on the issue of parenting within programme content is beginning to close a gap in provision by addressing child-centred fathering while simultaneously addressing men’s use of violence. Findings suggest that for domestically violent fathers, these sessions enhance their awareness of the impact of their violence and also function as a means for men to improve their relationship with their children and to become a ‘better father’. Children’s interview data substantiate these findings with children reporting through the task based research book, their positive thoughts and feelings about their father’s participation on a DVPP. This thesis describes how, and to what extent children themselves benefit, providing a unique perspective regarding the nature scope and adequacy of domestic violence services and the outcomes for children.

For many women in prison self-harm is a significant feature of daily life. The research into self-harm in prison has largely mirrored that of community based research, in the search of evidencing interventions that are effective in preventing or stopping self-harming behaviour. The prevailing medical discourse around self-harm, and the sometimes poor or damaging treatment that people who self-harm receive, has been challenged by a coherent, feminist informed, community based survivor movement. This however has not been realised in prisons and examination of the literature reveals a lack of feminist research or service user involvement in prison research in general, and particularly in the case of self-harm. This is likely to be due to the challenges that the prison environment creates in conducting research based upon emancipatory principles, such as equality in relationships and the empowerment of participants. This research explores whether emancipatory research within a prison environment is possible with the aim of developing such a framework for future research in prisons. This was tested by women in prison, and prison staff, engaging in research to produce transformative change in the care for self-harm. The research utilised the theoretical framework of both feminist participatory action research, and service user involvement to achieve practical results within the constraints of the prison environment – a process which the thesis refers to as ‘achieving praxis . The triangulation of mixed methods in information collection reveals dialectics between women, staff and procedures in the care for women who self-harm in prison. The extent to which emancipatory research is possible is explored in relation to institutional change, the experiences of women involved in the project, and the degree of consciousness raising achieved through involvement. I conclude that, whilst compromises have to be made, emancipatory research using feminist and service user involvement is possible within a prison environment. This thesis therefore sets out the framework with which future transformative research can be conducted in secure settings.

There is an ongoing debate in contemporary international literature about how state care provision is ‘failing’ children and young people in care. In Russia, institutional care is the most widespread with this type of child care placement representing 98 per cent of all out-of-home care facilities for children after kinship care (Groark et al., 2008; Human Rights Watch, 1998). However, since Soviet times institutional care in Russia has rarely been the focus of research or welfare policy debates aiming to explore and potentially improve the existing infrastructure of the child care system. Clear cut gaps in understanding of how institutional care in Russia operates include unawareness of basic everyday experiences of children and young people. This fact severely hinders the development of effective changes in policy and practice. Since Russia is currently facing record numbers of children and young people entering care, it is easy to see how the topic of institutionalization has become one of the pressing priorities on the national agenda (Philanthropy, 2011 ). This thesis aims to improve the understanding of institutionalization in Russia through a systematic exploration of a range of experiences within institutional care as well as an in-depth investigation of key factors and characteristics which define institutional being. Drawing on the philosophical underpinning of critical realism, this research challenges the global conceptualization of the institutional care focusing on how the institutionalization comes to be as it is. The data is obtained from a combination of two methods namely questionnaires with care leavers and care givers followed by ethnographic participant observation conducted in four child care institutions in Russia. The results of the study suggest that the process of institutionalization plays a role of a large family for children in care as well as for those who left care. Having both positive and negative experiences of care, institutionalization is informed and shaped by the factors of power, collectivism, distance and intimacy in relationships, suppressed individuality and wider society. Developed in response to provision of protection and safety of children, the imbalance in these practices often contributes to the bleak picture of care. This study addresses the substantial gap in the literature providing an in-depth portrait of institutional care and institutionalization in Russia. The thesis highlights that institutional being is the product of a complex interplay among individuals and a network of contextual, cultural, organisational, social and individual factors and characteristics. These factors and aspects need to be acknowledged and addressed where possible to support institutional being of children and young people.

This thesis presents a case-based qualitative evaluation of a community-based memory service for people with dementia and carers, informed by an advisory group including people with dementia and carers. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of critical and narrative gerontology, interviews with service users, carers and community mental health team staff generated rich accounts of experiences of using and delivering the memory service. Data from people with dementia and carers were analysed thematically and built on work by Willis et al. (2009) to generate quality indicators for dementia care. Analysis of data from CMHT staff drew on a framework of collective leadership devised for use in the NHS by the Center for Creative Leadership and The King's Fund (2014a). Findings reveal rich insights into: i) the everyday challenges faced by people with dementia and carers, ii) the positive contributions they can bring to the evaluation and development of services for people with dementia and carers and iii) the important role of collective leadership in the provision of high quality services for people with dementia. The thesis extends the current knowledge base relating to people with dementia and carers by developing particular understandings of how they can contribute to the evaluation and development of memory services.

