In light of the new funding Genevieve has stepped down as SPERI Co-Director to be able to focus on this time-sensitive research. Genevieve will remain a Research Fellow at SPERI and a key part of our core team, as well as Professor of Politics within the University鈥檚 Department of Politics and International Relations.
SPERI Director Colin Hay paid tribute to the immense contribution that Genevieve has made to SPERI over the last couple of years: 鈥淕enevieve is very significantly responsible for the considerable research momentum and sheer energy that characterises SPERI at present. It is of course sad, but entirely understandable, that the call of new externally funded research pulls her away from continuing to co-direct SPERI. But the entire team is delighted both with her success and that we will be able to continue to work together with her. These two major new projects are testament to the importance of her vital research and to the timeliness of SPERI鈥檚 research agenda more generally鈥. He went on to add, 鈥渢he search for a new Co-Director for SPERI will of course begin shortly; we are confident of having someone in place early in the new year鈥.
Genevieve鈥檚 new funding will enable her to conduct urgent research on the immediate and medium-term ways that the pandemic is impacting employment and workers鈥 livelihoods in global supply chains and on various forms of inequality.
The first project 鈥Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Modern Slavery in Global Garment Supply Chains鈥 has been awarded by the through their which is funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). It will be conducted in collaboration with the (WRC), an independent labour right monitoring organization focused on the apparel industry, which conducts in-depth investigations on factories around the globe, the Business & Human Rights Resource Center, and other partners.
The second project, 鈥Restructuring Business Models and Supply Chains to Promote Fair, Equitable Labour Standards and Worker Rights in the Face of Pandemic鈥 will be undertaken in collaboration with colleagues at Yale and Stanford Universities. Further details of it will be announced shortly.