Suchergebnisse

This case study reports on the research design and methods used in a recent project exploring food insecurity and foodbank use in the United Kingdom. The project comprised quantitative analyses of social survey data capturing aspects of food insecurity alongside qualitative interviews with people giving and receiving emergency assistance from foodbanks across one city in England. By taking a mixed-methods approach, we sought to triangulate nationally representative and statistically robust survey data with the in-depth experiences reported by people using foodbanks. This case study discusses the benefits and challenges involved in successfully conducting such mixed-methods research. The highly publicized growth of foodbanks in the United Kingdom has reignited long-standing but often neglected debates about food insecurity and its potential consequences for health, nutrition, and social exclusion. The underlying reasons behind the sharp rise in emergency food provision are disputed, and as data are scarce, these debates are generally not informed by evidence. Moreover, the voices of people receiving emergency food are rarely heard. Quantitative analyses of survey data provided a robust (but limited) basis for understanding the nature and prevalence of food insecurity. In parallel, qualitative research offered us direct insights into the experiences and circumstances of people using foodbanks. In this case study, we describe in detail the methods used in this research project, focusing on the strengths while reflecting upon the challenges and lessons learned when taking a mixed-methods approach to conducting research on under-researched topics, and with vulnerable groups.

This article illustrates the value of in-depth life history interviews using life mapping in qualitative research. We draw on our recent research into people's experiences of homelessness, where all 39 participants were currently, or recently, homeless. Using the life mapping method, participants generated a visual representation of their transitions across housing and homelessness, beginning in childhood and ending in the present day. We critically discuss the potential for life mapping to move beyond rehearsed stories, briefly note further associated benefits, and acknowledge some potential drawbacks. We argue that the method can confer considerable depth and reflection, going beyond a traditional qualitative interview, and is especially valuable when examining sensitive topics.

In his landmark 1942 report on social insurance Sir William Beveridge talked about the 'five giants on the road to reconstruction' - the giants of Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor, and Idleness. 'Social Progress in Britain' investigates how much progress Britain has made in tackling the challenges of material deprivation, ill-health, educational standards, lack of housing, and unemployment in the decades since Beveridge wrote. It also asks how progress in Britain compares with that of peer countries - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the USA. Has Britain been slipping behind? What has been the impact of the increased economic inequality which Britain experienced in the 1980s - has rising economic inequality been mirrored by increasing inequalities in other areas of life too? Have there been increasing inequalities of opportunity between social classes, men and women, and different ethnic groups? And what have been the implications for Britain's sense of social cohesion?

In the context of the economic recession and welfare reform in the UK there have been ongoing political debates regarding food insecurity. Food has an important role in defining people's identities, yet the rapid growth in the number of food banks and food donation points in supermarkets and schools suggests a normalisation of food aid. Moreover, an estimated three million individuals are thought to be at risk of malnutrition in the UK. We examine: the discourse of food aid and the demonisation of those living in poverty, the scale of malnutrition, and the experiences of food bank users by drawing on survey data and case studies. Substantial numbers of people were constrained in their food choices, whilst food bank users had concerns about the social stigma of food aid. It is questionable whether the present policy approach is economically and politically efficient given the impact on people's health and well-being.