An underlying assumption of modern political states is that they are rational systems that ‘follow the science’ to achieve optimal outcomes for their citizens. Whilst COVID-19 continues to foreground the strengths and weaknesses of different national scientific advice systems, Flavia Donadelli draws on evidence from Brazilian policymaking to argue that evidence informed policymaking is a … Continued
Data Librarianship, Digital Content, Digital Humanities, digital preservation, Education and Training, Inside the Library, Insights Interview, Open Research, Tools and Infrastructure
Introducing the 2020 Staff Innovators!
This blog post introduces Kathleen O’Neill and Chad Conrady, the 2020 Staff Innovators with LC Labs.
Book Review: Learning and Using Languages in Ethnographic Research edited by Robert Gibb, Annabel Tremlett and Julien Danero Iglesias
In Learning and Using Languages in Ethnographic Research, editors Robert Gibb, Annabel Tremlett and Julien Danero Iglesias bring together contributors to explore issues that researchers may encounter when learning and using another language in ethnographic fieldwork. Providing readers with a set of accessible accounts of language learning and use, the collection aims to demystify language … Continued
Academic Identities, activism, Bridging, policymaking, Public Engagement, research communication, Researcher Activism
Researcher Activism – Reflections on a career
As recent events, such as the Black Lives Matter protests, have demonstrated academic research and researchers often play important roles in activist movements. Drawing on her own experience as a researcher activist, Dorothy Broom consider how to engage effectively with the different identities and responsibilities engendered by researcher activism and presents six starting points for a wider … Continued
Calling all readers of the Signal!
Call for readers to fill out a feedback survey about the Signal blog.
Strength in diversity – Changing the shape of expert engagement with the UK parliament
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in demand for expert knowledge, but, as previous studies have shown, the expertise provided to the UK parliament in the past has often been drawn from a narrow pool of researchers. In this post, Naomi Saint and Sarah Foxen reflect on recent evidence showing greater diversity in … Continued