Background
Catherine Bochel studied Applied Sociology at the University of Leicester. She worked as a researcher for the then Oxford Polytechnic before becoming a Senior Research Officer with Essex County Council. She then moved to Hertfordshire County Council as a Principal Research Officer before taking up a post as a Research Associate with the University of Hull. She joined the University in 1991 and gained an MA in Policy Studies (with Distinction) in 1998
Teaching
Catherine teaches a wide range of policy related courses for the subjects of Social Policy and Politics. She is responsible for coordinating a number of modules including: Ideology into Practice, Diversity, Difference and Exclusion, and Understanding the Policy Process. She supervises a number of MPhil and PhD students. In addition, Catherine runs a voluntary student placement scheme with a number of local councils. This is aimed at helping students gain valuable work experience and improve their employment prospects.
Research
Catherine has wide-ranging research interests in areas ranging across public
and social policy, local government and the policy process. Current research
interests include petitions systems, participation, the policy process, and
local government councillors. She has co-authored or co-edited seven books and
is author or co-author of over 30 chapters and journal articles.
Catherine was awarded a British Academy Small Grant in February 2011 to
undertake research into ‘Understanding Effective Petitions Systems’. This
research is currently in progress and is looking at eight case studies of
petitions systems at the national, devolved and local levels.
She is keen to promote research and to this end organised a programme of seminar speakers both from within the University alongside speakers from outside the University from September 2007-June 2009.
Catherine established the Women into Research network in the University (March 2008). This is an informal network for female academic staff, support staff and postgraduate students. Its aims are to encourage more women to get involved in research, to support women in research, and to promote a broader research culture in the University. This involves organising a programme of speakers each semester alongside various networking events, such as enabling women to meet with senior managers in the University. Catherine stepped down from this role in the summer of 2010, but the network continues to be run by the University. Catherine also introduced a pilot mentoring programme for 2009-2010 which was intended to help women in advancing their research careers.
Recent and forthcoming publications include:
Books
Social Policy: Themes, Issues and Debates, 2nd edn. Pearson, 2009 (with H. M. Bochel, R. Page and R. Sykes).http://vig.pearsoned.co.uk/catalog/academic/product/0,1144,1405858362,00.html
Social Policy: Issues and Developments, Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2005 (with H. M. Bochel, R. Page and R. Sykes).
The UK Social Policy Process, Palgrave, 2004 (with H. M. Bochel).
Book chapters
‘The Conservatives and the Governance of Social Policy’, in H. M. Bochel (2011) The Conservatives and Social Policy, The Policy Press, Bristol.
'Module 7. Other forms of evidence - and how to use them?', in International Social Security Association, ISSA Social Security Research and Policy Manual: Supporting research in social security institutions in low- and middle-income countries, 2010, ISSA, Geneva, ISBN 978-92-843-1191-
'Exploring the boundaries of social policy’ in H. M. Bochel., C. Bochel., R. Page, and R. Sykes, Social Policy: Themes, Issues and Debates, 2nd edn. 2009, Pearson, Prentice Hall.
‘The politics and government of social policy’, in H. M. Bochel., C. Bochel., R. Page, and R. Sykes, Social Policy: Themes, Issues and Debates, 2nd edn. 2009, Pearson, Prentice Hall.
‘State Welfare’, in P. Alcock, M. May and K. Rowlingson, The Student’s Companion to Social Policy, 2008, Blackwell.
‘Inclusive policy making’, in H. Bochel and S. Duncan, 2007, Making Policy in Theory and Practice, The Policy Press (with A. Evans).
Journal articles
'Petitions: different dimensions of voice and influence in the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales', Social Policy & Administration, forthcoming. Accepted, 18 October 2011.
‘Local Political Leadership and the Modernisation of government’, Local Government Studies, vol. 36, no. 6, 2010, pp. 723-737 (with H. M. Bochel).
‘Women ‘Leaders’ in local government in the UK’, Parliamentary Affairs Special edn. vol. 61, part 3, 2008, pp. 426-441 (with H. M. Bochel).
‘Marginalised or Enabled Voices? ‘User Participation’ in Policy and Practice’, Social Policy and Society, vol. 7, no. 2, April 2008 (with H. M. Bochel, P. Somerville, C. Worley
Recent conference papers
‘Policy Making and Implementation under the Coalition: towards the Big Society’, Social Policy Association Annual Conference, University of Lincoln, 4th - 6th July 2011 (with H.M. Bochel).
‘Petitions: Different Dimensions of Voice and Influence in the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales’, Social Policy Association Annual Conference, University of Lincoln, 4th- 6th July 2011.
‘Women in Scottish Local Government Elections, 1974-2007, Women in British Politics c.1890-2000’, University of Lincoln, 6th-7th May 2011 (with H.M. Bochel).
‘Petitions Systems and Participation’, Public Administration Committee Annual Conference, Nottingham Trent University, 6th – 8th September 2010.
‘The Conservatives and the Governance of Social Policy’, Social Policy Association Annual Conference, University of Lincoln, 5th- 7th July 2010.
‘Exploring petitions systems in the UK’, Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Edinburgh, 29th March – 1st April 2010.
‘Rethinking Participation in the Policy Process: the Case of Community Governance’, Public Administration Committee Conference, University of Glamorgan, 7-9th September 2009 (with P Somerville).
‘Exploring participation and representation: theory and practice in the policy process’, Public Administration Committee, 38th Annual Conference, University of York, 1-3 September 2008.
Membership of professional bodies:
Catherine is a member of the Social Policy Association (currently on the executive), the Political Studies Association and The Higher Education Academy.
While a member of the Social Policy Association executive from 1998-2006 she undertook a range of roles including chairing the Association’s Teaching and Learning Group and chairing the SPA Shadow Benchmarking group. She was the Honorary Secretary from 2002-2006.
She was a member of the group which organised the Social Policy Association’s Annual Conferences for 2010 and 2011, hosted by the University of Lincoln.
Editorships/membership of editorial boards:
Catherine was selected as a co-editor of the journal of Social Policy & Society in 2010, having previously served as an elected member of the editorial board for the period 2000-2003. She was also co-editor of Social Policy Review from 2000-2003.