Sociological Seminar Series 23-24

Sociological Studies has launched a new departmental seminars series (23-24), which aims to showcase cutting edge sociological and interdisciplinary research, and foster connectivity and/or collaboration. With sixteen seminars across the academic year, we will cover a range of topics related to our four research themes: Everyday Life and Critical Diversities; Social Inequalities and Social Ordering; Science, Technology and Medicine in Society; and Wellbeing and Health Across the Lifecourse. In 23-24, the series is largely intended as a space for SCS colleagues to come together to discuss works in progress. People external to the department may attend selected seminars online, or in-person at the invitation of the speaker. 

This event has been organised by the Social Inequalities and Social Ordering research theme. Due to space constraints, if you are external to the Department of Sociological Studies you may only attend online.

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Developing a theory of ‘collective power’: Case studies on process, legitimacy, engagement and consensus

Wednesday 18 October 2023, 13:15-14:30

Dr Jamie Grace, Senior Lecturer in Law and Fellow of the Sheffield Institute for Policy Studies, Sheffield Hallam University

Abstract: Activist groups, whether broader political movements, trade unions, or ‘single issue’ campaigns, exert a ‘collective power’ that will be more powerful and persuasive if they can navigate principles and issues of i) process, ii) legitimacy, iii) engagement and iv) consensus. As such, this paper seeks to set out a four-part model by which we might understand activist success in a particular setting; namely the British political and legal constitution, and the policymaking landscape with which it is overlaid. Understanding and working with (or challenging) protest laws, democratic procedures and media strategies are some key tools in undertaking the work of activism. This paper will present formative work on the selection of case studies showing the strengths and weaknesses of the ‘PLEC’ model of ‘collective power’ as a tool to understand the success of activist groups.

Bio: Jamie has been a lecturer since 2007; teaching first at the University of Derby and then Sheffield Hallam University since 2014. He has about a decade of experience as a trade union representative for UCU. Jamie is a specialist human rights law teacher, working mainly with undergraduate law, criminology and policing students, as well as groups of postgraduate students in areas of social policy and administrative law. His research has mainly focused on information law and privacy rights, and more recently the prevention of domestic abuse. A common thread in his research work has been the examination of ways for individuals to assert their rights: Jamie’s REF 2014 impact case study concerned policy reform on patient data rights in the NHS; and his REF 2021 impact case study focused on improving accountability for ‘big data’ in policing. Jamie is now working on a book on a legal theory of ‘collective power’ as it relates to protest groups and trade unions in contemporary Britain.