Participatory policymaking: embedding lived experience ethically
Including lived experience in policy development does not automatically mean it is equitable. Join us in January for our GM Policy Hub seminar, where we will explore steps policymakers can take to make participatory processes and outputs as equitable as possible.
Drawing on the lived experience of people most affected by inequalities is an increasingly popular way to improve policy analysis and development. It can make decision-making more inclusive and put people at the heart of policy. However, it also raises ethical questions about both the process and its outcomes.
Research co-produced by The University of Manchester and communities in Glasgow and Manchester identified several challenges in lived experience research, including:
- gathering information without giving people and communities a say in the findings or resulting outputs;
- asking people to divide their experiences into categories that overlook the intersecting issues they face;
- failing to recognise the wins and agency of people and their communities, and the impact that 'small wins' may have for them;
- allowing stigma and bias to creep in, reducing people's willingness to share important information.
Including lived experience in policy development does not automatically mean it is equitable. How can policymakers and analysts avoid tokenism and ethically embed lived experience in the design, development and delivery of strategies? Join Dr Wren Radford, Lecturer in Liberal Arts, to explore how to make research processes and outputs as equitable as possible.
Speakers:
- Dr Wren Radford, Lecturer in Liberal Arts, The University of Manchester
- Further speakers TBA
When: Tuesday, 12 January 2027, 10:30am - 12.00midday (registration from 10am)
Where: The University of Manchester (room details provided upon registration)