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Sioned Pearce

Dr Sioned Pearce

(she/her)

cymraeg
Welsh speaking
Comment
Media commentator
Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Sioned Pearce

Overview

I am a Lecturer in Social Policy with expertise in work,welfare and devolution and how they impact the lives of young, marginalised people in the UK and internationally. My research explores the way centralised and devolved policies shape and direct employment support in different parts of the UK. I work with a number of academics across the UK and in countries like Canada and Italy as well as with civil society practitioners and policy makers. 

I also lead a WISERD Workpackage on Devolved governance, civil society activism and welfare for refugees and asylum seekers with Nivedita Narayan. 

I am part of the Ignite progarmme to foster a positive research culture at Cardiff Univeirsty. 

I'd welcome an email for more details and discussion: pearces11@cardiff.ac.uk

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Rwy’n Ddarlithydd mewn Polisi Cymdeithasol gydag arbenigedd mewn gwaith, lles, cymorth cyflogaeth, datganoli a chymdeithas sifil a’u rôl ym mywydau pobl ifanc, sydd ar y cyrion yn y DU ac yn rhyngwladol. Mae fy ymchwil presennol yn archwilio’r ffordd y mae polisïau canolog a datganoledig yn rhyngweithio i lunio a dylanwadu ar gymorth cyflogaeth ar lawr gwlad mewn gwahanol rannau o’r DU. Rwy'n gweithio gyda nifer o academyddion ar draws y DU ac mewn gwledydd fel Canada a'r Eidal yn ogystal ag ymarferwyr cymdeithas sifil a llunwyr polisi.
 
Rwyf hefyd yn arwain pecyn gwaith WISERD ar lywodraethu datganoledig, actifiaeth cymdeithas sifil a lles i ffoaduriaid a cheiswyr lloches gyda Nivedita Narayan.
 
Rwy’n rhan o’r rhaglen Ignite i feithrin diwylliant ymchwil cadarnhaol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.
 
Byddwn yn croesawu e-bost am fwy o fanylion a thrafodaeth: pearces11@caerdydd.ac.uk 
 

Publication

2025

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2013

2009

2008

Adrannau llyfrau

Erthyglau

Monograffau

Research

My research to date examines the complexities in sub-state social policy relating to youth unemployment and work and critiques the privileging of methodological nationalism in the study and categorisation of welfare regimes. My findings have shed light on the nuances in devolved employment policy and the way they can impact young people’s support networks in both unemployment and work insecurity (Pearce and Lagana 2023). More specifically youth employment programmes from Scotland and, to a lesser extent, Wales straddling devolved (education, skills and training) and non-devolved (welfare and work) policy areas, are providing a policy shield for young people against the onslaught of a damaging work first approach emanating from Westminster.  

Building on these findings I plan to publish a monograph levelling a critique at the methodological nationalism dominating studies of welfare states, with a focus on youth unemployment. This has been contracted with Bristol Policy Press. Based on the framework presented in the book, over the next three to five years, I hope to develop and deepen my argument for the advantages of sub-state analysis in the field of welfare focusing on youth unemployment and work insecurity in two directions: (1) UK-level analysis to understand the impact of devolution on social policy, welfare and work (2) International analysis of decentralisation patterns to better understand the wider impact of sub-state analysis on international social policy, welfare and work.   

 

Teaching

Sioned teaches social and public policy - as an introduction, from international and comparative perspectives, in principle and practice through the medium of English and Welsh.

Biography

I began my research career in the Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University in 2007 working on a government commissioned evaluation of Housing Market Renewal in deprived areas of England.

I went on to complete my PhD on the impact of devolution and constitutional change upon anti-poverty strategy using Communities First in Wales as a case study, at CRESR - submitted in 2011. Findings from the PhD included the paradoxical nature of state-led community development and complex dialectical duality emerging through a purposed closer interface between state and society with the advent of devolution.

From 2011 I worked as researcher in the third sector in Wales investigating, analysing and demystifying policies affecting social change, welfare and social justice in planning and health. Specifically I worked at Planning Aid Wales providing research support for a team of planners who aimed to make the system more accessible to non-planners and Tenovus, a Wales-based cancer charity, providing research support, carrying out evaluations to improve service delivery for those affected by cancer and particulalry those affected by deprivation and running/evaluating creative writing support groups also for people affected by cancer.

From 2015 to 2019 I worked as a Research Associate at the Wales Institute for Social and Economic Research Data and Methods (WISERD) within Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences - before going on to become PI for my own project and a Lecturer in Social Policy.

Supervisions

Isupervise students in social policy and human geography, interdiciplinary, mixed methods approaches particularly in the areas of:

work

welfare

social security

employment policy 

devolution

civil society 

 

Current supervision

Azra Sadiq

Azra Sadiq

Kayleigh Sweet

Kayleigh Sweet

Contact Details

Email PearceS11@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29208 79192
Campuses Glamorgan Building, Floor Ground, Room 0.70, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA
Healing Brexit generational divide

Healing Brexit generational divide

22 May 2017

Brexit’s effect on Wales

Brexit’s effect on Wales

25 July 2016