Dr Alasdair Stewart

  • Lecturer in Social and Public Policy (Urban Studies)

telephone: 0141 3302277
email: Alasdair.Stewart@glasgow.ac.uk

25 Bute Gardens, Glasgow, G12 8rs

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5210-4766

Biography

I’m Alasdair B R Stewart – a sociologist based in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow. I’m currently working as a Research Fellow and Data Lead in the GCRF Centre for Sustainable, Health and Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods (SHLC). I’m also a Co-Investigator for a Health Foundation funded qualitative project on the policy discourse and lived experience of employment and welfare conditionality for people with mental health problems.

I’m interested in how large-scale social processes, state-crafting, and social policy enter into and shape lived experience and inequality. My work explores this across three key overlapping areas: homelessness and dwelling; social suffering and (mental) wellbeing; and, precarity and social security.

Methodologically, I take a post-philosophical and theoretical-empirical approach, eschewing building general theoretical systems in favour of developing theory through an engagement with empirical investigation.

This approach carries also into a refusal to separate the technical aspects of research from considerations of their theoretical and ethical implications. In particular, how the dominance of proprietary qualitative data analysis software hinders methodological innovation and adoption of open science within qualitative research.

To counter this, I’m the Lead Developer of PythiaQDA, a free and open source qualitative data analysis software package in (very) early development aimed towards placing control of the means of analysis back into the hands of qualitative researchers.

Research interests

My areas of interest include:

  • state-crafting and social policy
  • lived experience and inequality
  • homelessness, dwelling, and habitation
  • social suffering and (mental) wellbeing
  • precarity and social security
  • post-philosophical sociology and theoretical-empirical research
  • open source software and open science
  • the use of qualitative data analysis software in research

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2022 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2009
Number of items: 23.

2022

Wright, S. , Robertson, L. and Stewart, A. B. R. (2022) Universal Credit and the invalidation of mental health problems: claimant and Jobcentre Plus staff experiences. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, 30(2), pp. 151-170. (doi: 10.1332/175982721X16437383460256)

2020

Wright, S. , Stewart, A. B.R. and Gawlewicz, A. (2020) The UK welfare system is failing claimants with mental health problems – here’s what needs to be done. Conversation, 6 Nov.

Gawlewicz, A. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Key research findings, pages 4-10. In Wright S (ed.) Mental Health, Welfare Conditionality and Employment support: Policy Recommendations and Key Findings. Report. Documentation. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

Robertson, L., Gawlewicz, A. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Bailey, N. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Policy recommendations, pages 1-3. In Wright S (ed.) Mental Health, Welfare Conditionality and Employment support: Policy Recommendations and Key Findings. Report. Documentation. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

Gawlewicz, A. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Bailey, N. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Analysis Protocol: Constructions of Mental Health and Problematic Alcohol Use Within UK’s Health and Welfare Policy. Documentation. University of Glasgow, Glasgow.

Stewart, A. B.R. , Gawlewicz, A. , Bailey, N. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Lived Experiences of Mental Health Problems and Welfare Conditionality. Working Paper. University of Glasgow, Glasgow.

Robertson, L., Wright, S. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2020) How well is Universal Credit supporting people in Glasgow? Other. Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Dwyer, P., Scullion, L., Jones, K., McNeill, J. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2020) Work, welfare, and wellbeing: the impacts of welfare conditionality on people with mental health impairments in the UK. Social Policy and Administration, 54(2), pp. 311-326. (doi: 10.1111/spol.12560)

Wright, S. , Fletcher, D. R. and Stewart, A. (2020) Punitive benefit sanctions, welfare conditionality and the social abuse of unemployed people in Britain: transforming claimants into offenders? Social Policy and Administration, 54(2), pp. 278-294. (doi: 10.1111/spol.12577)

2019

Dwyer, P. J., Scullion, L., Jones, K. and Stewart, A. (2019) The impact of conditionality on the welfare rights of EU migrants in the UK. Policy and Politics, 47(1), pp. 133-150. (doi: 10.1332/030557318X15296527346800)

Stewart, A. B.R. (2019) Housing rites: young people’s experience of conditional pathways out of homelessness. Housing Studies, 34(7), pp. 1117-1139. (doi: 10.1080/02673037.2018.1520818)

2018

Stewart, A. B.R. and Wright, S. (2018) Final findings: Jobseekers. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. , Dwyer, P., Jones, K., McNeill, J., Scullion, L. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2018) Final findings: Universal Credit. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. , Stewart, A. B.R. and Dwyer, P. (2018) Final findings: social security in Scotland. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality.

