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

这一申请提出了一个工作计划，使我能够通过解释性政策分析（IPA）和场理论（Bourdieu, 1984,1996）的视角来研究“性别批判”倡导，从而更好地理解英国的政策制定。通过“性别批判”，我指的是那些寻求限制跨性别权利或在对性/性别的本质主义理解的基础上抵制性别自我认同的人所部署的一套话语。我的博士学位的一个关键贡献是展示了如何通过关注政策参与者的日常实践来研究政策，他们在特定的结构性约束下，以自己的目标和先入之见行事。在我的博士学位上，我开发了一种创新的IPA和现场理论的结合，以证明基于实践的方法可以带来有价值的见解。虽然IPA的一些学者已经探索了实践（Wagenaar and Cook, 2003; Behagel et al., 2017; Bartels, 2018），其他人也注意到场论和IPA之间的相似之处（Fligstein and McAdam, 2012; Brenninkmeijer, 2018），但这些方法并没有一起部署。这样做使我能够探索对政策变化的宏观和微观影响，并展示参与者如何在特定的宏观文化影响背景下制定政策。我是一名熟练且善于反思的定性研究者，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，可以将其引入政策变革的紧急领域，即“性别关键”对英国政策制定的影响。在这样做的过程中，我将继续用我的方法论贡献来丰富IPA的传统，并为英国有关跨性别包容的政策变化提供急需的见解。那些可能被定义为“性别批判”的人经常表示他们感到沉默，似乎是少数人的声音。然而，一些观点似乎正在影响英国的政策制定。例如，在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）的过程，但它被英国政府阻止（Sim, 2023）。尽管该法案已经被咨询了两次，两次都发现大多数受访者赞成改变（苏格兰政府，2023年），而且一项民意调查显示，57%的苏格兰人同意应该更容易获得GRC，但还是发生了这种情况。正是这个谜题，我打算在ESRC博士后期间创造研究的条件。拟议的工作计划旨在产生社会影响，并在我的职业轨迹上形成关键的一步。这些目标是相互交织的，因为我致力于研究有助于更好地理解与政策相关的问题，并导致积极的，经过深思熟虑的政策制定。我个人对这个话题很感兴趣，并打算长期关注这个问题。该奖学金将为我提供工具和能力，以设计和试点一个研究项目，从国际出版协会的角度调查“性别批判”话语。这可能是小规模的、定性的，并纳入那些从事“性别批判”倡导的人的观点。在布莱顿性与性别转化中心工作将使我有机会在性别包容的研究环境中加深对围绕该问题的主流话语的理解，并在LGBTQ+研究以及性别和公民权利方面拥有专业知识。这个工作计划旨在为我从博士后的位置到我打算作为一名成熟的学者的位置铺平道路。我完成了我的博士学位，是一个以实践为基础的IPA方法专家，主要研究与性伤害有关的问题。我计划保留方法学方面的专业知识，在IPA学科中巩固自己的地位，并在性别研究方面确立自己的地位，培养性别包容性政策制定方面的专业知识。

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.