Beverley Clough | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Published on 09/07/202509/07/2025 by Phenomenological Research Awards

Prof.Beverley Clough | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Professor of Law & Social Justice at Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.

Professor Beverley Clough is a leading scholar in law and social justice at Manchester Law School, Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on mental capacity law, disability rights, feminist legal theory, and healthcare ethics. She is the author of the acclaimed monograph The Spaces of Mental Capacity Law and has co-edited several influential volumes. A recipient of the ISRF Early Career Fellowship and shortlisted for the SLS Peter Birks Prize, Prof. Clough has secured competitive research funding and contributed extensively to national and international legal scholarship. She also holds editorial roles with top journals including Medical Law Review and co-edits the Disability, Law and Justice series (Hart Publishing). Through her academic leadership, public engagement, and advocacy for inclusive legal reform, she continues to shape the future of socio-legal studies.

Profile:

🎓 Educational Background:

Professor Beverley Clough holds an impressive academic background in law and ethics. She earned her LLB (Hons) from the University of Manchester in 2009, followed by an MA in Health Care Ethics and Law in 2011. Her doctoral research, completed at the University of Manchester’s Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, focused on relational approaches to mental capacity law—passing with distinction. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), reflecting her excellence in teaching and academic leadership.

Academic Experience:

Currently a Professor in Law & Social Justice at Manchester Law School, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), Prof. Clough has held esteemed positions at the Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester. She is the Research Lead at MMU and has led teaching across a range of modules including Medical Law, Tort Law, and Disability Law. Her mentorship extends to supervising PhD students and reviewing academic progress, reflecting her deep commitment to student development and legal education.

Research Interests:

Prof. Clough’s research explores the intersections of mental capacity law, disability rights, feminist legal theory, and social justice. Her monograph The Spaces of Mental Capacity Law and multiple edited collections reveal a unique focus on the spatial, relational, and temporal aspects of legal capacity. Her work frequently interrogates traditional binaries and highlights the lived experiences of disabled individuals, especially in areas such as consent, vulnerability, and autonomy.

Editorial Work:

She is a prolific author with journal articles in Human Rights Law Review, Social & Legal Studies, Medical Law Review, and many others. Her books, including Disability, Care and Family Law and Mental Capacity Law, Sexual Relationships and Intimacy, are highly regarded in academic and policy-making circles. As an editor, she plays a leading role in shaping discourse through her positions with the Medical Law Review, International Journal of Disability & Social Justice, and the Disability, Law and Justice series at Hart Publishing.

Professional Service and External Roles:

She serves as a trustee of the Socio-Legal Studies Association, a series editor at Hart Publishing, and an editorial board member for leading journals. She is also part of the International Scientific Committee for the International Academy of Law and Mental Health. Her peer review contributions span journals, academic publishers, and research funders, reinforcing her as a critical voice in shaping academic quality and research direction.

Public Engagement:

Prof. Clough is active in public legal education through blogs, keynote lectures, seminars, and interviews. She frequently engages with audiences at academic and practitioner events, including international conferences, public lectures, and collaborative workshops. Her presentations often challenge conventional legal thinking, addressing topics like homebirth, disability rights, consent, and feminist legal geography.

Honors and Recognition:

She was awarded the prestigious ISRF Early Career Fellowship (2017–18) and was shortlisted for the SLS Peter Birks Prize (2022)—a recognition of scholarly excellence in law. Her thought leadership and consistent contributions to socio-legal discourse mark her as a transformative scholar.

Publications:

Clough, B. (2017). Disability and vulnerability: Challenging the capacity/incapacity binary. Social Policy and Society, 16(3), 469–481.
Cited by: 99
Clough, B. (2014). Vulnerability and capacity to consent to sex – Asking the right questions. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 26, 371–397.
Cited by: 42
Clough, B. (2015). ‘People like that’: Realising the social model in mental capacity jurisprudence. Medical Law Review, 23(1), 53–80.
Cited by: 30
Clough, B. A. (2018). New legal landscapes: (Re)constructing the boundaries of mental capacity law. Medical Law Review, 26(2), 246–275.
Cited by: 25
Clough, B. (2014). What about us? A case for legal recognition of interdependence in informal care relationships. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 36(2), 129–148.
Cited by: 23
Clough, B. (2016). People Like That”: Realising the Social Model in Mental Capacity Jurisprudence. Medical Law Review, 23, 53.
Cited by: 20
Clough, B. & Brazier, M. (2014). Never too old for health and human rights? Medical Law International, 14(3), 133–156.
Cited by: 19
Clough, B. (2016). Anorexia, capacity, and best interests: Developments in the Court of Protection since the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Medical Law Review, 24(3), 434–445.
Cited by: 14
Clough, B. (2018). New Legal Landscapes: (Re)Constructing the Boundaries of Mental Capacity Law. Medical Law Review, 26, 246.
Cited by: 14
Clough, B. (2021). The Spaces of Mental Capacity Law: Moving Beyond Binaries. Routledge.
Cited by: 12

Alude Mahali | Social Sciences | Women Researcher Award

Published on 23/06/202523/06/2025 by Phenomenological Research Awards

Dr. Alude Mahali | Social Sciences | Women Researcher Award

Research Director at Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa.

