Impact case studies
Authors, scholarship and moments that have mattered... here are just some examples of our publishing that have made a difference to policy and practice. Click on each heading to read more.
‘A Walk on the Wild Side’: University–industry partnerships brought to life at Bloomsbury Theatre
Tasked by UCL with producing a short play on the challenges of collaborations between academia and industry, writer and director Adrian Jackson MBE turned to the pages of University–Industry Partnerships for Positive Change, as well as to the authors Tim Bodley-Scott and Ersel Oymak themselves, for inspiration and insight.
The extensive and unconventional reach of Dan McQuillan’s Resisting AI
Rebecca Megson-Smith and Dan McQuillan, author of Resisting AI, look at how the publication of his book has helped move the AI discussion away from ‘is it good or bad?’ to the more radical and worrying aspects of the technology as it is being implemented, in terms of augmenting society’s existing disparities.
The impact of empathy: how Radical Empathy found a hungry audience waiting for it
Rebecca Megson-Smith and Terri Givens, author of Radical Empathy, consider how the book has sparked new thinking on how to create a sense of inclusion within any environment.
Getting inside the policing mind
Jessica K. Miller and Rebecca Megson-Smith look at how findings published in The Policing Mind have had a positive impact on working conditions for frontline police officers.
How a community mobilised to challenge racism in HE
Rebecca Megson-Smith and Arun Verma, editor of Anti-Racism in Higher Education, chart the overwhelming impact of the book on the debate around diversity and inclusion in higher education across the UK.
From book publication to changing the law on cyberflashing
Rebecca Megson-Smith charts the influence Clare McGlynn and Kelly Johnson's Cyberflashing: Recognising Harms, Reforming Laws on making cyberflashing a criminal act.
Bridging the divide between academia and real-world problems
Rebecca Megson-Smith and Glenn Muschert explore the history of the Agendas for Social Justice series and Policy Press' relationship with the Society for the Study of Social Problems.
Developing pioneering ideas in partnership: The BSG and Policy Press
Tom Scharf celebrates the partnership between Policy Press and BSG, a springboard for pushing forward into new areas of research and action for positive change.
Social Policy Association: Why promoting social policy research is more important than ever
Karen Rowlingson writes about the SPA's collaboration with Policy Press to promote the discipline of social policy, and in turn tackle today’s most important social challenges and problems.
Re-imagining Child Protection: Towards Humane Social Work with Families
Highlights the resonance the book had for those working within both policy and practice spheres.
The Trojan Horse Affair – the long road to challenging narratives and injustice in Britain
Shows how John Holmwood and Therese O’Toole’s book explores the response to the Trojan Horse scandal.
The Class Ceiling author advises No 10 on social mobility policy
Shows the impact of Sam Friedman and Daniel Laurison’s book on class inequality, and charts who in politics and the elite industries have been listening to its recommendations.
White Privilege author is key contributor in international debate on racism
Shows how after the book's publication Kalwant Bhopal has become a key contributor to the international debate on racism.
Countering Extremism in British Schools? The Truth about the Birmingham Trojan Horse Affair
John Holmwood talks about how, since writing the book, he has been academic adviser to a play, Trojan Horse, based upon transcripts of the inquiries and interviews with those involved in the affair.
Women of Power
Torild Skard shows how her book led to the establishment of the UNSCC course on Leadership, Women and the UN to promote a more gender-balanced workplace within and beyond the UN system and strengthen the voice of women at the leadership table.
Journal of Poverty and Social Justice and the UN report on poverty and human rights
Explores the impact of the Journal of Poverty and Social Justice on Philip Alston's visit to the UK as UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.
The Story of Baby P
Explores the impact Ray Jones' book had on the media coverage around the Baby P story, including its use in Parliamentary Select Committees and a 90 minute BBC One television documentary.
Lande: The Calais 'Jungle' and Beyond
Shows how Lande, and the corresponding exhibition at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, create a space for new dialogues, protest and problem-solving around the issue.
Getting By
Lisa Mckenzie reflects on the impact of her book, Getting By: Estates, Class and Culture in Austerity Britain, since its publication in 2015.
Hunger Pains
Kayleigh Garthwaite explores the impact of Hunger Pains, including its use in a House of Lords debate on UK poverty.
The New Working Class
Investigates the impact of Claire Ainsley's The New Working Class and discussion it started about implications of the work.
Repealing the 8th
Details the book's use as a key campaigning tool for the referendum on the 8th amendment, which was ultimately repealed
Journal of Poverty and Social Justice and Universal Credit
Reveals the article's impact as it was referenced in a Universal Credit Roll-out Emergency Debate.
Good Times, Bad Times
Explores the impact of John Hills' Good Times, Bad Times, which was used extensively by ministers, government departments and the media.
Studies in Poverty, Inequality and Social Exclusion
Details how the two books in the series led to a methodology change and anti-poverty policies across the EU being more accurately targeted.
We don't just want people to read our content but to really engage with it – intellectually, emotionally and practically. We can advise you on maximising impact to the intended audience right from your initial inquiry or submission through the complete life of the publication.