School of Social Sciences
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Item System justification in action : banal ideology and the rhetorical mobilisation of democracy in UK parliamentary debates concerning Brexit(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-03) Hunt, Alexander Robert; Gibson, Stephen; Alexander, MarcThis thesis critically engages with System Justification Theory (SJT) and Banal Nationalism. SJT demonstrates that ideological beliefs motivate people to either preserve or challenge the status quo. There is however limited research considering how system justification can be understood as an observable process. System justification can instead be re-conceptualised from a relatively static cognitive-motivational construct to a dynamic process enacted in discourse. Banal Nationalism meanwhile demonstrates that individuals treat nation-states as natural entities around which to organise human affairs. The concept of banality is however not exclusive to nationalism because it has the potential to be applied to other forms of ideology. I aim to address this by showing that democracy is taken-for-granted as a natural feature of the UK’s political system. The data were drawn from the official Hansard records of UK House of Commons debates relating to the ‘European Union (Withdrawal) Act.’ To capture system justification in action, and show the banality of democracy, I used a discursive-rhetorical psychological framework to analyse 22 debates. The banality of democratic ideology is indicated by politicians treating democracy as a universal value which does not need to be justified. System justification in action was demonstrated when politicians from left- and right-wing parties constructed the status quo and depicted themselves as either preserving or challenging it to achieve rhetorical goals. By demonstrating both the banality of democracy and system justification in action, this thesis warns social psychologists against accepting discursive and rhetorical psychology’s seminal work on ideology without question.Item An assessment of factors that influence coalition size of horizontal collaborations in the UK FMCG road freight transport sector(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-03) Dadhich, Pratyush; Rutherford, Professor Christine; Greening, Professor PhilipRoad freight transport plays a crucial role in supporting the UK economy, accounting for 79% of all domestic freight movements. However, there are inefficiencies in road freight operations, with 30% of vehicles running empty and only 63% of vehicles loaded to their capacity during their journeys. These inefficiencies not only impact operating costs but also contribute to higher carbon emissions. Transport is the largest GHG emission sector contributing 24% of the overall carbon emissions in the UK. Governments are setting decarbonisation targets to reduce carbon emissions from their economy and in the UK, the government has announced a plan to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050. Most companies primarily rely on internal measures to enhance efficiency from transport operations, but they have exhausted opportunities for further process optimisation within their existing operational boundaries. Horizontal collaboration is one of the solutions that go beyond organisational boundaries and has the potential to provide efficiency improvements, such as carbon and cost savings between 10- 30%. Theoretically, cooperative game theory suggests companies can achieve optimal cost savings by forming a grand coalition. Despite the benefits associated with a grand coalition, coalition size exceeding more than four companies is rare in practice and many collaborations fail during the implementation stage. The aim of this study is to assess the factors influencing coalition size of horizontal collaboration and evaluate coalition maximising strategies in the UK FMCG road freight transport operations to enable large size coalition. Methodologically, a systematic literature review conducted to identify the factors that influence coalition size of horizontal collaborations. Additionally, underpinning theories to horizontal collaboration such as cooperative game theory, social exchange theory and transaction cost economies were used to develop the conceptual framework. A mixed-methods approach is applied in this study, integrating focus group discussions to gain qualitative insights into factors influencing coalition size, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to systematically evaluate horizontal collaboration strategies and prioritise factors influencing coalition size of horizontal collaborations. The primary contribution to knowledge is identification of factors using literature review and theoretical foundation. Moreover, it prioritises identified factors that influence coalition size of horizontal collaboration and evaluate coalition maximising strategies in the UK FMCG road freight transport sector. This thesis provide AHP model for assessment of factors that enable practitioners to optimise their resource allocation by focussing on the most significant factors before joining a coalition. Moreover, it supports decision-makers by evaluating coalition maximising strategies for implementation of large size coalition.Item Understanding autistic people's lived experiences of employment(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-02) Thorpe, David; Stewart, Professor Mary Elizabeth; Sang, Professor Kate Jessica Colleen; Richards, Professor