Dr. Alude Mahali 🇿🇦 is a leading South African social scientist and arts practitioner whose work bridges research, education, and the creative arts. 🎭📚 She currently serves as the Research Director at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in Durban, South Africa 🌍, focusing on equitable education and inclusive economic development. With over a decade of academic and leadership experience, she has led and collaborated on national and international projects centered around youth, mental health, education, and civic participation. ✊👩‍🎓 An acclaimed speaker, editor, and filmmaker 🎥, she is committed to amplifying marginalised voices and promoting intersectional justice. A passionate educator and mentor 👩‍🏫, Dr. Mahali also holds honorary teaching roles and is widely published in top-tier journals. Her diverse, grounded, and transformative research has had a profound impact in both academic and community contexts. 🌱✨

Professional Profile:

Scopus

ORCID

Google Scholar

Suitability For Best Researcher Award – Dr. Alude Mahali:

Dr. Alude Mahali is an outstanding candidate for the Women Researcher Award, exemplifying excellence across academia, social research, and arts-based public scholarship. Her career spans high-impact leadership roles, notably as Research Director at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), and her commitment to inclusive, community-driven research sets her apart. She integrates intersectional feminist perspectives, creative methodologies, and policy-engaged research to champion social justice, especially for youth and marginalized communities in South Africa and beyond.

🎓 Education

Dr. Alude Mahali began her academic journey at Rhodes University 🇿🇦, where she earned her BA (Hons) between 2004–2007 🎓. She proceeded to the University of Cape Town, completing a Master’s in 2009 and her PhD in 2014 🧠📘. During her doctoral studies, she also gained international exposure as a Reese Miller International Scholar at the University of Michigan, USA 🇺🇸. Dr. Mahali has continuously expanded her knowledge, including completing the prestigious HarvardX online course on leadership in 2020 🌐👩‍💼. Her education reflects a deep commitment to critical thinking, cultural studies, and leadership in higher education. 🎓✍️🌍

💼 Professional Development

Dr. Mahali’s professional journey is marked by growth, impact, and dedication 🌟. She began her academic career as a lecturer at Edna Manley College in Jamaica 🇯🇲 before returning to South Africa to join the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), where she has progressed from Research Specialist (2015) to Chief Research Specialist (2020) and now Research Director (2025–present) 🏢📈. She has also served as an honorary lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and taken leadership roles in conferences, symposia, and research networks 🌐. Her diverse professional development includes editorial roles, board memberships (e.g., Wellcome Trust, Uyinene Foundation), and teaching across institutions, further cementing her as a thought leader in youth development and intersectional justice 📚👥. Her cross-disciplinary experience and global engagement demonstrate her commitment to social impact, inclusive policy, and innovative pedagogy 💡🌍.

🔍 Research Focus

Dr. Mahali’s research sits at the intersection of youth social justice, education, mental health, gender equity, and civic participation ✊👩🏽‍🎓🧠. Her work primarily explores intersectional youth issues in post-apartheid South Africa, including language rights, climate justice, and migration 🌿🗳️🌍. Through participatory and narrative-driven methodologies, she examines how structural inequalities affect the lives of young people, particularly Black womxn in educational and leadership spaces 🖤♀️. She leads research projects on first-time voting youth, COVID-19’s impact on mental health, and the long-term impact of education on African alumni 📊. Her interdisciplinary lens, drawing from sociology, performance theory, and critical race studies, positions her as a pioneering voice in youth-focused, socially engaged scholarship 👩🏽‍🏫📝. Her work is consistently anchored in community transformation and systemic redress 🧩⚖️.

🛠️ Research Skills

Dr. Mahali is a highly skilled qualitative researcher known for using participatory, visual, and creative methodologies 🎥🖌️📋. Her methodological expertise includes performance ethnography, social network interviewing (SNI), and intersectional feminist research tools, allowing her to center marginalized experiences in powerful and authentic ways 🗣️📸. She excels at designing and leading large-scale, multi-year projects involving youth cohorts, policy evaluation, and longitudinal studies 🧠📈. Her skills extend to research supervision, curriculum development, documentary filmmaking, and journal peer reviewing, demonstrating her versatility across both academic and public scholarship 📽️📘. A strong communicator and collaborative leader, she consistently bridges the gap between academia and community-based action 🤝📚. Her ability to fuse theory, practice, and advocacy positions her as a researcher committed to impact, transformation, and excellence 🌱🔬💬.

