Dr Kate Precious

Publication

• Date
• Type

Research

My Research Interests

During my PhD, I developed what I call 'the Underdog Theory'. The underdog theory argues that the social policy influence of marginalised groups is systematically underestimated and that this has a far-reaching impact, but can be challenged through self-advocacy. Through a case study of autistic self-advocates in England, I showed that autistic people in England had more policy influence than they realised. I identified certain behaviours displayed by successful autistic self-advocates and proposed that these behaviours were associated with lobbying success. While collaboration and awareness of the policy environment has long been known to support lobbying success, self-awareness and the promotion of a positive framing of oneself as a target group are new and potentially counterintuitive. 

The next stage of my research will involve testing my underdog theory on autistic self-advocates in other countries, before moving on to other invisible disabilities and other marginalised groups, should the theory continue to be supported. 

More generally, I am interested in how autistic people, disabled people and people from other marginalised groups interact with the government and how they can maximise their involvement and lobbying success. 

Current Research

2023 - date

Part-Time Research Associate with the University of Kent, working on the NIHR funded Improving Communication with Adults with Learning Disabilities (ICALD) research project. I am involved in a realist review of literature concerning interventions designed to improve communication with adults with learning disabilities in care settings.

I am also in the planning stage of the next iteration of my own research into the wider applicability of my underdog theory.  

Previous Research

2021 - 2022

Research Assistant on the PEPIC-19 project, an international project looking at palliative care for people with learning disabilities during COVID-19. 

2019-2020

Research Assistant on the WhoGetsMyVoteUK research project at Oxford Brookes University. Mapping position statements on political topics to the manifestos of UK political parties. 

Teaching

I currently teach on the following modules:

• British Politics since 1945
• Latin American Politics
• Doing Political Research
• Introduction to Government
• Introduction to Globalisation

Biography

PhD Politics, University of Bath 2018 - 2022 

My PhD thesis, examined by Prof. Mark Priestley and Dr. Jeremy Dixon, set out to create a lobbying strategy for marginalised groups who are traditionally excluded from much of the policymaking process, through a case study of autistic self-advocates in England. 

Previous Study

MRes Politics, University of Bath 2017 - 2018

BA (Hons) European Studies with French and Italian (First), University of Bath 2002-2006

Professional Experience

Prior to returning to academia, I worked in local government as a Special Educational Needs Officer and as a Deputy SENCo in a secondary school. I have also been a district councillor. 

Academic positions

2022 - 2023

Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Bath

• I convened and taught units on political power, the welfare state and qualitative research methods, including planning and delivering lectures, seminars and assessments and maintaining the Virtual Learning Environment
• I also acted as Admissions Tutor and supervised undergraduate dissertations
• I ran tutorials and acted as personal tutor 

During my PhD, I taught seminars and lectures on a range of units in both the Politics and Social Policy departments.