New research projects to tackle key vulnerability and policing challenges
The ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre has funded one out of four new research projects at the School of Law, led by an Early Career Researcher (ECRs), to address social issues.
Dr Ali Malik, lecturer in criminal justice at the School of Law was awarded funding from the ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre’s annual Early Career Researcher Development Fund. The fund enables ECRs to lead co-produced pioneering projects that contribute new insights to current and emerging vulnerability and policing challenges.
The 12-month project will commence in May 2024 with successful applicants receiving support from the Centre to maximise the reach and impact of the research. Professor Charlie Lloyd, Co-Director of the Centre, said,
We are delighted to fund four new projects from our Early Career Researcher Development Fund. All of these projects concentrate on essential areas of work that complement our Centre’s research programme and have the potential to lead to positive impacts for services and vulnerable people. We look forward to seeing them get under way and follow the successes of our first cohort of projects.
Professor Adam Crawford, Co-Director of the Centre, said,
We are immensely pleased that this year’s round of ECR grant funding received such a positive response; there were some outstanding applications submitted. A key aim of the fund is to support the next generation of vulnerability and policing researchers. It is exciting to see such a strong field of ECRs and rewarding to be able to assist our awardees in their goals to find evidence-based solutions to social problems.
Dr Ali Malik’s project will examine how the police and local resilience forums understand, prepare for, and respond to climate vulnerability. The research will address gaps in knowledge about the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. In particular, it will look at how climate change could exacerbate socio-economic inequalities and intersectional disadvantages. The project will also highlight best practices in local capacity-building and response strategies during climate disasters.
Dr Ali Malik joins Dr Rebecca Shaw, last year’s recipient of this fund, as the newest awardee, making the University of Leeds – and the School of Law – the only institution to have had successful applicants in both years the ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre has run the fund.