JamesAutistic workers face significant rates of unemployment, and those that do achieve employment often face unsuitable environments built upon discrimination and challenges. This thesis explores the lived experiences of autistic workers and interprets these using the Social Relational Model of Disability (SRMD) to explore the disablement that autistic workers experience. Across three studies, this thesis uses qualitative methods and analyses to explore autistic workers experiences from both the autistic workers and employers perspectives. The three studies include a qualitative evidence synthesis of a systematic review (study 1), a template analysis of interviews (study 2 part 1), and reflexive thematic analysis of interviews (study 2 part 2) and a reflexive thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups with employers (study 3). The findings of this thesis illustrate the value of autistic workers perspectives, as new insights are uncovered into the inappropriateness of disclosure and adjustment requesting processes and the additional labours that autistic workers feel forced into performing. Through the SRMD, autistic workers lived experiences reveal the disablement of the workplace that is enforced through socially created and environmentally implemented barriers that exploit the individual’s impairment effects. This disablement is further enforced by psycho-emotional dimensions that lead to the workers exhausting themselves to meet the expectations set by themselves and their workplace.Item The lived experience of disabled academics with energy-limiting chronic impairments (ELCI)(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-02) Babajide, Olugbenga Abraham; Sang, Professor Kate Jessica Colleen; Richards, Professor JamesDespite the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty, disabled academics report experiencing a range of barriers to pursuing an academic career. Such barriers apply to those with visible and non-apparent impairments, such as ‘Energy-limiting chronic impairments’ (ELCI). Similarly, and consequently, the lived experiences of disabled academics are under-researched. The social-relational model of disability (SRMD) was embraced as the theoretical framework for this study. Using a multi-method qualitative approach, this study overtly observed the disability intervention (DISC) project to explore the lived experience of disabled academics with ELCI. The semi-structured interviews with participants/stakeholders and the observational data from DISC were thematically analysed. Indeed, hidden impairments among academics are poorly disclosed in universities, resulting in institutional structures failing to meet their needs, particularly those living with ELCI. This study contributes defeatism as a systemic impact of management practice that is socially imposed. It inevitably leaves disabled academics to self-exclusion or self-managing ‘impairment effects’ in universities, which is worth considering for improving disability inclusion with equitable support in UK universities. The broader implications of the findings point that universities should adopt proactive attention to social-relational barriers. Further, universities should also consider systemic change to indirect discrimination in disability management practice.Item Navigating intersectional identities : the experiences of International Sign interpreters and deaf professionals(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-08) Gebruers, Karolien; Sang, Professor Kate; Napier, Professor JeminaThis doctoral thesis examines the intersectional experiences of International Sign (IS) conference interpreters and deaf professionals in high-level positions who work with IS interpreters. The study includes 33 participants with diverse gender, racial, sexual, linguistic, and geographical backgrounds. Using a multi-phased, multi-method qualitative approach, including conversations, observations, and mind map interviews, the study provides an in-depth analysis of IS conference interpreting. The theoretical framework adopts a relational approach and integrates Gender Studies, Critical Race theory, and the Sociology of Work, drawing on gender and inequality theories in the workplace, intersectionality, and identity taxation, alongside insights from Deaf Studies and Sign Language Interpreting Studies. Findings reveal that access to working as an IS conference interpreter is gendered. Feelings of not belonging are heightened for those in less privileged positions, influenced by male and hearing dominance, language background, imposter syndrome, and the lack of diverse role models. These factors shape their experiences of (not) applying for (pre/full) IS accreditation. Tokenism impacts Global Majority, female, and deaf interpreters, who often seem to be valued for their identities rather than their skills. Global Majority women face additional identity taxation, due to representational responsibilities. Despite appearing cohesive, IS interpreting networks reinforce exclusivity through selective gatekeeping and support practices. The study further explores the nature of IS conference interpreting, emphasising close collaboration with deaf professionals. Hierarchies within the field are shaped by hearing dominance, gender, age, seniority, and professional settings, including the people involved. The field demands flexibility, creating challenges for caregiving interpreters. Travel opportunities are unequally distributed, with safety concerns for female, queer, and