Demos | People

Jonathan Birdwell

Head of the Citizens Programme

Telephone: 020 7367 6336
Email: jonathan.birdwell@demos.co.uk

Jonathan is Head of the Citizens Programme at Demos. His research expertise lies in counter-terrorism, public behaviour and drugs policy. He is also interested in theories of democracy and civic regeneration.

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Jonathan's current work focuses on extremist movements and the role of religion in society.

Jonathan is co-author of The Edge of Violence, looking at the relationship between violent and non-violent radicals in Europe and Canada; the The Forgotten Half, which assessed school-to-work transitions for young people; and Taking Drugs Seriously, which investigated how new 'legal highs' will shape 21st century drugs policy and suggested how government regulation should respond.

His most recent reports include Service International, looking at the Government’s plans for an International Citizen Service, and The New Face of Digital Populism, the most comprehensive study to date of online far right supporters across Europe.

Jonathan is currently working on proposals related to digital literacy, education, youth and extremism, and prison reform.

The Edge of Violence

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell
Publication Date: 2010-04-16
Publication Type: Report

This report compares violent and non-violent radicals looking at their behaviour, the appeal of the al-Qaeda narrative and the role of governments and communities in responding.

Trust in Practice

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell, Faizal Farook, Samuel Jones
Publication Date: 2010-06-15
Publication Type: Pamphlet

Building on State of Trust Demos publishes Trust in Practice, a practical investigation of how local councils can increase public trust, which shows that relationships are just as crucial as structural reform.

From Suspects to Citizens

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell
Publication Date: 2010-07-20
Publication Type: Report

This report makes recommendations for the forthcoming review of the Government's 'Preventing Violent Extremism' programme.

The Edge of Violence

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell
Publication Date: 2010-12-08
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This pamphlet is a summary of two years of research examining the difference between violent and non-violent radicals in Europe and Canada.

The Forgotten Half

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell, Matt Grist, Julia Margo
Publication Date: 2011-03-11
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This pamphlet explores the school to work transitions of the 50 per cent of young people who don't go to university.

After Osama

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell, Mark Littler
Publication Date: 2011-05-10
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This pamphlet examines the views of Londoners on the death of Osama Bin Laden, based on a two day survey of residents.

Taking Drugs Seriously

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell, Jake Chapman
Publication Date: 2011-05-12
Publication Type: Report

This report brings together opinion from stakeholders in drugs policy on the challenge posed to legislation by new legal highs.

Service International

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell
Publication Date: 2011-07-28
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This pamphlet examines the positive impact the Coaltion Government's new International Citizen Service scheme can have on volunteers and wider society.

Youth Labour's Lost

Authors: Matt Grist, Jonathan Birdwell, Tom Gregory, Jenny Ousbey
Publication Date: 2011-10-26
Publication Type: Pamphlet

A report on unemployment in the youth labour market.

The New Face of Digital Populism

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell, Mark Littler
Publication Date: 2011-11-07
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This report analyses the responses of 10,000 online supporters of European populist political parties and movements, looking at the reasons why people are motivated to join.

Populism in Europe: Hungary

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell, Jack Benfield
Publication Date: 2012-01-30
Publication Type: Report

The first in a series of reports looking at populist movements in Europe, this study examines the views and motivations of online supporters of the Jobbik movement.

Populism in Europe: Sweden

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell, Jack Benfield
Publication Date: 2012-02-23
Publication Type: Pamphlet

The second in our series looking at populist movements in Europe, this report investigates the Sweden Democrats party and their supporters.

Faithful Citizens

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell, Mark Littler
Publication Date: 2012-04-08
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This report looks at the connection between religion and politics in the UK and Europe.

Populism in Europe: Denmark

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell, Mona Bani, Jack Benfield
Publication Date: 2012-05-15
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This report is the third in our series of reports into the rise of populist parties and movements in Western Europe, this time looking at the Danish People's Party.

Populism in Europe: Netherlands

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell, Sarah de Lange
Publication Date: 2012-09-14
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This report is the fourth in the Populism in Europe series, this time looking at the Netherlands, Geert Wilders and the Partij voor de Vrijheid.

Populism in Europe: Lega Nord

Authors: Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell
Publication Date: 2012-10-04
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This pamphlet is the fifth in our series of reports on European populism, this time looking at Italy's Lega Nord.

