My thesis examined domestic abuse policy developments in Scotland (1998-2018). Using process tracing, frame analysis and interviews, it analysed the contexts and conditions under which change can occur. Internationally and domestically regarded as a policy leader, Scotland’s “success stories” of progressive policymaking and feminist advocacy are rooted in an approach that integrates gendered ideas and frames. The thesis complicated these narratives by exposing the existence of power inequalities within framing processes, internal movement contestations and external resistance, and their effects in (un)intentionally marginalising minoritized groups. Taking an intersectional and feminist institutionalist approach, it argued that the ‘early wins’ in gendering domestic abuse policy framing have paradoxically created path dependencies that constrain the advancement of newer intersectional frames. The SGSSS/ESRC Fellowship presented a unique opportunity to maximise the academic and real world impact of my thesis, and position me for the next stage of my academic career, enhancing my competitiveness for longer-term fellowships and lectureships. The two aims of the Fellowship were:

• To further the impact of my PhD research, producing publications and meeting the interest from academics and policy communities;
• To engage with existing and new audiences and build upon collaborations and networks.