2017

McNeill, J., Scullion, L., Jones, K. and Stewart, A. (2017) Welfare conditionality and disabled people in the UK: claimants’ perspectives. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, 25(2), pp. 177-180. (doi: 10.1332/175982717x14943392083755)

2016

Dwyer, P., Bright, J., Wright, S. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Fletcher, D. R., Flint, J. and Johnsen, S. (2016) First wave findings: Overview: Social security in Scotland. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. , Dwyer, P., McNeill, J. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2016) First wave findings: Universal Credit. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2016) First wave findings: Jobseekers. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Taylor, J., Stalker, K. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2016) Disabled children and the child protection system: a cause for concern. Child Abuse Review, 25(1), pp. 60-73. (doi: 10.1002/car.2386)

2015

Stalker, K., Taylor, J., Fry, D. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2015) A study of disabled children and child protection in Scotland — a hidden group? Children and Youth Services Review, 56, pp. 126-134. (doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.07.012)

Welch, V., Jones, C., Stalker, K. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2015) Permanence for disabled children and young people through foster care and adoption: a selective review of international literature. Children and Youth Services Review, 53, pp. 137-146. (doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.03.017)

2014

Stewart, A. B.R. and Wright, S. (2014) Conditionality Briefing: Unemployed People. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

2009

Stewart, A. B.R. (2009) Althusser's structuralism and a theory of class. Critique: Journal of Socialist Theory, 36(3), pp. 421-443. (doi: 10.1080/03017600802434524)

This list was generated on Thu Apr 25 04:26:35 2024 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Research Reports or Papers
Number of items: 23.

Articles

Wright, S. , Robertson, L. and Stewart, A. B. R. (2022) Universal Credit and the invalidation of mental health problems: claimant and Jobcentre Plus staff experiences. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, 30(2), pp. 151-170. (doi: 10.1332/175982721X16437383460256)

Wright, S. , Stewart, A. B.R. and Gawlewicz, A. (2020) The UK welfare system is failing claimants with mental health problems – here’s what needs to be done. Conversation, 6 Nov.

Dwyer, P., Scullion, L., Jones, K., McNeill, J. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2020) Work, welfare, and wellbeing: the impacts of welfare conditionality on people with mental health impairments in the UK. Social Policy and Administration, 54(2), pp. 311-326. (doi: 10.1111/spol.12560)

Wright, S. , Fletcher, D. R. and Stewart, A. (2020) Punitive benefit sanctions, welfare conditionality and the social abuse of unemployed people in Britain: transforming claimants into offenders? Social Policy and Administration, 54(2), pp. 278-294. (doi: 10.1111/spol.12577)

Dwyer, P. J., Scullion, L., Jones, K. and Stewart, A. (2019) The impact of conditionality on the welfare rights of EU migrants in the UK. Policy and Politics, 47(1), pp. 133-150. (doi: 10.1332/030557318X15296527346800)

Stewart, A. B.R. (2019) Housing rites: young people’s experience of conditional pathways out of homelessness. Housing Studies, 34(7), pp. 1117-1139. (doi: 10.1080/02673037.2018.1520818)

McNeill, J., Scullion, L., Jones, K. and Stewart, A. (2017) Welfare conditionality and disabled people in the UK: claimants’ perspectives. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, 25(2), pp. 177-180. (doi: 10.1332/175982717x14943392083755)

Taylor, J., Stalker, K. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2016) Disabled children and the child protection system: a cause for concern. Child Abuse Review, 25(1), pp. 60-73. (doi: 10.1002/car.2386)

Stalker, K., Taylor, J., Fry, D. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2015) A study of disabled children and child protection in Scotland — a hidden group? Children and Youth Services Review, 56, pp. 126-134. (doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.07.012)

Welch, V., Jones, C., Stalker, K. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2015) Permanence for disabled children and young people through foster care and adoption: a selective review of international literature. Children and Youth Services Review, 53, pp. 137-146. (doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.03.017)

Stewart, A. B.R. (2009) Althusser's structuralism and a theory of class. Critique: Journal of Socialist Theory, 36(3), pp. 421-443. (doi: 10.1080/03017600802434524)

Research Reports or Papers

Gawlewicz, A. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Key research findings, pages 4-10. In Wright S (ed.) Mental Health, Welfare Conditionality and Employment support: Policy Recommendations and Key Findings. Report. Documentation. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

Robertson, L., Gawlewicz, A. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Bailey, N. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Policy recommendations, pages 1-3. In Wright S (ed.) Mental Health, Welfare Conditionality and Employment support: Policy Recommendations and Key Findings. Report. Documentation. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

Gawlewicz, A. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Bailey, N. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Analysis Protocol: Constructions of Mental Health and Problematic Alcohol Use Within UK’s Health and Welfare Policy. Documentation. University of Glasgow, Glasgow.