Populism in Europe: CasaPound

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell, Jamie Bartlett
Publication Date: 2012-10-04
Publication Type: Pamphlet

This pamphlet is the sixth in our series of reports on European populism, this time looking at CasaPound, an Italian neo-fascist political and cultural movement.

Feeling the Effects

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell, Emma Vandore
Publication Date: 2012-12-07
Publication Type: Report

This report argues for targeted information awareness campaigns aimed at parents to help them consider their parenting style and the impact of alcohol on parenting ability.

Faithful Providers

Authors: Jonathan Birdwell
Publication Date: 2013-01-18
Publication Type: Pamphlet

Local authorities can benefit both financially and socially through commissioning faith-based service providers.

Trust and local government

Jonathan Birdwell, Samuel Jones, Faizal Farook

We've all got a sense that trust in government and public services is declining. But we very seldom step back and ask questions like: what do we mean by trust, how do people form trusting relationships, and how can public service organisations realistically develop more of those relationships?

On the edge of violence?

Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell

This project looks at the relationship between violent and non-violent radicalisation by mapping the flow of ideas, people and money through violent and non-violent radical groups.

Inside Stories

Celia Hannon, Jonathan Birdwell, Tommy Moody, Pippa Read

Demos has embarked on a new research project aimed uncovering the real life experiences of social housing residents, with the aim of using their personal stories to inform both policymaking and the activities of Housing Associations in the UK.

Neighbourhood Watch 2.0

Jonathan Birdwell, Jamie Bartlett

Demos is looking at how communities can bring neighbourhood watch into the twenty-first century.

Taking Drugs Seriously

Jonathan Birdwell, Jake Chapman

Demos is designing a new project of work that seeks to crack the stymied debate around UK drugs policy. This project will apply systems theory to imagine what the world could potentially look like if drugs were regulated as opposed to criminalised. Without imagining what such a world would entail it is impossible to move beyond the current impasse.

A very British foreign policy

Max Wind-Cowie, Jonathan Birdwell

This project aims to facilitate genuine public engagement in British foreign policy. Demos will ask a representative sample of British people, with advice and debate from internationally renowned experts and thinkers, to draw up a list of principles on which they feel that British foreign policy should be based.

Legal Highs

Jonathan Birdwell, Jake Chapman

Demos is looking at how government can approach new harmful chemical substances, or 'legal highs', in an effective way.

Advising Ambition

Eugene Grant, Jonathan Birdwell

This project will focus on school-to-work transition: how our education and training systems are preparing young people for employment.

Civic Service International

Jonathan Birdwell, Susanna Pettigrew

This research will look at the potential benefits of a British international citizen service, investigating how it can be integrated into Big Society initiatives and increase civic engagement.

Populism in Europe

Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell

This project from the Violence and Extremism team looks at the growth of populism across Europe.

Populism in Europe

Jamie Bartlett, Jonathan Birdwell

Building on The New Face of Digital Populism, Demos is publishing a series of country-specific reports on the growth of populism in Europe.

A Common Language

Duncan O'Leary, Jonathan Birdwell, Andrew Rhodes, Yvette Jacob

This project, running in parallel to wider Demos work on adult learning, will begin with first principles – why ESOL matters – and work through to a logical conclusion of how best it can be delivered in practice, within a coherent policy framework.

Backsliders: measuring democracy in the EU

Jonathan Birdwell, Sebastien Feve

This project will explore how the European Union can prevent 'backsliding' on democratic commitments among member states.

Eurovisions

Jonathan Birdwell

This project will investigate young people's attitudes towards the EU across Europe.

Faith and society

Jonathan Birdwell

This project explores the role of faith groups in 21^st century British society – in particular, their role in progressive politics.

Families, parenting and harmful drinking

Jonathan Birdwell, Emma Vandore

This project examines how a parent's problematic relationship with alcohol can impact on parenting and children’s perceptions of alcohol.

Be prepared: Scouts and employability

Jonathan Birdwell

This research will seek to explore the extent to which the Scouting movement helps impart employability skills such as team work, confidence, interpersonal skills and leadership

Sweet charity

Jonathan Birdwell, Ally Paget

This project aims to quantify and measure the actual economic and social value of Britain's 5,500 charity shops within communities.

Jonathan

Demos Staff overview

Jonathan Birdwell

Head of the Citizens Programme