معرفی
Stephen Jeffares is an Associate Professor in the School of Government at the University of Birmingham, based in the Institute for Local Government Studies (INLOGOV). He serves as Director of Postgraduate Research and Postgraduate Research (PGR) Lead for INLOGOV. His academic career is deeply rooted in the Department of Public Administration and Policy, where he contributes to teaching and research in public policy and administration.
Dr. Jeffares earned his PhD and BSc (Hons, First class) in Public Policy, Government and Management from the University of Birmingham. His educational background has informed his research trajectory focusing on policy ideas, governance structures, and methodological innovations in public policy analysis.
His research interests span policy analysis, Q methodology, interpretive policy approaches, political science, public administration, and the intersection of social media with policy processes. Jeffares is particularly known for his work on how policy ideas emerge, spread, and evolve in the digital age, as evidenced by his book Interpreting Hashtag Politics: Policy Ideas in an Era of Social Media (2014). His work often examines hybrid governance models in European cities and the democratic implications of networked governance structures.
Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on methodological innovation, particularly the application of Q methodology to understand diverse viewpoints in policy processes. His work bridges theoretical frameworks from political discourse theory with practical applications in local governance, healthcare commissioning, and social policy. The trend across his articles shows increasing attention to digital methods for capturing policy discussions and understanding how social media reshapes policy dynamics.
- Host of the 27th Annual Q methodology Conference (2011)
- Coproducer of POETQ, software for online Q sorting
- Co-Convener of Public Policy Research Methods for INLOGOV PG programme (2011-)
- Convener of Advanced Training Course in MA Social Research Programme for Q methodology (2009-)
Jeffares has supervised numerous PhD and Master's students, with research topics spanning joint commissioning, community capacity, frontline adaptation to change, and readiness for change in middle management. His research projects include 'Sentiment Analysis of Policy Controversies' (2013-2014), 'Shape of Ideas to Come' (British Academy funded, 2012-2013), and an NHS-funded study on health and social care commissioning (2009-2012). He is actively involved in the Q methodology community and has contributed significantly to advancing this methodological approach in public policy research.
