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Through a range of media and educational activities, Gordon Lynch has developed public understanding of the importance of morally-charged visions of the sacred and the profane for contemporary society. In his work, the sacred refers not necessarily to traditional forms of religious belief, but to whatever people collectively experience as unquestionable moral realities, whose profanation evokes reactions of outrage, disgust and the search for restitution and renewed moral solidarity. In articles for newspapers, blogs for influential websites, and on-line films for use in secondary schools, he has introduced public audiences to this way of thinking about the sacred and shown its relevance for making sense of contemporary cases involving strong public moral emotion. These have ranged from the UK phone-hacking scandal to public responses to the mass murders committed by Anders Behring Brievik. His work has been engaged with by a global audience of at least 250,000-300,000 people, and has enabled public audiences both to identify sacred passions in the modern world and to adopt a more self-critical attitude towards instinctive moral reactions.
Philosophical Enquiry, informed by excellent research to explore the metaphysical core of essentialism, has enabled educational benefits to secondary school children through improved social mobility and supporting the development intellectually enquiring minds. These impacts can be demonstrated through Dr Mark Cain and Dr Stephen Boulter's use of Philosophical Enquiry within two secondary schools; leading to positive outcomes for students, supported by testimony of their teachers, and influencing educational practices and learning through the inclusion of philosophical enquiry within the curriculum.
Research at Lancaster has reconstructed the governance systems on common land since the medieval period, informing stakeholders and the wider public about the history of the 554,000ha of surviving commons, mostly in upland terrains in England and Wales treasured for their natural beauty and heritage. By engaging with contemporary users of commons through the Foundation for Common Land, The National Trust, and local commoners' groups, the research has enabled hill farmers to reclaim a sense of ownership over their commons, enhancing the cultural life of upland communities and informing debates about conservation and sustainable use of common land in the shifting legal landscape following the Commons Act 2006.
Since 2009, research has been undertaken into strategies, practice and provision for active-ageing, specifically examining the mental and physical health and well-being benefits of group activities on culturally diverse older people. The main impact of this research has been the establishment of twelve Movers and Shakers groups. This has benefited approximately 500 older people. There are plans to establish four more groups in Buckinghamshire, including a group for people with learning disabilities. Outside of the County, interest in adoption of the model has been expressed by Hillingdon Borough Council and by a housing group operating in Hertfordshire.