Newcastle University

Dr. Jackie Haq MBE is Research Associate on the Faithful Judgements project,  a two-year research project from the ESRC, awarded to Dr Jackie Leach Scully, which will start in October 2011.

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/peals/news/item/new-esrc-grant-awarded

"The project, entitled Faithful Judgements: the role of religion in laypeople's ethical evaluations of new reproductive and genetic technologies, is a collaboration with Professor Sarah Banks of the School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University, and Dr Robert Song of the Department of Theology and Religion, also at Durham.

Very little work in bioethics has yet been done on the role of religion, and most of it either looks at the theological views of one religion, or uses religious affiliation as a marker for cultural identity. Rather than focusing on theology or culture, this project aims to explore whether and how being 'a person of faith' contributes to people's thinking about bioethical issues, and to identify what is shared and what is different within and between different religions. It will involve lay and expert participants across the Christian, Muslim and Hindu religious communities in the north-east, and use a combination of focus groups and interviews, to address these questions.

The results will fill a major gap in our current understanding of people's relationship to new biomedical technologies, which will have practical use in improving opportunities for public engagement, consultation and education. They will also contribute to a broader discussion of how diversity is experienced in various aspects of contemporary society" [From PEALS website]

Previously, Jackie Haq was Co-Inquiry Research Associate at PEALS (Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences) Research Centre at Newcastle University, where she developed a critical, sociological analysis of public engagement with science, with a particular focus on the co-production of knowledge through respectful, participatory processes. Her research explores the roles, dynamics and understandings of diverse communities, academics, scientists and policy-makers involved in interrogating science in society today.

Her work is firmly grounded in over two decades of collective action within communities, delivering pragmatic and strategic responses to urban decline and regeneration. This work was recognised in 1992 by the award of the M.B.E, for ‘services to the community’ and by the Jameson Award for ‘combating urban poverty’.  Jackie used the latter award to set up the Jackie Haq Trust Fund for Scotswood, administered by the Community Foundation (Tyne and Wear), making awards to local groups who contribute to making Scotswood a ‘better place to live’.  Jackie has contributed to regeneration policy development locally, regionally and nationally: she is currently a Director of Trafford Hall (National Communities Resource Centre) and in 2009 was a member of the Synthetic Biology Public Dialogue Oversight Group, advising on public engagement processes.

Research expertise and interests: Bio-ethical decisions-making; public engagement; co-inquiry; co-production of knowledge; participatory action research methodologies; 'race' and ethnicity; gender; racial violence; domestic violence; hate crimes; intersections of 'race' and gender;  social cohesion; community; social identity; urban regeneration

Projects

• Future of Rural Space (Community X-Change)
  Project Leader(s): Dr Tom Wakeford

• Wakeford T, Haq J. Let's really talk. New Scientist 2010. Surrey: Reed Business Information Ltd., 206(2766), 26-27.
• Haq JM. Community Participation: ‘Activists’ or ‘Citizens’?. Participatory Learning and Action 2008, 58(1), 91-96.
• Haq J, Hyatt SB. Paradoxes of "progressive" goverment: Urban policy under new labour and the decline of grassroots activism in England. Urban Anthropology 2008,37 2 211-249.