From broadcast to engagement: moving beyond traditional mechanisms

Social science research has a wide range of applications which are often underestimated by those outside of academia. In this chapter we discuss ways in which we can raise the profile of social science evidence with policymakers, through a range of non-traditional engagement mechanisms. To do so, we discuss our experiences with the UK in a Changing Europe initiative (UKICE). We emphasize the importance of engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and outline ways in which working with the media can leverage a relationship with policymakers. Our experience suggests that achieving policy impact can be facilitated via a broader strategy of informing public opinion more generally. We discuss practical ways in which projects can be set up to be a platform for social science, moving beyond broadcasting (with no-one in mind) to engagement (with active targeting of stakeholder groups at different stages of research). These insights can be split into five main groupings: (1) creating a platform, (2) raising awareness of the value of social science, (3) working with the media, (4) flexibility and adaptability and (5) a staged approach. These broad categories are often interlinked.