Social Sciences Festival 2025 - Co-produced Research in the Justice System: Questions, Challenges and Opportunities
When: 9 June 2025, 18:00 — 20:00
Venue: TBC
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Co-production, lived experience and peer research are increasingly popular within the Social Sciences and beyond. In crime and justice spaces, phrases such as ‘nothing about us without us’ and ‘experts by experience’ are commonplace. This reflects a recognition of the transmissive roots of social research and of the growing impetus to embrace participatory and dialogic approaches to ensure that research gives voice to those who have been marginalised and contribute to social change. However, concerns have been raised about the potential for performativity, tokenism and even exploitation in the execution of co-produced research.
Alongside this are questions about the extent to which meaningful reform can be and is achieved. This event will grapple with these questions by putting the spotlight on Birkbeck’s ‘Lived Experience of the Law’ study, conducted by the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research and Revolving Doors, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. It will bring together a panel of experts – including those with lived experience of the law – to discuss and reflect upon the challenges and opportunities of co-produced research and to launch the project’s short film ‘What Do you Think?’
Agenda:
18.00 Welcome and overview of Lived Experiences of the Law project
18.15 Film launch
18.30 Introductions and opening remarks from panel members
19.15 Questions to panel from project team, followed by audience questions.
20.00 Reception
Confirmed speakers include:
ICPR Project team: Gillian Hunter, Amy Kirby, Nicola Campbell
Revolving Doors Project team: Lauren Bennett (Head of Evidence and Impact, and Birkbeck Alumni)
Dr Sofia Buncy, MBE, DL, Director – Muslim Women in Prison Project
Dr Gill Buck, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Chester, UKRI Future Leaders Fellow - Activating lived experience in criminal justice
Dr Ruth Beecher, Senior Research Fellow, School of Historical Studies, Birkbeck, Principal Investigator – Recovery Histories