Social Sciences

Social Sciences Research Expertise

Our social science research is published internationally, shapes official reports and influences policy. Our research also underpins all our teaching activity.

We have a range of specific areas of research expertise:

• Health and inequality
• Poverty and inequality
• Migration and refugee studies
• Criminal justice and community safety studies
• Political parties research
• Environmental psychology
• Restorative justice and mediation 
• Public services reform and public policy
• Dementia research
• Welfare state research
• Career guidance studies
• Gender studies
• Alcohol and drug policy

social science research groupings

• Strategic Hub for Psychology, Social Work, Health Behaviours and Addictions

• Division of Social Sciences

• Protracted Crisis Research Centre

Collaborative research

The UWS-Oxfam Partnership is an innovative model of research and knowledge exchange between the University of the West of Scotland, Oxfam Scotland and a range of civil society organisations. It brings together the academic expertise from UWS, the social justice and anti-poverty campaigning strengths of Oxfam Scotland, and the local knowledge and capacities of civil society organisations to conduct research and inform policy debates with the overarching objective to work together for a more equitable and sustainable Scotland.

Read more about the Partnership and its activities here.