Stewart, A. B.R. , Gawlewicz, A. , Bailey, N. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Wright, S. (2020) Lived Experiences of Mental Health Problems and Welfare Conditionality. Working Paper. University of Glasgow, Glasgow.

Robertson, L., Wright, S. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2020) How well is Universal Credit supporting people in Glasgow? Other. Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Stewart, A. B.R. and Wright, S. (2018) Final findings: Jobseekers. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. , Dwyer, P., Jones, K., McNeill, J., Scullion, L. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2018) Final findings: Universal Credit. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. , Stewart, A. B.R. and Dwyer, P. (2018) Final findings: social security in Scotland. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality.

Dwyer, P., Bright, J., Wright, S. , Stewart, A. B.R. , Fletcher, D. R., Flint, J. and Johnsen, S. (2016) First wave findings: Overview: Social security in Scotland. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. , Dwyer, P., McNeill, J. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2016) First wave findings: Universal Credit. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Wright, S. and Stewart, A. B.R. (2016) First wave findings: Jobseekers. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

Stewart, A. B.R. and Wright, S. (2014) Conditionality Briefing: Unemployed People. Project Report. Welfare Conditionality, York.

This list was generated on Thu Apr 25 04:26:35 2024 BST.

Research datasets

Jump to: 2023
Number of items: 1.

2023

Wang, Y. P. , Kintrea, K. , Osborne, M. , Schweisfurth, M. , Mitchell, R. , Kamete, A. , Yao, J. , Stewart, A. , Ahmad, S. , Young, G., Nesterova, Y. , Everatt, D., Lynge, H., Abrahams, C., Turok, I., Scheba, A., Visagie, J., Manirakiza, V., Malonza, J., Nduwayezu, G., Mugabe, L., Nsabimana, A., Rutayisire, P., Nzayirambaho, M., Njunwa, J.K., Levira, F., Moshi, I., Msuya, I., Kundu, D., Sharma, P., Debnath, T., Roy, S., Sowgat, T., Islam, T., Shakil, I., Reyes, M., Gamboa, M., Rivera, R., Caluag, A., Manlapas, I., Racoma, D., Sun, T., Zhai, L., Li, C., Liu, Y., Wang, C., Zhang, L., Sun, X., Bhandari, R., Baffoe, G., Lawson, V. and Long, J. (2023) GCRF Centre for Sustainable, Healthy and Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods: Household Survey and Neighbourhood Focus Group Data from Seven Asian and African Countries, 2021-2022. [Data Collection]

This list was generated on Thu Apr 25 04:26:37 2024 BST.

Additional information

Constellations

Constellations is a personal blog and ‘open notebook’ existing in two halves. The main Constellations website is used for longer posts as well as updates about events and publications. The ‘Mini Constellations‘ Tumblr blog is used for smaller posts – such as quotes, short aside, and links to podcasts and articles.

Functioning as a notebook, no posts aspire to any academic standard. Instead, as with most academic blogs, it is an outlet for thinking at various stages of development.

Theory Reading Group

The Theory Reading Group is a transdisciplinary reading group open to all staff and students at the University of Glasgow, with the overall aim of providing an inclusive and informal space in which to discuss theory in all its forms.

Rather than focusing on a single theorist or text, the group takes a thematic approach. Each academic year we pick a theme and discuss a broad range of short readings that relate to it. Additionally, we use a broad definition of ‘theory’ incorporating philosophy, social theory, and theoretically informed empirical research.

The theme for the 2019-2020 academic year is ‘The Body and Emotions’. If you are on the University of Glasgow campus you can sign up for the mailing list – or, if off campus, drop me an e-mail.

PythiaQDA

PythiaQDA is free and open source software for qualitative and mixed-methods data analysis in (very) early development. PythiaQDA is not ‘free’ merely in price – the goal of the project is to restore control of the means of analysis back to researchers, giving them the freedom to use, study, share, and modify the software however they want.

It provides a Python based API for managing and analysing qualitative data as well as a familiar and easy to learn user interface. The design philosophy emphasises modularity and extensibility to empower users to adapt the software to their analysis workflow and encourage the development of new innovative methods.

Longer-term the project seeks to facilitate greater adoption of open science within qualitative research. Planned features such as “quote objects” maintain ties between sources, analysis, and presentation – creating new ways to analyse and share your findings with colleagues and the wider public.

You have nothing to lose but your licence fees!