Dr Seamus Taylor

Applied Social Studies, ALL Institute

Head of Department

Auxilia, North Campus, Maynooth University
Level 3
3.1
(01) 708 6748

Biography

Dr Seamus Taylor is Head of Applied Social Studies and Lecturer in Social Policy. Seamus studied Social Science (Social Policy and Sociology ) in University College Dublin where he graduated  with a double 1st class honours degree . He has an MA in Social Policy from the University of London ( Goldsmiths College ) where he graduated with distinction .He has a PhD from Lancaster University in Applied Social Science (Law) .He has worked in the ESRI , Dublin , Social Worker at the London Irish Centre , Senior Policy Advisor and Head of Policy ,Equality and Diversity at Haringey Council, Director of Strategy at the Commission for Racial Equality (Britain)  and Director of Equality and Diversity at the Crown Prosecution Service (England and Wales ) .
Seamus joined the Department of Applied Social Studies in 2009 ,where he contributes to and teaches on the BSocSc, MSocSc, and DSocSc programmes .He founded the Masters in Social Science (Rights and Social Policy ).He lectures on undergraduate modules in Introduction to Social Policy,Equality Studies  and Criminal Justice Studies and Masters level courses in Equality and Inclusion and Criminal Justice Studies.
His research interests include : analysis of hate crime policy and practice with a current focus on Disablility Hate Crime , issues of equality and diversity in the criminal justice system , analysis of  policy approaches to addressing equality in the public sector, analysis of the social policy making process.
His publications are in the areas of equality and diversity policy making and practice , critical analysis of hate crime policy and practice , racist crime and race equality policy and practice in the criminal justice system. His book with Dr Amanda Haynes and Jennifer Schweppe (UL) ,Haynes, Schweppe and Taylor , Critical Perspectives on Hate Crime : An Irish Perspective , London : Palgrave Macmillan was published in 2017.Seamus' latest book, Hate Crime Policy and Disability: from vulnerability to ableism was published by Bristol University Press in 2022.
Seamus has involvements with a range of organisations in the NGO and statutory sectors in Ireland and Britain over many years.These include serving as a trustee of the Runnymede Trust (Britain ) think tank on race equality and cultural diversity, serving as a commissioner on the independent Commission on the future of Multi Ethnic Britain which reported in 2000 , chairing the Irish community census campaign in Britain in the early 2000's . He is independent chair of the London Hate Crime Scrutiny and Involvement Panel (CJS)  and chair of the Irish Penal Reform Trust. He is a member of the Expert Group which advises government on Equality Budgeting .He has served as a member of the Advisory Group on Equality and Diversity strategy to the Public Appointments Service.
  He is currently an elected  member of Maynooth University Governing Authority. He served as a member of the MU Curriculum Commission .He is current chair of Maynooth University Equality, Diversity and Interculturalism Committee.

Research Interests

Research interests in the following areas :

Hate Crime and  criminal justice policy making 

Disability Hate Crime 

the theory and practice of mainstreaming equality, diversity and inclusion

the criminal justice system and social policy

the public sector policy making process

social policy and disability

Interrogating the framing of 'vulnerable groups' for policy purposes
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/01/2010 CBE British Government Honours System
01/01/2007 Fellow of Royal Society of the Arts Britain (FRSA) Royal Soceity of the Arts
01/01/2008 British Civil Service Diversity Improvement Award Cabinet Office, British Civil Service
01/01/1999 Distinguished Service Award Haringey Council ,London
01/01/1996 Irish Post Newspaper Community Award The Irish Post Newspaper (Britain)
01/10/1982 Postgraduate Scholarship in Social Science University College Dublin
01/09/1981 College Prize in Sociology University College Dublin
01/09/1981 College Scholarships in Sociology and Social Policy University College Dublin
01/09/1981 College Scholarship in Social Policy University College Dublin

Committees

Committee Function From / To
Equality, Diversity and Interculturalism Committee, Maynooth University ,Governing Authority responsible with committee colleagues for strategic advice and support to Maynooth University Governing Authority in relation to the advancement of the University's equality policy and objectives 22/05/2016 - 22/05/2016
Maynooth University Curriculum Commission Member 01/10/2012 - 02/06/2014
Governing Authority ,Maynooth University responsible with other Governing Authority members for the strategic governance of the university in line with the Universites Act and the University's strategic plan 22/05/2016 - 22/05/2016

