Investigating the 'gender critical' influence on policymaking in the UK through a novel methodology in interpretive policy analysis

这一应用程序规定了一个工作计划，这将使我能够通过解释性政策分析（IPA）和场理论（布迪厄，1984年，1996年）的透镜研究“性别批判”的宣传，以更好地了解在英国的决策。通过“性别批判”，我指的是那些试图限制跨性别权利或抵制性别自我认同的人基于对性/性别的本质主义理解而部署的一系列话语。我的博士学位的一个关键贡献是展示如何通过关注政策参与者的日常实践来研究政策，他们在特定的结构约束下以自己的目标和先入之见运作。虽然IPA的一些学者已经探索了实践（Wagenaar和Cook，2003年; Behagel等人，二〇一七年; Bartels，2018），以及其他人注意到场论和IPA之间的相似性（Fligstein和McAdam，2012; Brenninkmeijer，2018），这些方法没有一起部署。这样做使我能够探索宏观和微观对政策变化的影响，并展示了行为者如何在一组特定的宏观文化影响的背景下制定政策。我是一个流利和反思的定性研究者，我对数据生成和分析充满信心和好奇心。作为我开发的方法的专家，我处于一个独特的位置，将其带到政策变革的紧迫领域，即对英国决策的“性别批判”影响。在这样做的时候，我将继续丰富我的方法论贡献IPA的传统，并提供急需的洞察力有关的政策变化在英国有关transinclusion.Individuals谁可以定义为“性别批判”经常表明，他们感到沉默，似乎是一个少数的声音.然而，一些论点似乎正在影响英国的政策制定。例如，2022年12月，苏格兰政府通过了一项法案，简化了获得性别承认证书（GRC）的程序，但被英国政府阻止（Sim，2023）。尽管该法案已被征求过两次意见，但还是发生了这种情况，两次都发现大多数受访者支持这些变化（苏格兰政府，2023年），而且一项民意调查显示，57%的苏格兰受访者同意应该更容易获得GRC。正是这个难题，我计划在ESRC博士后奖学金期间创造条件进行研究。拟议的工作计划旨在产生社会影响，并在我的职业生涯轨迹中迈出关键一步。这些目标是一致的，因为我致力于追求研究，这有助于更好地了解与政策相关的问题，并导致积极的，深思熟虑的决策。我个人对这个话题很感兴趣，并打算长期密切关注这个问题。奖学金将给我的工具和能力，设计和试点研究项目调查“性别批评”的话语从IPA的角度。这很可能是小规模的，定性的，并纳入那些谁从事'性别批判'倡导的观点.基于在布莱顿中心转变性和性别将给我机会，加深我的理解，在一个性别包容的研究环境中，围绕这个问题的流行话语跨LGBTQ+研究和性别和公民权利的专业知识.该工作计划旨在为我的博士后职位铺平道路，我打算作为一名成熟的学者。我完成了我的博士学位，是IPA实践方法的专家，主要研究与性伤害有关的问题。我计划保留方法方面的专门知识，巩固自己在IPA学科的地位，并在性别研究方面站稳脚跟，培养关于性别包容性决策的专门知识。

This application sets out a programme of work which will allow me to study 'gender critical' advocacy through the lens of interpretive policy analysis (IPA) and field theory (Bourdieu, 1984, 1996) to better understand policymaking in the UK. By 'gender critical', I refer to the set of discourses deployed by thosewho seek to limit trans rights or resist gender self-identification on the basis of an essentialist understanding of sex/gender. A key contribution of my PhD was to show how policy could be studied by focusing on the everyday practices of policy actors, who operate with their own aims and preconceptions,within particular structural constraints.For my PhD I developed an innovative pairing of IPA and field theory to demonstrate that a practice-based approach can bring valuable insights. Although some scholars in IPA have explored practice (Wagenaar and Cook, 2003; Behagel et al., 2017; Bartels, 2018), and others have noted similarities between field theory and IPA (Fligstein and McAdam, 2012; Brenninkmeijer, 2018), these approaches had not been deployed together. Doing so enabled me to explore macro and micro influences on policy change, and show how actors create policy in the context of a specific set of macro-cultural influences.I am a fluent and reflexive qualitative researcher, and I approach data generation and analysis with confidence and curiosity. As an expert in the methodology I developed, I am in a unique position to bring it to an urgent area of policy change, that of the 'gender critical' influence on policymaking in the UK. In so doing, I will continue to enrich the tradition of IPA with my methodological contributions, and provide much needed insight into concerning changes in policy in the UK relating to trans inclusion.Individuals who may define as 'gender critical' frequently indicate that they feel silenced, and appear to be a minority voice. Nevertheless, some arguments appear to be influencing policymaking in the UK. For example, in December 2022 the Scottish Government passed a Bill simplifying the process of obtaining aGender Recognition Certificate (GRC), but it was blocked by the UK government (Sim, 2023). This happened in spite of the Bill having been consulted on twice, both times finding a majority of respondents in favour ofthe changes (Scottish Government, 2023), and a poll in which 57 per cent of Scottish people surveyed agreed that it should be easier to get a GRC. It is this puzzle that I plan to create the conditions to research during the ESRC postdoctoral fellowship.The proposed programme of work is designed to generate societal impact and to form a crucial step in my career trajectory. These aims are entwined, as I am committed to pursuing research which contributes to a greater understanding of issues with relevance to policy, and leads to positive, considered policymaking. I am personally motivated by this topic, and intend to remain close to the issue on a long-term basis. The fellowship will give me the tools and capacity to design and pilot a research project investigating 'gender critical' discourse from an IPA perspective. This is likely to be small-scale, qualitative, and to incorporate the perspectives of those who engage in 'gender critical' advocacy.Being based at the Brighton Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender would give me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of the prevailing discourse surrounding the issue in a gender inclusive research environment with expertise across LGBTQ+ research and gender and citizen rights. The workplan is designed to pave a trajectory from my position post-PhD to one I intend to occupy as an established academic. I finish my PhD an expert in practice-based approaches to IPA with an orientation to issues relating to sexual harm. I plan to retain the methodological expertise, entrench myself in the discipline of IPA and establish myself in gender studies, fostering an expertise on gender inclusive policymaking.