Adoption practice has experienced a shift to ‘openness’ since the 1970s which recognises the importance of the adopted child’s connection to their adoptive and birth families. Traditionally, openness includes communication between adopters and their children about adoption and birth family history, and/or direct (face-to-face) or indirect (letterbox) contact between adoptive and birth families with the support and mediation of social workers. However, a new form of technologically mediated contact has emerged that challenges these categories. ‘Virtual contact’ encompasses a range of post-adoption contact activities, including communication through social networking sites (SNS) (such as Facebook), texting and instant messaging via mobile technologies and emailing between adopted children and birth relatives. Given the seeming ubiquity of these modes of communication in today’s society, particularly among young people, there is a feeling of inevitability surrounding virtual contact raising deep concerns for families and adoption practitioners. There is currently little published empirical research addressing this practice issue within adoption. This study explores the impact of communicative technologies on the practice and experience of openness in adoptive families today. An online survey of 101 adoptive parents was conducted, followed by interviews with 10 adoptive parents who had not experienced virtual contact and interviews with 13 adoptive parents and 6 adopted young people who had experienced virtual contact. Survey data revealed a new set of technological practices that are emerging, namely that a large proportion of adoptive parents had searched online themselves for their child’s birth relatives (63%) and a minority (9%) reported virtual contact in their families, with mixed experiences. A mixed thematic and interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews highlighted that, traditional methods of contact remain an important feature of openness although complexities are evident. Virtual contact offered some families an alternative method of connection with benefits such as fulfilling adoptee identity needs and creating more personal, family relationships. However, risks existed including the unmediated nature of virtual contact and inappropriate behaviour of birth relatives. The experience of virtual contact was influenced by the characteristics of the adoptive family and individuals in it, the existing relationships between the adoptive and birth family, and the existence of additional challenges within the adoptive family. Findings suggest that empirical lessons learned in relation to traditional methods can lay foundations for the development of good practice concerning technological methods.

The implementation and subsequent embedding of restorative justice across a police force is fraught with difficulties, including cultural barriers to reform, structural barriers including management and hierarchy, and practical barriers for those officers tasked with ‘doing’ restorative justice within the confines of traditional criminal justice processes. There is also a lack of consistent understanding across a police force in relation to what restorative justice entails, and as to the key values and principles that underpin it. This thesis analyses the implementation process of restorative justice across one police force in England and Wales. The study sought to understand the key opportunities, constraints and limitations with regards to the implementation of restorative justice policy. It further explored understandings of restorative justice across the force. The force was observed over an eighteen month period from July 2012 to December 2013; access was given to documents, crime recording systems, and other relevant data. Four focus groups were conducted with thirty one participants representing frontline officers from different commands across all four force localities. A further ten interviews were conducted, eight with managers who were members of the restorative justice steering group, one with the Chief Constable and one with the newly-elected Police and Crime Commissioner. The research found evidence of a ‘continuum of understanding’ demonstrating the subtle differences in the ways in which different ranking officers conceptualise restorative justice. The research also identifies some of the key barriers to successful implementation. These factors included a top down implementation process which neglected the role of the community, and failed to empower officers or offer them meaningful involvement in the implementation prompting resistance both from frontline workers and middle management. It also found a great deal of confusion due to mixed messages, and a lack of concrete details which left many officers unable to fully understand and utilise restorative processes. Certain factors were also identified which helped to propel the implementation process. These included strong leadership and a small but significant culture shift across the organisation. The findings of this research are relevant beyond the police force that was the subject of the research and contain important lessons in terms of the roll out of new policy initiatives.

This thesis reports the findings of an in-depth narrative study, involving 23 foster-fathers from within an independent foster care agency. The foster care of ‘looked after’ children in Britain has undergone considerable organisational change over the last few decades. This change to fostering has coincided with feminist and sociological discourses that have developed our understanding of family and gender relations. However, as research and practice have tended to focus on how women look after fostered children, these new ways of looking at gender roles and family relations have not been applied to families who foster. This focus on women as foster carers preserves traditionally gendered roles where women are seen as homemakers. Therefore, there is little understanding of what it is that men do within fostering families and men are routinely assigned a secondary role, as support carer or breadwinner, to a woman main carer. This study aims to add to the understanding of foster care by using feminist concepts around intersectionality and performativity to reappraise the literature and reflect on foster-fathers’ experiences as they see them. Data were gathered through mixed methods involving foster-father interviews and observational diaries alongside gathering data from 70 social worker questionnaires. While men in the study performed traditionally masculine roles, many were also seen to take on roles normally performed by women. The study highlights the complexity of foster-fathering because men were seen to perform roles and tasks that are not currently attributed to them. This complexity is often overlooked in both research and social work practice. The findings from this study show men developing caring alone in isolation from social workers. Furthermore, the findings suggest social workers could better support men and women negotiate roles within fostering that extend beyond performing gender which reproduce existing male breadwinner and female homemaking roles.

Over the last four decades, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sought to ensure the full, comprehensive inclusion of women in both education and the workplace. Motivated by my own rise from a relatively humble upbringing to later professional success achieved largely against the odds, this thesis aims, through the use of narrative analysis, to establish the reasons behind the accomplishments of five Emirati women managers in Higher Education (HE). The thesis contextualises their testimony by providing a historical overview of the UAE and a comprehensive examination of the literature; and setting out the critical feminist perspective at the heart of this study, which influenced the research paradigm: linking this with the narrative analysis method adopted. The life stories of the five women are analysed in detail, in order to identify key themes and commonalities. These key themes are: support received from different individuals at different times; opportunities provided by political, cultural and structural change in the UAE; personal resilience and resolve to succeed; and the importance of the Islamic faith. Taken together, the women’s testimony justifies the use of narrative analysis; it provides lessons for policymakers to learn (as well as recommendations set out at the end of the thesis, which seek to nourish an environment based on genuine equality of opportunity for all) and inspiration for future generations of Emirati women and girls seeking to follow in their footsteps.