Example social policy dissertation topic 2:

The Social Exclusion Unit: An audit of its work in Doncaster with social housing residents.

With one of the highest rates of both teenage prostitutes and teen pregnancies within the UK, Doncaster received much funding from central government through the initiatives associated with the Social Exclusion Unit. Focusing on issues of community policing, day care services through Sure Start, and the rebuilding of primary schools, this dissertation seeks, through interviewing various stakeholders, to assess the extent to which the policies pursued by the Blair Government have resulted in long term improvements for those who live in social housing. This is a social policy dissertation that combines secondary literature with the collection of primary data and would benefit from both qualitative and quantitative research techniques.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Buck, N. (2001). ‘Identifying neighbourhood effects on social exclusion’, Urban Studies, vol 38(12), pp. 2261-2275.
• Hobcraft, J. and Kiernan, K. (2001). ‘Childhood poverty, early motherhood and adult social exclusion’, The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 52, pp. 495-517.
• Turner, D. and Martin, S. (2004). ‘Managerialism meets community development: Contracting for social inclusion?’, Policy and Politics, Vol. 32(1), pp. 21-32.