Staff Profile
Dr Emily Rainsford
Principal Research Associate
Background
I am currently Principal Research Associate at , a Research England funded partnership between 缅北禁地, Northumbria University, 缅北禁地 City Council, North of Tyne Combined Authority and 缅北禁地 and Northumbria NHS Trusts aiming to bridge the gap between policy and research in the North East. I am responsible for the Action Learning Research, where we explore and reflect on what works and what doesn't in regional policy engagement.
I am an experienced social researcher proficient in both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. My research interests focus on young people, their political participation, citizenship and employment. I have led on the data collection and project management for the UK team of the multinational mixed method project, exploring the role of family social, cultural and economic capital in young people's employment pathways and achievement of economic self-sufficiency.
I am an impact focused researcher, and have taken up various opportunities to work in the public and third sectors. Most recently I was seconded to the Industrial Strategy Council in BEIS working on a research project exploring the decision making process behind local growth strategies across England.
Qualifications
BA Politics and Philosophy, University of Sheffield
MSc Citizenship and Democracy (research), University of Southampton
PhD Politics and International Relations, University of Southampton
Roles and responsibilities
Editor
Previous posts
Coordinator of GPS Early Career Network.
Founding convenor of the PSA Young People's Politics specialist group.
ESRC Social Researcher Industrial Strategy Council, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
Innovation Fellow, Youth Employment UK
CRN Visiting Fellow at Canberra University, Australia. Providing a youth perspective on the
ESRC Intern, Mutuals Taskforce, Cabinet Office
Languages
Swedish
I have three strands of research interests.
- Place based policy Action Learning: I lead the action learning work package in Insights North East exploring what works and what doesn't when doing place based policy making in the North East. I collect a wide range of qualitative data and turn it in to actionable insights for practitioners and policy makers.
- Young people's political participation; I have a long established track record of researching young activists in different political settings. I have collected survey data on young people in political parties, the British Youth Council and UK Youth Parliament as well as at street demonstrations. Within this research area I am particularly interested in what youth citizenship means, what opportunities young people have to participate politically and what impact it has. I am currently writing a book for Bristol University Press to explore these themes further.
- Youth employment; my work on the CUPESSE project has explored the role of parental social, economic and cultural capital for young people's labour market success. Within this I have also explored young people's work values and how their previous experience in the labour market affect them. I have presented this work to many external organisations like BEIS, DWP, Youth Employment UK, and ERSA.
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Articles
- Allen KA, Reardon J, Lu Y, Smith DV, Rainsford E, Walsh L. . Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice 2022, 19(3), 2.
- Rainsford E, Saunders C. . Frontiers of Political Science 2021, 3, 713340.
- Rainsford E. . SAGE Research Methods Cases 2020.
- Rainsford E, Maloney W, Popa SA. . The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2019, 682(1), 172-185.
- Tosun J, Arco-Tirado JL, Caserta M, Cemalcilar Z, Freitag M, Horisch F, Jensen C, Kittel B, Littvay L, Lukes M, Maloney WA, Muhlbock M, Rainsford E, Rapp C, Schuck B, Shore J, Steiber N, Sumer N, Tsakloglou P, Vancea M, Vegetti F. . European Political Science 2019, 18(3), 510-531.
- Rainsford E. . Parliamentary Affairs 2018, 71(4), 783-803.
- Rainsford E. . British Journal of Politics and International Relations 2017, 19(4), 790-806.
- Ryan M, Saunders C, Rainsford E, Thompson E. . Politics 2014, 34(1), 85-97.
- Saunders C, Grasso M, Olcese C, Rainsford E, Rootes C. Explaining Differential Protest Participation: Novices, Returners, Repeaters, and Stalwarts. Mobilization: An International Quarterly 2012, 17(3), 263 - 280.
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Reports
- Romaniuk A, Osborne C, Rainsford E, Taylor A. . Industrial Strategy Council, 2020.
- Rainsford E, Rawlings LJ, Mistry L. . 缅北禁地, 2018.
- Rainsford E, Randall N, Dobson A, Sidorzuk O. . London: Bite the Ballot, 2016.
- Rainsford E. . London: Political Studies Association, 2014. Beyond the Youth Citizenship Commission: Young People and Politics.
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Review
- Rainsford E. . Mobilization: An International Quarterly 2016, 21(2), 253-254.