Safe and Inclusive Communities

We support, develop, and promote research, innovation and impact across a range of areas, including the promotion of minority rights, challenging discrimination and inequalities in relation to health, education and employment (amongst other areas), and understanding and combatting extremism, radicalisation and sexual violence.

Research institutes and centres

Projects

Stylised illustration of a woman's shoulders, neck, and face from the upper lip down. A hand, clearly belonging to someone else, is touching her collarbone from behind.

Research project

Enabling safer research engagement for domestic abuse organisations

This partnership developed a toolkit to help Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) organisations engage with research in a way that is safe, ethical and impactful.

Closeup shot of two unrecognisable people reaching for each other with their hands

Research project

Understanding the power of community ambassadors

This partnership explores how community-led approaches can help address social inequalities and strengthen engagement with ethnically minoritised communities.

Two Showmen unpacking a tornado ride in a field, with trucks and other Showmen working in the background

Research project

In Fair Health?

In Fair Health? was a pilot study that explored the health status, needs and trends among Showmen, and identified and proposed solutions to the barriers to healthcare faced by the community.

Animation still of a lesbian couple, one of whom is pregnant, in a healthcare setting with a midwife

Research project

Improving healthcare service provision for LGBTQ+ patients

This project aims to improve the provision of health services for the LGBTQ+ community by investigating LGBTQ+ patients' experiences and healthcare professionals' knowledge and awareness.

Side view of woman sitting on a floor with her face buried in her hands and her elbows resting on her bent knees

Research project

Gender-based Violence among Eritrean Refugees in Great Britain

The research project seeks to offer a comprehensive understanding of violence against women, with an emphasis on Eritrean refugee women in Britain.

Close-up of the blue light on top of a police car

Research project

Exploring patterns of online recruitment among non-violent extremists in the UK (2016- 2021)

This project aims to examine common non-violent extremist recruitment strategies and ideological appeals online, in order to inform policy and practice and develop new risk assessment tools.

Research project

Understanding the shift from vocal extremists to terror offenders in the UK

This project aims to identify the factors that catalyse or inhibit extremists becoming offenders, to improve risk forecasting, identify new risk factors, and facilitate future research.

Research and innovation highlights

Research to improve the monitoring of convicted sexual and violent offenders in the community

Dr Natalie Mann explains the very personal motivation behind PIER’s latest research into the monitoring of sexual and violent offenders across England and Wales.

The cast of Come Yew In!, a community performance initiated by Jeannette Baxter

REF 2021 case study

Enabling non-academics to carry out creative-historical research into migration histories

Dr Jeannette Baxter's research at ARU led her to develop a surrealist creative-historical research methodology for non-academic audiences.

Explore Dr Jeannette Baxter's work

A Yazidi mother and three children standing in the doorway of makeshift accommodation

REF 2021 case study

Developing an evidentiary framework for genocidal intent

ARU research on atrocities allegedly committed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) against the Yazidis has helped institutions to recognise genocide.

Explore Dr Aldo Zammit Borda and Dr Alexander R J Murray's work

Someone working on a laptop at a kitchen table while on the phone, while cuddling a child, with another child next to them.

REF 2021 case study

Making higher education inclusive for staff and students with caring responsibilities

ARU research on the challenges affecting higher education (HE) staff and students with caring responsibilities has led institutions to change their policies and practices.

Explore Prof Marie-Pierre Moreau's work

Close-up of an arm and hand writing on a document in an office setting. The person is wearing a rainbow wristband and there's a rainbow flag behind their computer monitor

REF 2021 case study

Improved workplace outcomes for sexual-orientation and gender-identity minorities

ARU research on the experiences of sexual-orientation and gender-identity minorities in the workplace has helped employers become more inclusive.

Explore Prof Nick Drydakis' work

An array of rainbow and trans (blue, pink and white) flags held in the hands of blurry people

REF 2021 case study

Enhancing policy, practice and organisational attitudes for LGBTQIA+ inclusivity

ARU research on marginalised identities has helped various UK employers improve their equality and inclusivity policies, practices, and cultures.

Explore Prof Patricia MacCormack's work

A teacher (blurry due to distance/camera focus) teaching secondary school pupils in a classroom

REF 2021 case study

Transforming the career prospects of LGBTQ+ teachers

ARU research on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ teachers has helped increase the number of LGBT teachers in UK school leadership roles.

Explore Prof Catherine Lee's work

A group of students sitting and listening to a teacher

REF 2021 case study

Enhancing integration for pupils with English as an additional language

Research co-led by ARU and Cambridge University on the integration of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) has led to improved educational strategies and outcomes.

Explore Dr Claudia Schneider's work

Eight young children standing in a row, photographed in the 1940s

REF 2021 case study

War babies of Black GIs and British women

ARU research on the difficulties faced by Britain's 'brown babies' has helped create a supportive community and engendered public awareness of their experiences.

Explore Prof Lucy Bland's work

Four teenagers using tablets, phones and laptops, two sitting on a green sofa, and two sitting in front of it

REF 2021 case study

Enhancing policies and practice in secondary school sex education to improve internet safety for teenagers 

ARU research has produced better understanding of how to tackle the problem of image-based sexual abuse.

Explore Dr Tanya Horeck's work

Close-up of the top of a glass of cola with ice and lemon, with fizzy bubbles jumping off the surface

REF 2021 case study

Drug-facilitated sexual assault in Nepal: Enhancing forensic capacity and raising public awareness

ARU research into methods for detecting drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) has helped improve knowledge and investigation of this offence in Nepal.

Explore Dr Lata Gautam and her collaborators' work

A man with his hands behind his back being handcuffed by a police officer

REF 2021 case study

Improved registered sex offender management in England and Wales

ARU research into the effectiveness of current registered sex offender (RSO) community management led to key changes to policy and practice.

Explore Prof Samantha Lundrigan and Dr Natalie Mann's work

Man with prosthetic leg sitting at a desk with a woman

REF 2021 case study

Helping military families thrive

Research by ARU's Veterans and Families Institute (VFI) has led to support for veterans, their families and military spouses to deal with limb loss and find employment.

Explore the VFI's work