Staff

Michelle Millar

Senior Lecturer

Director, BA Public and Social Policy
Research Fellow, Child and Family Research Centre

BA Public Administration (University of Limerick)
MA Public Policy (Research) (University of Limerick)
PhD Public Management (University of Limerick)

Office: 315 Aras Moyola
Telephone: 353 (0)91 493634
Email: michelle.millarnuigalway.ie

Member of the Children, Youth and Families Research Cluster (the Child and Family Research Centre)

Profile

Dr. Michelle Millar has extensive expertise in policy research and analysis some of which has been funded by the HRB, CPA and NESF. She lecturers in Social Policy to undergraduate students as well Social Work, Community Development, Family Support and Nursing students. Michelle’s most significant recent empirical research work was on the Labour Market needs and Social Inclusion of One parent Families in Galway City and County project. Her journal articles have appeared in Social Science and Medicine, International Journal of Social Research Methodology’ Public Administration, International Review of Administrative Science, Irish Medical Journal, Journal of Public Money and Management, Public Policy and Administration, and Administration

Teaching

Public and Social Policy,
Public Administration,
Irish Administrative System,
Social Policy for Community Development and Social Work,
Evaluation for Community Development,
Policy Seminar,
Health Policy for Nursing Students,
Theories of the Policy Process,
Research Methods for Public and Social Policy 

Research Interests

I am a member of the Life Courses, Gender and Inequalities Research Cluster at the School of Political Science and Sociology, where our research focuses on structural inequalities in general and specifically in contemporary Irish society. Within the cluster my research centres on social inclusion with a particular emphasis on empirical research that looks at the lived experience of poverty and social exclusion. Most recently, my research has looked at the impact of proposed changes to the One Parent Family Payment on those parenting alone in Galway City and County. I am currently involved in the evaluation of a programme which aims to prevent and treat emotional and behavioural difficulties in young children which are known as risk factors for other difficulties in childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
 

Selected Publications

Byrne, A., J. Canavan and M. Millar (2009) ’Participatory research and data interpretation: using the voice centred relational method of data analysis. Is it worth it?' 'International Journal of Social Research Methodology

Adshead, M., P. Kirby and M. Millar (2008) (eds) Contesting the State: Lessons from the Irish Case. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

This is the first comprehensive survey of the Irish state. This book draws on different theoretical approaches to analyze the Irish state's origins, evolution, nature and role in Ireland’s recent economic success. The book begins by outlining the fragmentary way in which the Irish state has been treated to date in the social sciences. Contributors from a range of disciplines then explore the history of the Irish state from 1922 to 1973, the developmental nature of the Irish state since the 1980s, the Irish state as a partnership state, the gendered nature of the state, the changing nature of the state’s autonomy and capacity since independence, and the activities and policies of the Irish state as a welfare state. The editors draw out the lessons learned from this analysis before positing a challenging agenda for further research. The book will be of major interest to students of Irish politics, economics and social development. It will also appeal to scholars of globalization and comparative politics and makes a significant contribution to analysis of the role of the state in this context.

Murphy, M. and M. Millar (2007) ’The NESC Developmental Welfare State: a glass half empty or a glass half full approach to active social policy reform’ Administration 55 (3) 75-100.

Millar, M. (2006) ’Exploring the space for practice: Family Support Policy in a Comparative Context’ in J. Pinkerton, P. Dolan and J. Canavan (2006) (eds.) Family Support as Reflective Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley. 20 pp.

Hodgins, M., M. Millar and M. Barry (2006) “…it's all the same no matter how much fruit or vegetables or fresh air we get”: Traveller women's perceptions of illness causation and health inequalities’ Social Science and Medicine 62 (8) 1978-1990.

Taylor, G. and M. Millar (2004) ’The politics of food regulation and reform in Ireland’ Public Administration 82 (3) 585-603

Millar, M. (2004) ’Health care: consumer purchase or social right?’ in N. Collins (ed.) Political Issues in Ireland Today (3rd ed.) Manchester: Manchester University Press

Adshead, M. and M. Millar (eds) (2003) Public Administration and Public Policy in Ireland: Theory and Methods London: Routledge.

This textbook, written by an outstanding selection of experts in the field, is a comprehensive introduction to public policy and administration in Ireland. It covers all the main theories and methods associated with public administration and public policy and illustrates these with a wide variety of case studies specific to the Irish context. The book is a unique resource for students and teachers in this area.

Millar, M, J. Canavan and D. Walsh. (2002) ’From Value for Money to Practice Improvement and Beyond: Introducing Evaluation to A Voluntary Sector Youth Project’ in Administration 50 (2) 20-33.

Taylor, G. and M. Millar (2002) ’The Appliance of Science: The Politics of European Food Regulation and Reform’ in Public Policy and Administration 13 (4)

Millar, M. (2001) ’Patient Satisfaction with General Practice in Ireland’ in Irish Medical Journal 94 (4) 106-109.

Millar, M. and D. McKevitt (2000) ’Accountability to the Citizen-Client: performance measurement in the Irish health services’ in International Review of Administrative Science 66 (2) 285-96.

Lawton, A, D. McKevitt and M. Millar. (2000) ’Coping with Ambiguity: Reconciling External Legitimacy and Organisational Implementation in Performance Measurement’ in Public Money and Management 20 (3) 13-20. 

Supervision of Research

Liam Coen M. Litt. 10/02
Michaela Donegan M. Litt. 10/07
Vincent McCarthy M. Litt. 10/08
Patrick Malone PhD
Ciara Bradley PhD
Michael Browne PhD
Marcella Kelly PhD
Eamon Furey PhD

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