Employment

Employer Position From / To
Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) ,Dublin Research Assistant 01/08/1983 - 01/03/1984
London Irish Centre Social Worker 01/04/1984 - 01/04/1987
Commission for Racial Equality (Britain ) Director of Strategy 01/01/2000 - 27/01/2004
Haringey Council Senior Policy Advisor and latterly Head of Policy ,Equality and Diversity 01/05/1987 - 01/12/1999
Crown Prosecution Service (England and Wales) Director of Equality and Diversity 27/01/2004 - 31/03/2009

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
University College Dublin BSocSc Social Policy and Sociology
Lancaster University, UK PhD Applied Social Science (Law)
University of London (Goldsmiths College ) Master of Arts Social Policy

Outreach Activities

Organisation Type Description
Department of Justice Policy Makers High Level Review Group on the role of an Garda Siochana in the Public Prosecution System
Expert Advisory Group on Equality Budgeting to Irish Government Policy Makers I serve as a member of the Expert Advisory Group on Equality Budgeting which reports to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Department of Finance. Its role is to advise on anchoring equality considerations in the national budget framework and process (2019 - to date) [Link]
Advisory Board, Equality and Diversity Strategy, Public Appointments Service Ireland, Policy Makers I serve as a member of the time-limited Advisory Board to the Public Appointments Service Ireland on the framing of a first Equality and Diversity Strategy for the Service (2019 - to date) [Link]
Chair, Irish Penal Reform Trust Civic Society I am Chair (2016- to date) of the Board of the Irish Penal Reform Trust which is the main NGO promoting a human rights based approach to prisoners and evidence based penal reform. [Link]
Independent Advisory Group Windrush Lessons Learned Review UK Home Office Policy Makers I serve as a member of the Independent Advisory Group to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review established by the UK Home Secretary in August 2018 and overseen by Review Lead Wendy Williams (2018 - to date). [Link]
Cabinet Office, UK Government Policy Makers I chaired a Whitehall-wide group on diversity in recruitment to the Senior Civil Service in the UK which produced recruitment guidance for Government departments from 2006-2008.
Runnymede Trust, UK Civic Society I served as a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, Britain's leading Think Tank on race quality and cultural diversity (2000-2009). [Link]
Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain Civic Society I served as a Commissioner (1998-2000) on the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, which set out a vision and strategy for the realisation of a cohesive multi-ethnic society as it entered the twenty-first century. [Link]
Independent Chair of the London Hate Crime Scrutiny and Involement Panel Civic Society I am Independent Chair of a panel which scrutinizes and advises the criminal justice system on the handling of cases of hate crime and makes recommendations to contribute to improved performance (2015 - to date). [Link]
Advisory Group. Race Disproportionality in Criminal Charging Decisions, Crown Prosecution Service Policy Makers I serve as an academic member of an Advisory Group for a research project on Race Disproportionality in the Criminal Charging system in England and Wales established by the Crown Prosecution Service in December 2022 and announced in February 2023. This Advisory Group is chaired by Suzie Uppal. The Advisory Group includes : Suzie Uppal, Chief Executive, Press Recognition Panel Professor Leslie Gelsthorpe , University of Cambridge Professor Mustafa Ozbilgin, Brunel University Jamie Burton KC, Doughty Street Chambers and Chair of Just Fair Jason Pitter KC , New Park Court Chambers Fiona Rutherford , Director, Justice Dr Angela Sorsby, University of Sheffield Fiyaz Mughal, Co Chair, CPS Community Accountability Forum

Teaching Interests

I teach a range of courses in the following areas :

Introduction to Social Policy , Part 1 - perspectives, themes and concepts

Introduction to Social Policy Part 2 -  welfare state foundations and welfare state pillars

Equality and Inclusion in theory and practice

Case Studies in Social Policy -  Criminal Justice  and Social Policy

I tend to favor and draw upon a blended approach to teaching involving a blend of conventional lecture and  small group problem based learning and interaction.