About

In 2012, a group of 12 social scientists at Edinburgh University began meeting to discuss their research on different aspects of the relationship between knowledge and policy. The initial core conversations were between those who contributed to the policy literature (in Politics & International Relations and in Social Policy) and those who wrote on science in society (from Science, Technology and Innovation Studies). We were keen to benefit from insights from across the social and political sciences and to challenge simplistic ideas about impact, evidence-based research or knowledge exchange. We shared a commitment to theoretically informed, sociological and ethnographic approaches to exploring processes of knowledge production, translation and use. We were also committed to ensuring these ideas did not remain academic abstractions, but could be practically applied to help those involved in policy-making and implementation reflect on and improve the ways they make use of research.

In early 2014, the Centre for Science, Knowledge and Policy (SKAPE) was established to consolidate and extend this agenda. At SKAPE, we conduct innovative and critical research on the relationship between knowledge and policy. We also provide a platform for teaching and training, and promote engagement with policy actors.

We are an outward-looking centre, keen to engage with researchers and practitioners from across sectors, and across the world. Please contact us (by email or through this website) if you’d like to know more about our work or to get involved with SKAPE activities.