Interactions between stigmatised client groups and service providers: Understanding the dynamics to social inclusion and participation

Many Britons experience some form of group-based disadvantage or stigma (based on ethnicity, religion, (dis)ablity, sexuality, socio-economic status) which can contribute to social marginalisation.

Community support services can be vital facilitators of people’s participation in society, yet disability groups for instance, report that disabled people frequently experience stigmatisation when dealing with such services and that this serves to reinforce their marginalisation. Moreover, whilst the inclusion of service users in consultation mechanisms is now common practice, little is known about who gets voice through these mechanisms and what are the consequences for recognition of group-based experiences and interests.

Understanding these issues is important to the development of policy and practice that can support rather than undermine social inclusion and participation.


Research project

The purpose of this PhD is to investigate the processes through which interactions members of disadvantaged groups have with service providers shape their sense of how they are viewed by society and may facilitate or hinder their trust in and uptake of services, and how service providers in turn understand these processes.

This research would contribute both to social psychological theoretical development as well as to the development of best-practice in the field.

The research draws on current social psychological knowledge about inter-group relations and social change; and about interrelated processes including:

- the consequences of asymmetries of power for evaluating interactions
- the importance of meta-perceptions (what we think the other thinks of us), particularly for members of low power groups
- the role of the denial and misrecognition of multiple identities (where one is not seen according to one’s own self-definitions) for shared identity, trust, and agency

The successful applicant would have considerable scope to determine the context in which they wanted to conduct this research and also to further develop the questions of interest as the research progresses.

This research requires the establishment of strong relationships of trust and collaboration with service user and provider organisations. Accordingly, the successful applicant would have considerable opportunity (and support) for professional development.


Research methods

It is envisaged that the research would require a mixed methods approach (both quantitative and qualitative).


Your suitability and background

This PhD would suit someone with an interest in receiving training in a range of social science methods (quasi-experimental online surveys; interview and focus groups; social media analysis).