People on the outside, looking in, and the processes behind their exclusion, will be the subject of a major conference in Aberdeen on Friday September 13.

The conference on 'Social Justice in Scotland: urban and rural dimensions' is the Aberdeen launch of the new Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice, a joint venture of the Universities of Aberdeen and Glasgow supported by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. Keynote speakers include the Minister for Social Justice, Margaret Curran MSP, Professor Robina Goodlad and Professor Simin Davoudi.

Social injustice in urban neighbourhoods with high concentrations of socially excluded people is often seen as quite different from injustice in rural areas. Yet the proportions experiencing poverty and other forms of injustice may actually be similar in rural and urban areas of Scotland.

Recent research suggests many of the underlying processes may be common to both, or at least interlinked. The conference will explore differences in the nature and causes of injustices between urban and rural areas, and in the effectiveness of urban and rural policies. The interdependencies between rural and urban areas are also examined.

'Area-based partnerships are one example of policies common in development and regeneration policy in both rural and urban areas,' Professor Mark Shucksmith will tell the conference.

'These partnerships are meant to listen to and involve local communities, and build community capacity in their work to counter social exclusion. But in both urban and rural localities it has proved a challenge to secure inclusive community involvement and capacity building, engaging with a range of local interests and with residents at different 'levels' of deprivation and disadvantage.'

'The new Centre will work with those in policy and practice to develop a better understanding and more effective measures to help address injustice,' said fellow Co-Director, Professor Robina Goodlad.

'Our research will examine the quality of people's lives at different ages; the communities and neighbourhoods in which people live; the ways in which those on the outside, looking in, engage with processes of policy making; and the effectiveness of policies and practice.'

Principal C Duncan Rice, at the University of Aberdeen welcomes this partnership between Aberdeen's Arkleton Centre for Rural Development Research and Glasgow's Department of Urban Studies, and the close links with research users.

'I am delighted that these two ancient universities have come together to develop research capacity, conceptual clarity, expertise and research methods on social justice in Scotland and to enhance the evidence-base for effective policy and practice.'

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

The Scottish Centre for Research in Social Justice was established in January 2002.

The Aberdeen launch conference, with keynote speaker Margaret Curran MSP, Minister for Social Justice, was complemented by a Glasgow launch address in July by the First Minister, Jack McConnell.

The Co-Directors of the Centre are Professor Robina Goodlad (Glasgow) and Professor Mark Shucksmith (Aberdeen).

For further information see www.scrsj.ac.uk

First published: 13 September 2002