gender nonconforming interpreters. Interpreters engage in aesthetic and gendered labour to conform to, and occasionally challenge, organisation norms. Finally, the study examines how social identities shape interpreting practices and interactions. Deaf professionals experience deaf taxation when managing interpreter attitudes and navigating tensions. They express gendered preferences, with authentic representation being critical for deaf professionals of colour and queer deaf professionals, yet they often work with interpreters who are less aligned in terms of identities. IS interpreters face identity taxation, particularly women who encounter inappropriate behaviour. Team dynamics are shaped by masculinities and femininities, with queer interpreters challenging hetero/cisnormativity. Global Majority female interpreters navigate racialised and gendered expectations, often avoiding confrontation to mitigate professional consequences. The study contributes to Gender Studies, Critical Race Theory, Sociology of Work, Deaf Studies, and Sign Language Interpreting Studies. Its findings have implications for both practice and pedagogy in the sign language interpreting field and may inform other gendered and mobile fields of work.Item Resistance to change in UK universities : a Habermasian perspective(Heriot-Watt University, 2024-12) Ottaway, Luke; Farrington, Doctor Thomas; Turner, Doctor ColinThis thesis examines the potential for argumentation as a form of resistance management during change within the context of UK Higher Education Institutions. Resistance to change is an area that has received considerable attention, with many scholars attributing it as a significant reason why change initiatives fail. However, resistance is seldom studied in depth within the UK higher education context. The resistance to change literature is also split regarding the most effective ways to manage resistance. Decades of research have yielded mixed results for virtually all techniques (Huy, Corley and Kraatz, 2014; Furst and Cable, 2008; Ford, Ford and D'Amelio, 2008). This suggests a need for a more context-specific approach. Within the higher education context, many scholars argue that there is a need for more constructive conflict at universities during change (Hughes, 2007; Bland et al., 2005). Argumentation may be particularly useful in this context as a result, as argumentation theory is designed to encourage rational debate and resolve conflict. In order to test this assumption, this study interviewed 37 academics from 12 institutions from England and Scotland. The interviews were semi-structured and were analysed using a thematic approach to data analysis with an interpretivist perspective. The findings yielded both practical and theoretical contributions. The practical contributions included guidance to management on how to encourage desirable resistance-type behaviours and avoid undesirable ones. Desirable resistance-type behaviours can generate mutually beneficial outcomes to both management and staff. One of the theoretical contributions of this study is developed validity claims that help communicative action theory to address some of its key criticisms, enhancing its practical value to this context. Additionally, enhanced understanding of the resistance phenomena was achieved by examining it through the lens of communicative action.Item Reward crowdfunding : an empirical investigation of trends and success factors(Heriot-Watt University, 2023-10) Elrashidy, Zeinab Mohamed Saleh Mohamed; Haniffa, Professor Roszaini; Sherif, Professor MohamedAbstract and full text unavailable. Restricted access until 01.09.2026.Item Exploring mental ill-health stigma in sport : a social identity approach(Heriot-Watt University, 2024-10) Verma, Nina; Coffee, Professor Pete; Neely, Kacey C.The phrase "we must challenge the stigma" echoes loudly in the world of sports when it comes to mental health. Yet research on stigma in sport is limited and often lacks a theoretical basis, with current interventions providing inconclusive evidence of mental health stigma reduction. To address this gap, the present thesis is grounded in the Social Identity Approach, aiming to bridge the conceptual foundations of stigma, rooted in identity-based differences that create a distinction between an esteemed "us" and a devalued "them", with the current theoretical gaps observed in sport literature. Three studies are presented to examine mental ill-health stigma at the individual (micro), social (meso), and societal (macro) levels of sport. A comprehensive overview of existing literature and core thesis arguments are presented in the foundational chapters (1 and 2). Two studies are presented in Chapter 3: Upon reviewing 14,242 articles against inclusion and exclusion criteria, Study 1 (n = 278 articles) details a mixed-method content analysis examining stigmatising and anti-stigmatising narratives related to mental ill-health classifications in elite sport, as depicted in popular UK print media. Study 2 (n = 151 articles, 45,407 words) details a reflexive thematic analysis focused on the lived experiences of elite athletes who have faced mental ill-health, as depicted in popular UK print media. The final study, presented in Chapter 4, details empirical evidence (n = 388) on the influence of an athlete's identity on their perceptions of mental ill-health stigma and their willingness to seek help for mental ill-health concerns. To conclude, a discussion on the significance of these studies in furthering our