Claire is a Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at the Centre for Public Policy.  Prior to joining the Centre, she was a Senior Lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University where she held various academic and research leadership positions.  Her research interests include societal risk and inequality, fiscal constraints and public sector provision. Claire was co-investigator on several large research grants funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and the Scottish Government.  She is an associate member of the WiSE Centre for Economic Justice and contributes to other government and policy networks.  

My research focuses on policy analysis and evaluation in the areas societal risk and inequality; austerity, fiscal constraints and decision-making; and participatory processes for localised budgetary decision-making.  

I have a particular interest in the ways in which policy creation and implementation can create or exacerbate socio-economic risks for the most vulnerable within society.  For example:

• UK immigration policy and impact upon the asylum and refugee communities in Scotland.
• Austere fiscal policy and impact upon low-income households experiencing in-work poverty and other marginalised groups.    
• Policy implementation and the potential to increase and redistribute social risks amongst society due to siloed budgetary decision-making.  

Selected papers and reports: 

Bailey, D, De Ruyter, A, MacRae C, McNeill, J and Thompson, J (2022) Percieving and managing Brexit risk in UK Manufacturing: evidence from the Midlands.  Contemporary Social Science. 17, 5 p.468-484

MacRae, C, Asenova, D and Okey-Adibe, T (2021) An exploration of risks and opporunities for asylum seekers and refugees living in Glasgow. Central and West Integration Network.

O'Hagan, A, Hill O'Connor, C, MacRae C and Teedon, P (2020) Participatory budgeting. community engagement and impact on public services in Scotland.  Public Money and Management, 40, 6 p.446-456.

McKendrick, J, Asenova, D, MacRae, C and Reynolds, R, Egan, J, Hastings, A, Mooney, G and Sinclair, S (2016) Conceptualising Austerity in Scotland as a Risk Shift.  Scottish Affairs, 25, 4 p.451-478

Asenova, D, Bailiey, S, MacRae, C (2015) Public sector risk managers and spending cuts mitigating the risk. Journal of Risk Research, 18, 5 p.552-565 

Asenova, D, Bailey, S & MacRae, C (2013) Managing the social risks of public sector spending cuts in Scotland. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 

Hood, J, Stein, B and MacRae, C (2009) Low cost insurance schemes in Scottish Social Housing: An empirical study of availability and tenants' participation.  Urban Studies, 46, 9 p. 1807-1827

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Selected research grants include: 

Evaluation of Participatory Budgeting in Scotland 2016-2018 O'Hagan, A, Hill O'Connor, C, MacRae, C and Teedon P (Funded by Scottish Government) 

MacRae, C and Watt, G (2019) Risk Reporting in the Public Sector (Funded by ALARM)

Asenova, D, MacRae, C. McKendrick, J and Reynolds R (2015) Redistribution of Social and Societal Risk: Impact on individuals, their networks and communities in Scotland. (Funded by the Joseph Rowantree Foundation)

Asenova, D, Stein, B and MacRae C (2014) Assessing the social and community risks of council spending cuts in Scotland (funded by the Joseph Rowantree Foundation) 

Asenova, D, Bailey S and MacRae C (2013) Managing the social risks of public sector spending cuts in Scotland (funded by the Jsoseph Rowantree Foundation) 

I am interested in supervising PhD students in the following areas: 

• Societal risk and inequality. 
• Local government, third sector and communities. 
• Public management and governance.
• Policy impact on vulnerable groups within society. 

I teach across modules in the following areas risk, society and governance, public sector risk management, local government, public policy analysis, risk and resilience and research methods for UG, PG and PGR students.  

I supervise students across PhD, Prof.Doc, UG and PG levels.