Racial equality since devolution: Divergences, outcomes and frontiers

This project will explore the public policy governance of race equality, examining divergences, social outcomes, and emerging challenges across England, Scotland and Wales.

Why this project is important

It has been more than twenty-five years since the Acts of devolution. There has been no systematic study of the common challenges and opportunities it has established for addressing racial disparities and recognising racial diversity in the UK. Fragmented UK-wide data, multi-level paths through which racial equality policies operate, and a lack of clarity as to how the notion of race is negotiated by different policy actors has contributed to the difficulty in pursuing racial justice in the UK.

What it will involve

The research will answer the following questions:

• What are the key regulatory (legal and policy) divergences addressing racial disparities since devolution?
• Beyond a regulatory framework, what can we learn from attempts in Scotland and Wales to reimagine national belonging alongside post-colonial racial diversity?
• What are the variations in outcomes for the social domains of education, criminal justice, employment, and housing across national contexts?
• How is knowledge of disparities currently being grasped by respective policy actors?
• Can there be pathways for accumulated multi-level learning to address newer frontiers of racial disparities in climate adaptation strategies?
• Is the burgeoning governance of Artificial Intelligence attentive to the risks of reproducing racial disparities?

The research will be completed in three stages: 

1. Analysing legal, policy, and regulatory frameworks addressing racial disparities across devolved administrations. 
2. Charting social outcomes using administrative data and qualitative interviews. 
3. Evaluating integration of racial equality lessons into climate adaptation and AI strategies. 

While all parts of the UK will feature in the project, field work will focus on England, Scotland and Wales, noting that equalities legislation differs in Northern Ireland and where devolution has, at times, been suspended.

How it will make a difference

Findings will be directly shared with key stakeholders, including policymakers from devolved governments and the UK Government, anti-racism organisations, and community groups. A Community of Practice model will facilitate structured collaboration and mutual learning.