Research
You will find a complete range of our peer-reviewed monographs, multi-authored and edited works, including original scholarly research across the social sciences and aligned disciplines. We publish long and short form research and you can browse the Bristol University Press and Policy Press archive.
Policy Press also publishes policy reviews and polemic work which aim to challenge policy and practice in certain fields. These books have a practitioner in mind and are practical, accessible in style, as well as being academically sound and referenced.
Books: Research
Chapter 6 examines the intricate web of political, economic, and commercial determinants of health, illustrating how global forces and policies shape the health outcomes of communities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Through historical and contemporary case studies, such as the Cochabamba Water War and the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the chapter highlights the detrimental effects of neoliberal economic policies, structural adjustments, and corporate practices on health equity. It underscores the role of civil society and social movements in challenging these forces and advocating for health rights. The chapter also explores the impact of environmental factors on health, emphasising the ongoing struggle to address climate change and its health implications. The conclusion calls for a united, global resistance against the intersecting crises of environment, politics, and markets to advance health rights for all.
In a world facing multiple intersecting crises, the push for healthier, more resilient societies has never been more urgent. This timely book reveals how empowered and organised communities can lead this change. It offers policy makers, academics and activists research-driven insights, decolonial perspectives and real-world examples of organising and collective actions from across the global North and South.
By centring on the power of community development, participation and social movements, the book delivers actionable frameworks to tackle inequality and advance the right to health, making it an essential resource for anyone committed to health justice and for building equitable and sustainable health systems worldwide.
This chapter explores the essential role of social movements in advancing the right to health, emphasising the need for activism and advocacy to challenge the political, economic, order determining health. A central premise is that the various organising practices in the Global South offer rich lessons for community organising and mobilisation for health rights globally. Yet, there is a systematic neglect of Southern contributions to the theoretical understanding of social movements. Through the case study of the People’s Health Movement (PHM), the chapter illustrates how grassroots organising and global solidarity can drive systemic change for health equity. It also examines the role of health professionals and the challenges contemporary health movements face, including the impact of neoliberalism and the complexities of building alliances amid identity politics and backlash on rights. The chapter calls for a rethinking of social movement theory to better address these challenges in the global health landscape.
This chapter explores the contested concepts of ‘community’ and ‘community development’, emphasising the critical role of power dynamics and participation in shaping these concepts. It traces the historical and theoretical underpinnings of community development, from Marxist and feminist influences to post-colonial ideas and contemporary practices. By analysing community development initiatives in India as a case study, the chapter illustrates the complexities and challenges in achieving authentic community participation. It highlights the gap between the rhetoric and reality of participation, underscoring the importance of rights-based, context-sensitive approaches that empower marginalised groups and tackle structural inequalities.
Chapter 8 examines the role of community activism during health crises, particularly focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how community-driven efforts and social movements play a vital role in advancing public health, equity, and human rights, often stepping in where governmental responses fall short. The chapter uses the case study of India to illustrate the dual nature of state responses – both oppressive and supportive – during the pandemic and explores the global implications of these actions. It further discusses the historical context of pandemics and human rights, examining how past events have shaped contemporary activism. The chapter also delves into advocacy as a strategic form of activism, with a detailed look at India’s long-standing fight against coercive population policies. The chapter concludes by offering strategic frameworks for effective activism, emphasising the importance of sustained collective action in achieving systemic change in health and social justice.
This chapter is an attempt to extend the analysis – generated through presenting theory and praxis of community participation and development.
It reminds us of the winners and losers of the neoliberal and colonial development agendas and draws attention to the people at the margins, and the burden of inequalities.
It summates the wealth of theoretical, empirical, and experiential knowledge into three core arguments. It expresses urgency for building countervailing power through community organising and collective action to challenge existing power structures and drive meaningful change in societies. It advocates for an intersectional approach to justice and solidarity across diverse groups and interests to counter the politics of hate and backlash, and effectively address health inequities and broader societal injustices. Referencing the case studies and historical examples, the chapter concludes that health justice can serve as a catalyst for wider social transformation.
Chapter 4 delves into the persistent health inequities faced by marginalised communities, highlighting how socio-economic disadvantage, structural inequalities, and marginal identity positions contribute to poor health outcomes. It emphasises the importance of rights-oriented community development to address these disparities. The chapter examines barriers to effective participation, such as top-down approaches, lack of cultural sensitivity, and unequal power dynamics between service providers and marginalised groups. Through various global case studies, it explores promising practices for engaging communities at the margins, advocating for the redistribution of power, and enhancing community ownership of health initiatives to achieve more equitable health outcomes.
This chapter traces the history of community participation in public health programming from colonial times to the present day. It explores how public health practice has deep colonial roots and is also closely linked to control of epidemics. It highlights how the involvement of communities in their own health issues has been central to defining Primary Health and has been confrontational, assertive, as well as collaborative through several historical and contemporary examples. The chapter traces the establishment of a global public health architecture after the setting up of the UN System and emerging consensus on the relevance of community participation. The chapter concludes by exploring several contemporary economic and social challenges to the practice of participation in public health programming.
This chapter as intended by an introductory chapter lays the foundational ideas and premise for the book. It establishes the imperative of re-visiting ideas of participation within the context of community development, and public health goals, emphasising the immense health challenges currently facing the world. Situating the multifaceted crisis represented by the COVID-19 pandemic as its starting point, this chapter outlines critical gaps in knowledge, ideas, and practice needed to tackle contemporary health challenges. It lays out the threats, including the changing landscape of health activism, outlines the tools and conceptual lenses that are critical for meeting the ambition, for further interrogation in the remaining chapters.
The pandemic brought to the fore persisting inequities and disproportionate burden on specific populations, creating winners and losers. It also served as a clarion call to find new ways to work, live, and connect in society, and protect and promote health rights. This promise of building back ‘fairer and better’ serves as the premise of this book.