understanding of mental ill-health stigma within sport is presented in Chapter 5. Three key theoretical implications are discussed: 1) stigma is maintained by reinforcing an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ narrative; 2) what is important to my group is what is important to me; and 3) role models are important, if they are relatable. Given the novelty of this research area in sport, several future research directions are discussed.Item Optimisation of organic selenium production using Saccharomyces cerevisiae(Heriot-Watt University, 2020-02) O’Shea, Jack; Hill, Doctor Anne ELizabeth; Hynes, Professor Michael J.The company required a selenium containing yeast product for the animal feed industry having both a high selenium content and also a high selenomethionine content. The selenium content was set at a minimum of 2,000 ppm and the selenomethionine content at 62.6% +/- 4%. The research department was also investigating the medical benefits of selenium yeast and had a requirement for a product with a high selenoprotein content. The medical benefits of selenium compounds are well documented, Schwarz and Foltz (1957) discovered that selenium could protect Vitamin E deficient rats from liver necrosis (Schwarz and Foltz, 1957). Tobe et al. (2017) demonstrated the antioxidant effects of selenoenzymes in cancer prevention (Tobe et al., 2017). Zare et al. (2017) highlighted the importance of the selenium containing enzyme glutathione peroxidase in protecting cells from oxidative damage by free radicals (Zare et al., 2017). Lippman et al. (2009) indicated in their research that selenium and Vitamin E or their combination could reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer (Lippman et al., 2009). Lovell et al. (2009) used the company’s product in a study investigating the oxidative damage in a transgenic mouse model of Aß. Aß is an amyloid ß-peptide which may play a critical role in the oxidative damage associated with Alzheimer disease. They found that supplementation with the selenium product decreased oxidative damage to RNA and DNA in the mice (Lovell et al., 2009). This suggested that selenium could be a neuro-protective agent in preventing Alzheimer disease. The company has used significant resources in this research area, a suitable selenium product was important for their work. The company decided to develop a product that would delay the onset of Alzeimer disease and clinical trials were undertaken in the U.S. using the available product. As part of these trials in accordance with FDA protocols, there was a requirement for a product of consistent and reproducible quality that could be produced on an ongoing basis. These requirements were the catalysts for the present work. The target of obtaining a product with 2,000 ppm minimum selenium concentration was achieved, but producing a product with 62.6% +/- 4% was problematic. The production batches (Details in Section 2.8) were reviewed and an assessment was made of the best batches. Seven batches were then produced based on what was perceived to be the optimum parameters settings. The results were not as good as expected and fifty three batches were subsequently produced in the pilot plant. The production parameters were then subjected to statistical and response surface methodology analysis with a view to optimising selenium incorporation and increasing the selenomethionine content of the yeast. The results of this suggested that it was important to raise the pH, increase the ammonia addition and use a low phosphate addition. These findings were verified in a confirmation batch. The company has progressed this project over the years and is now at stage two clinical trials.Item Performing the festival : an experiential autoethnography of the festival of Sant’Efisio in Sardinia(Heriot-Watt University, 2024-09) Cocco, Chiara; Pfeiffer, Doctor Kerstin; Craith, Professor Mairead NicThis research project considers festivals as sites of transformation, adaptation and negotiation for the communities interacting with their social environment. Employing a case-study strategy, the thesis carries out an in-depth exploration of one of the most celebrated events in the island of Sardinia (Italy): the Festival of Sant’Efisio. This complex celebration has been performed for 368 years to fulfil a vow in honour of the martyr and saint Efisio, who is believed to have saved Sardinia from the plague in the 17th century. The festival includes a multitude of secular and religious events and ceremonies which take place around a four-day pilgrimage. This study is placed within an interpretative phenomenological framework, underpinned by a feminist approach throughout, that considers “performance” as the key theoretical lens to inform the analysis of the following socio-cultural issues in festivals: 1) the display of cultural heritage; 2) community construction and conflict; and 3) gendered practices. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, both in person and online, this project investigates the effects of social and cultural transformations in relation to these issues within the Festival of Sant’Efisio, by addressing how the festival is interpreted, experienced, felt and performed by the people involved. The researcher’s perspective and experience are central to this enquiry and are discussed throughout by means of autoethnography. I suggest that the way people feel in festivals is crucial to understand their socio-cultural significance, as well as their survival through the change of time.