1. Lessons from REF 2014 Janet Finch Impact and Implications: The Future of Research Excellence and the Social Sciences Academy of Social Sciences. January 2016

2. Scope of presentation Overview of how REF 2014 worked in the social sciences What did we learn about the strengths of the social sciences? What did we learn about the impact of the social sciences? What did we learn about the evolving nature of the social sciences? Future REF exercises

3. Overview of REF 2014 in the social sciences

4. Main Panel C : sub panels UOA 16: Architecture, Built Environment and Planning UOA 17: Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology UOA 18: Economics and Econometrics UOA 19: Business and Management Studies UOA 20: Law UOA 21: Politics and International Studies UOA 22: Social Work and Social Policy UOA 23: Sociology UOA 24: Anthropology and Development Studies UOA 25: Education UOA 26: Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

5. Composition of Main Panel Chair 11 Chairs of Sub Panels 5 Research Users 4 International members ESRC Observer Secretariat: 4 Research Advisers

6. Submissions to Main Panel C Submissions: 614 Staff submitted (FTE): 14,413 Outputs: 52,212 Impact case studies: 2,040 ………………………………………………………………… Smallest sub panels: SP18 Economics and Econometrics (28 submissions) SP24 Anthropology and Development Studies (25 submissions) Largest sub panel: SP19 Business and Management (101 submissions)

7. Main Panel C outcomes: Overall quality profiles % of world-leading (4*): REF 2014 overall22% Main Panel C 27% % of internationally excellent (3*):REF2014 overall 50% Main Panel C 42% Range of 4* quality profiles in Main Panel C: Smallest: SP26 Sport, Leisure and Tourism, (25%) SP19 Business and Management (26%) Largest: SP18 Economics and Econometrics(30%) SP25 Education (30%)

8. What did we learn about the strengths of the social sciences?

9. Output types: Main Panel C totals Journal article: 42,217 Authored book 4,263 Book chapter: 2,962 Research report (external): 505 Edited book: 422 Working paper: 336 Plus small numbers of eg: data sets, website content, deigns, exhibitions

10. Examples of disciplinary strengths/developments identified Geography: Some convergence between human and physical geography in shared concern for human- environment relations Human geography addressing key grand challenges (eg climate change, food security, health and well-being) by developing conceptual frameworks and innovating methodologically Anthropology: Widespread strengths in political and legal anthropology Concentrations of excellence in visual and material culture, religion, development medical and environmental anthropology Medical anthropology and anthropology of development now firmly embedded in the mainstream Social policy: Growth in volume and quality of work on black and minority ethnic issues, criminology, and cross- national work Growth in the amount and quality of quantitative work

11. Excellence and diversity (whole REF) Number of institutions submitting: 154 institutions Range of submission sizes: Smallest: 3 staff submitted in 1 subject Largest: 2,500 staff in 32 subjects Concentration and spread of excellence: Three-quarters of all institutions have at least 10% of work graded as 4* The top quarter have at least 30% or work graded at 4*

12. What did we learn about the impact of the social sciences?

13. Impact profiles Scores of outstanding impact (4*): REF total44% Main Panel C total39% Scores of very considerable impact (3*):REF total40% Main Panel C total40% Main Panel C range: % of profile scores at 4* Smallest: Geography, Environmental Studies and Archeology34% Largest: Social Work and Social Policy44% Sociology43%

14. Possible reservation about the REF Impact approach Does the approach favour examples which support the status quo? Does the approach favour simple linear impact? Is it too burdensome?

15. Impact cases and the status quo (i) Title of case study: Advising the advisers: improving the conduct of adviser-claimant interviews in Jobcentre Plus (York, SP23 Sociology) Research developed evidence about the most effective ways to help claimants into work Led to policy changes, and training to enable advisers to conduct interviews more productively

16. Impact cases and the status quo (ii) Title of case study: Costly, problematic proposals for identity cards scrapped (LSE, SP19 Business and Management) Research showed that the plans being developed by government were unsafe, ineffective and costly Evidence that this had a significant effect on thinking about identity, therefore influencing the decision in 2010 to scrap the planned scheme Title of case study: Reforming BBC News and Current Affairs’ coverage of the UK’s nations (Essex, SP21 Politics and IR) Research on devolution demonstrated that BBC played little attention to all countries of the UK BBC Trust accepted the specific recommendations, and subsequently the references to devolved institutions increased seven-fold.

17. Possible reservation about the REF Impact approach Does the approach favour examples which support the status quo? Does the approach favour simple linear impact? Is it too burdensome?

18. Non-linear Impact example Title of case study: From Attitudes to Practices: new Approaches to Climate Change Policy (Lancaster SP23 Sociology) Research to impact: Long-standing body of research on climate change has influenced a wide range of national and international bodies to take seriously the “shared social practices” approach to consumption of energy, water and other natural resources. Contrast to previous emphasis on changing individual attitudes and behaviours. Achieved through:Collaborative working parties, public lectures, an exhibition, evidence to Select Committees, sustained contacts with NGOs and public agencies. “In combination this is evidence, not of a single policy change in a defined area, but of a more diffuse and perhaps more powerful impact on how policy problems are framed”

19. Possible reservation about the REF Impact approach Does the approach favour examples which support the status quo? Does the approach favour simple linear impact? Is it too burdensome?

20. What did we learn about the evolving nature of the social sciences?

21. Submission of case studies: Illustrations Title of case study: Promoting the role of land law in economic and social development and changing law and practice in developing and post-conflict countries. (Birkbeck) Role of land law reform in poverty alleviation and sustainable development Influencing policies nationally and internationally Actually submitted to: SP20 Law Might have been submitted to: SP 24 Anthropology and Development Studies; SP21 Politics and IR Title of case study: Child and athlete welfare: research and knowledge transfer in sport organisations (Brunel) Child abuse and prevention in sporting organisations Influenced various national and international sporting bodies, and reported to several major child abuse enquiries Actually submitted to: SP26 Sport Might have been submitted to: SP22 Social Work and Social Policy, SP21 Politics and IR, SP23 Sociology

22. Interdisciplinarity: REF 2014 Interdisciplinarity as mainstream for Main Panel C: Single disciplines, as conventionally defined (eg Economics, Politics) Well established ID areas (eg Education, Business and Management) Areas encompassing a wide range of disciplines (eg. Architecture, Planning and Built Environment) ID flags Tools for dealing with interdisciplinary outputs: Cross referring Cross membership Collation, monitoring and discussion (eg Criminology)

23. Future of REF exercises