Liverpool Centre for Cultural, Social and Political Research

The Liverpool Centre for Cultural, Social and Political Research (LCCSPR) aims to enable our research on contemporary culture, society and politics to flourish and to identify and illuminate connections between everyday culture, local community and the wider world.

Our research is rooted in Merseyside, as shown by projects examining cultural life including music - from cathedral choirs to heavy metal live gigs – and a range of social and community issues, connecting identity to activism, as shown in our work with football supporters, Fans Against Foodbanks and the Right to Food. Our community-based focus also connects with the regional, as in our work on Metro Mayors, and with the international, as in our work on global security or gender and exclusion in Nepal.

We aim to build relationships locally, regionally and internationally to seek greater understanding of shared situations and solutions to common problems. We aspire to talk to local, regional and government policymakers, about doing this, but importantly, also talk to people about their everyday lives. Our centre explores the fast-changing contemporary world while also aiming to learn from histories and to balance our strong foundation in Merseyside with looking outward.

The Head of the Centre is Dr Joanne Knowles – contact her via j.knowles@ljmu.ac.uk.

Become a member

Does your research align with the centre’s interests? Contact us or complete this brief form if you’re interested in joining us. 

Working groups

The Liverpool Centre for Cultural, Social and Political Research is constituted by the following research groups:

International Studies

A multidisciplinary field spanning political science, cultural studies and sociology, alongside cognate disciplines such as economics and history. It focuses on the analysis of global issues, international relations, and transnational processes. Our research in this area investigates topics such as diplomacy, globalisation, foreign policy, conflict resolution, development, and international organisations. We seek to understand the complex interactions of states and non-state actors in the global arena through rigorous empirical research and theoretical analysis. Our International Studies scholars will contribute to LJMU’s UoA34 REF2029 submission by understanding the dynamics shaping the contemporary world order.

Society, Culture and Public Policy

This working group involves the practical application of social scientific methods to address real-world issues in politics, society, and culture. We study topics such as poverty, cultural production and consumption, policy analysis, activism, and cultural trends. The group aims to inform decision-making processes and social interventions in local-to-global contexts. Partners include state bodies such as Senedd Cymru and non-state actors such as Global Action Nepal and Fans Supporting Foodbanks. We bridge social research theory and practice to grow research impact by contributing to evidence-based policymaking in diverse contexts.

Cultural and Textual Studies

Our approach to Cultural and Textual Studies is a multidisciplinary analysis of cultural artefacts and texts, including literature, film, art, biblical studies, fiction, music, cities, sports and digital media. The group explores the production, reception, and interpretation of cultural expressions. It considers how they reflect and shape societal values, identities, emotions, and power dynamics, both historically, as observed through archival work, and in the contemporary world. Its critical examinations will generate outputs delivering insights into the complexities of meaning-making processes and the construction of social reality.

Communities, Activism and Social Transformation

This group works closely with local, national, global, and virtual communities to understand lived experiences and to co-design responses to locally identified social issues. Our research spans poverty and social deprivation, activism and social movements, cultural production and consumption, and social inequalities. We aim to generate research that not only advances academic knowledge but also informs policy, shapes practice, and contributes to meaningful social transformation.

New Research Group launches with policy-focused event on sustainable legacies

On 23 June 2025, LJMU’s Faculty of Society and Culture will host Sustainable Legacies: From Evidence to Policy Action at Egerton Court. This flagship event marks the first public activity of the newly established Liverpool Centre for Cultural, Social and Political Research (LCCSPR) and its Applied Political, Social, and Cultural Research Group led by Dr Rafaela N Ganga.

Bringing together policymakers, researchers, and community stakeholders, the event will explore how evidence-based research can inform real-world policy across politics, society, and culture. The day will feature keynote contributions, strategic roundtables, and focused policy labs designed to shape actionable outcomes that will drive the research agenda of the centre

The event underscores LJMU’s commitment to civic engagement, research impact, and public value.