🏅 Awards and Honours

Dr. Alude Mahali has received numerous accolades in recognition of her academic excellence and social impact 🏆📚. These include prestigious fellowships such as the Reese Miller International Scholar Award at the University of Michigan 🇺🇸, the Harry Crossley Fellowship, and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Scholarship 🎓. She was a finalist for the HSRC-USAf CEOs Award in 2023 and has been the recipient of the University of Cape Town’s Research Associateship Award 🎖️. Her academic journey has also been supported by the Andrew Mellon Scholarship, National Arts Council Bursary, and Rosalind van der Gucht Scholarship 🎼📖. Through these honours, Dr. Mahali has consistently demonstrated leadership, creativity, and a profound commitment to transformative research and education 🌟🧑‍🏫.

Publication Top Notes

1. Disentangled, Decentred and Democratised: Youth Studies for the Global South

Authors: A. Cooper, S. Swartz, A. Mahali
Journal: Journal of Youth Studies, Vol. 22(1), pp. 29–45
Citations: 102
Year: 2019
Summary: This paper critiques dominant Western perspectives in youth studies, advocating for approaches rooted in the experiences of young people in the global South. It calls for youth studies that are disentangled from colonial knowledge systems, decentered from the global North, and democratized through inclusive and participatory methods.

2. Studying While Black: Race, Education and Emancipation in South African Universities

Authors: S. Swartz, A. Mahali, R. Moletsane, E. Arogundade, N.E. Khalema, A. Cooper, et al.
Publisher: HSRC Press
Citations: 84
Year: 2018
Summary: A comprehensive exploration of the lived experiences of Black students in South African higher education institutions. The book highlights structural racism, student resistance, and aspirations for educational transformation and social justice.

3. Networks of Well-being in the Global South: A Critical Review of Current Scholarship

Authors: A. Mahali, I. Lynch, A.W. Fadiji, T. Tolla, S. Khumalo, S. Naicker
Journal: Journal of Developing Societies, Vol. 34(4), pp. 373–400
Citations: 67
Year: 2018
Summary: The article reviews literature on well-being in the global South, emphasizing the need to move beyond individualistic and Western-centric models. It advocates for contextualized, networked understandings of well-being.

4. ‘Without Community, There is No Liberation’: On #BlackGirlMagic and the Rise of Black Woman-Centred Collectives in South Africa

Author: A. Mahali
Journal: Agenda, Vol. 31(1), pp. 28–41
Citations: 15
Year: 2017
Summary: This paper explores how Black South African women are using digital platforms and grassroots organizing to form supportive collectives. It analyzes the #BlackGirlMagic movement in local contexts as a form of resistance and identity formation.

5. “The Power of the Poem”: Using Poetic Inquiry to Explore Trans-Identities in Namibia

Authors: H. Van Rooyen, Z. Essack, A. Mahali, C. Groenewald, A. Solomons
Journal: Arts & Health, Vol. 13(3), pp. 315–328
Citations: 14
Year: 2021
Summary: This paper employs poetic inquiry to explore the lived experiences of transgender individuals in Namibia. It highlights the therapeutic and narrative potential of poetry in marginalized communities.

6. Using Qualitative Tools as Interventionist Research Strategies for Emancipation

Authors: A. Mahali, S. Swartz
Journal: International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Vol. 17(1), Article: 1609406918799573
Citations: 11
Year: 2018
Summary: The paper argues for the use of qualitative research not just as a method of understanding but also as a tool for social intervention, particularly in empowering disadvantaged groups.

7. Maid to Serve: ‘Self-Fashioning’ and the Domestic Worker Trope in Contemporary South Africa

Author: A. Mahali
Journal: Journal of African Media Studies, Vol. 8(2), pp. 127–143
Citations: 9
Year: 2016
Summary: This article critiques how domestic workers are portrayed in South African media and literature. It examines how these portrayals shape public perceptions and the identities of the women themselves.

Conclusion:

Dr. Alude Mahali embodies the core ideals of the Women Researcher Award: innovation, leadership, inclusion, and societal relevance. Her integrative research approach, dedication to youth empowerment, and advocacy for intersectional justice have significantly enriched both academic scholarship and grassroots transformation. She stands as a model of visionary and inclusive research leadership, making her exceptionally well-suited for this honor.

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