In Conclusion

This concluding chapter explores how the specific and broader research context influences which conceptual and methodological developments come to the fore at particular times and become ‘acceptable’, and how they shape the creation of knowledge and understanding. It also looks at future directions for social research. A key concern at the time of this book's writing concerns belonging, as more people are forced to migrate and Britain moves towards exiting the EU. Within this theme, there remain important issues to be addressed, in particular that concern migrants with families in the UK who are left in legal limbo and without recourse to public funds because of harsh immigration and welfare policies. These groups have not received the attention they urgently deserve because of the segmentation of researchers into the separate fields of migration and social policy research. Another issue that requires the attention of those in family studies and with an interest in action research concerns the linkage between families and civil society and civic engagement. Housing, including public housing and especially that for young people, is another topic that is ripe for more research.