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The impact within this case study is two-fold. Firstly through the dissemination of her research, which focuses on the political, cultural and economic interactions, co-operation and conflict between Muslim and Christian communities in the early modern Mediterranean world, Dr Claire Norton seeks to create impact by challenging current negative media stereotypes of Muslims and Islamic cultures. This has been achieved through a variety of public lectures, academic and more popular publications, media appearances and pedagogical workshops with teachers. Beneficiaries of the impact include interested members of the public, teachers, schools, and -academic community stakeholders - both religious and non-religious. Secondly Norton is currently working with teachers with the aim of converting academic research into subject knowledge and usable classroom resources, thus enabling teachers to integrate knowledge of Islamic cultures into mainstream educational contexts with the aim of challenging negative misconceptions.
This case study focuses primarily on Dr Keith Hopper's work on Flann O'Brien and Neil Jordan. It demonstrates his re-evaluation of modern and contemporary Irish writers and filmmakers, combined with his accessible exploration of the interfaces between fiction and film. Hopper's research focuses on formally innovative texts which challenge the dominant conventions of Irish and international realism. This impacts on the public understanding of Irish culture through Hopper's extensive print reviews, as well as his public lectures for adult education and non-academic audiences. Based at the St Mary's Centre for Irish Studies (CIS) since August 2012, the impact from research undertaken in 2012-13 draws, unsurprisingly, on his already established research. As an essayist, editor, broadcaster and speaker, Hopper has a proven commitment to adult education, online and distance learning, and the public dissemination of Irish culture.
The case study outlined here is concerned with how human behaviour and social practices can be shaped and guided by applying education for sustainability. Outreach for this work influences both policy and practice through advisory roles with international curriculum reforms (Australia-ACARA), national training and development consultancy in high-impact organisations (World Bank, Liverpool FC and Burnley FC, Mott MacDonald, Business In The Community), and practical applications including setting up for the DfE the first School of Sustainability / high school as an academy in Burnley, Lancashire and establishing other sites in urban and rural settings in various locations of the Pop-Up-Foundation project across the world.
The pedagogical workshops conducted in Palestine in 2012-13 on History, Culture and Memory as Sites of Life-long Learning in Palestine (LLIP) attracted teachers, civil servants and local government employees, members of cultural centres and NGOs. The project contributed to co-learning experience and a dialogue across cultures. Beneficiaries shared new ideas on critical pedagogies. The local and international partners explored how new research on "social memory from below" and oral memory methodologies can be applied to Palestinian pedagogy. The European partners gained deeper insights into the complex issues and realities confronting the Palestinian institutions. The new pedagogical material recorded at the workshops was circulated through the local media and placed on Palestinian websites in both Arabic and English. As a result of the success of the project, Nur Masalha, Professor of Religion and Politics and Director of the Centre for Religion and History at St Mary's, was consulted by the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education and the Palestinian Quality Assurance Commission (in Ramallah) in May-June 2013 on the introduction of new MA programmes at Palestinian universities and on issues of teaching history in Palestinian schools.
The research outlined below concerning medico-physiological issues in distance runners has directly informed medical policy, investigations and therapy strategies applied to elite distance runners, and raised the profile of issues relating to the Female Athlete Triad for coaches such as those within British Athletics and England Athletics.
The research findings have been disseminated via several avenues, such as the education of Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) doctors (through content for lectures delivered on SEM programmes at bachelors and masters level), and via CPD workshops for coaches and SEM practitioners, thus with the capacity to directly affect medical practice.
The outcomes of this research have directly influenced practices and policies for injury prevention and player health in both rugby league and rugby union. Besides giving a detailed analysis of injury profiles in rugby league, the research has served to raise the profile and awareness of two major issues, heat stress and concussion.
Presentations of research findings to members of the Rugby League Medical Association (RLMA) have enhanced CPD workshops, and resulted in bylaw changes in Rugby Football League medical standards. More recent work has highlighted the seriousness of concussion in both rugby league and union.
A national UK standard on nano-labelling has been published and an international standard is imminent largely due to the efforts of Professor Geoff Hunt as an applied ethicist in nanotechnology. Hunt became interested in the labelling of nanoproducts when he saw (in 2006) a lack of recognition that nanoscale hazards would affect consumers' right to know. He raised this in his 2006 co-edited book and at a UNESCO workshop in Paris (2007), leading directly to an invitation from Dr Peter Hatto of BSI (UK standardisation body) to lead a world-first initiative on nano-labelling. He continued to steer this project for five years up to International level.
This case study demonstrates the impact of research on Philosophical Dialogue and Rhetoric in the context of the marketisation of Higher Education. In this context, impact was (and is) created through the facilitation of Socratic dialogues, and the dissemination of reflections on the pedagogical nature of these dialogues against the increasing marketisation of Higher Education. This case study aims to show a change in awareness, attitude and understanding of individual participants, especially a (philosophical) revaluation of their own experience. It also aims to change the pedagogical attitudes and practices of participating teachers and lecturers.
The impact described here focuses on the complex issue of Ireland's representation in film, its exhibition and cultural remediation. It derives from a research project undertaken during two discrete periods (1993-2001) and (2011-2013), the most recent configuration of which at the Centre for Irish Studies (CIS) at St Mary's University College, aims to produce a new cultural history that includes its diasporic forms and transnational axes. The research findings have informed agendas for cultural institutions, adult education programmes and cultural events. The case study addresses the issue of filmic variation across regional, national and international contexts thus contributing to debates about transnational cinema.
In Autumn 2011, Dr Stephen Bullivant was appointed Director of the European Society for Catholic Theology's research project into 'the nature, function and location of theology, with particular attention to the power of theology to overcome power abuse in Church and Society' (InSpiRe 2013), and with a special focus on the nature and causes of clerical sexual abuse.
Given the gravity and urgency of the topic, the project's 'impact aims' have been to engage two particular non-academic audiences: the Catholic hierarchy, and those involved in setting church policy regarding safeguarding and the handling of abuse allegations; and the wider Catholic public (i.e., the Church as a whole). Its intention is to introduce both to the wealth of academic research being conducted in this area, and from which the Church can and must learn.
Although the research project was only recently concluded — and several of the main outputs have yet to appear — a significant amount of both kinds of impact has, even at this very early stage, already occurred. Since the project launch in September 2012, major figures from the world of Catholic safeguarding, at both national and international levels have been involved in various ways. Most notably, the Vatican's own chief prosecutor of abuse allegations has described the project as constituting 'an important moment to move from the hierarchy to the theologians' for proper reflection 'on this most tragic wound in the Church and in society' (Vatican Radio 2012a; 2012b; see section 4, below). The project has also received notable coverage from the international Catholic media.