University of Edinburgh

Project Officer (Public Policy Network) and Doctoral Researcher, School of Social and Political Science

Principal's Career Development PhD Scholar

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

About

I was trained as a political scientist at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia/Spain): Master´s Degree in Political Science (1997-2002); MSc in Public Management (2003); MPhil in Policy Making Processes (2002-2004).

Currently I am the Project Officer of the Public Policy Network, and a doctoral researcher (PhD in Politics) at the School of Social and Political Science of the University of Edinburgh, where I hold a Principal’s Career Development PhD Scholarship (2010-2013). My mentor is Richard Freeman and my  core research subject is participatory policy making. I am passionate about political ethnography and interpretive policy analysis.

My first funded research project (2002-2004, European Social Fund and Galician Government) was on the policy making process of public intervention against poverty and social exclusion in Galicia. Over the years I have enjoyed learning as a facilitator and analyst in various policy arenas in Scotland, Spain and South Africa. Besides academia, my first jobs were as a labourer in the construction and fishing industries. I have also worked in management and radio, done  amateur photography and short filming, and published 3 poetry books and a number of literary works.

Between 2008-2010 I worked at the Dialogue Research Project (Media, Communication and Sociology, Queen Margaret University) helping to set up QMU's Centre for Dialogue. I am a Public Engagement Fellow of Edinburgh Beltane (UK Beacons for Public Engagement) since 2009, where I am involved in developing  courses, forums and activities in the areas of dialogue and deliberation, public engagement, and policy practice. I am also the convener of PPN's Citizen Participation Network, and a trained participation practitioner (International Association for Public Participation).

One of the most exciting projects I'm currently involved in is So Say Scotland -a hub for participatory politics and a catalyst for  democratic innovation.

Teaching

I have given lectures and workshops on dialogue, citizen participation, political communication, policy analysis, political theory, qualitative research, science public engagement, facilitation skills, and social poetry. I am currently involved in designing and teaching two modules (on knowledge brokering & policy practice, and on science dialogue and deliberation) for the new MSc. in Science Communication and Public Engagement at the University of Edinburgh.

Research interests

    Policy as practice
    Participation and deliberation in policy making
    Community/Public engagement practice and practitioners
    Knowledge brokering
    Science and society
    Emotions in politics and policy (the affective turn)
    Communication; dialogue and deliberation


Publications

Escobar, O. (2011) Public Dialogue and Deliberation. A communication perspective for public engagement practitioners, Edinburgh: Edinburgh Beltane -UK Beacons for Public Engagement. (REPRINTED IN APRIL 2012)

Escobar, O. (2011) 'Science, deliberation and policy making: The Brain Imaging Dialogue as upstream public engagement', 6th General Conference of the European Consortium for Political Research,  August 2011, Reykjavik.

Wardlaw et al. (2011) “Can It read my mind?" - What do the public and experts think of the current (mis)uses of Neuroimaging? Public Library of Science One, 6(10): e25829.

Escobar, O. (2011) ‘Suspending disbelief: Obama and the role of emotions in political communication’. In Engelken-Jorge, M.; Ibarra Gell, P.; Moreno del Río, C. (Eds.) Politics and Emotions: The Obama Phenomenon, pp. 109-128, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.

Escobar, O. (2011) 'The work of participation: local deliberative policy making as mediated by public engagement practitioners, 61st Conference of the Political Studies Association, April 2011, London.

Escobar, O. (2010) ‘Public engagement in global context. Understanding the UK shift towards dialogue and deliberation’, Centre for Dialogue Working Paper 1, Edinburgh: Queen Margaret University.

Escobar, O. (2010) ‘Dialogue in Scotland? A forum with communication practitioners’, Centre for Dialogue Working Paper 2, Edinburgh: Queen Margaret University.

Pieczka, M. and Escobar, O. (2010) 'The Engagers: The professionalisation of science public engagement in Scotland', Science and The Public Conference, Imperial College and Science Museum, July 2010, London.

Piezcka, M. and Escobar, O. (2010) 'Dialogue: Innovation in policy making and the discourse of engagement', Proceedings of the 60th Conference of the Political Studies Association, Edinburgh.

Pieczka, M. and Escobar, O. (2010) ‘The dialogic turn and management fashions’, Proceedings of the International Communication Association Conference, Singapore.

Escobar, O. (2009) ‘The dialogic turn: dialogue for deliberation’, In-spire Journal of Law, Politics and Societies, 4(2), pp.42-70.

Escobar, O. (2009) ‘El giro dialógico: diálogo y deliberación’, IX Congreso de la Asociación Española de Ciencia Política, Málaga.

Escobar, O. (2004) Do substantivo ao simbólico: Unha análise da elaboración política da Renda de Integración Social Galega (RISGA), DEA Minor Thesis , Universidade de Santiago de Compostela [unpublished].

Escobar, O. (2004) ‘As falacias da política social en Galicia’, Novas da Galiza, 24, pp. 1-11.

Escobar, O.; Paleo, N; and Sánchez, L. (2001) ‘A construccion social do poder nos filmes: As uvas da ira, Sendeiros de gloria, Dr. Strangelove, e Gandhi’, Grupo Compostela de Estudio sobre Imaginarios Sociales, Papeles de Trabajo, 2, pp.1-22.

Book Reviews

Escobar, O. (2012), Rethinking the Public: Innovations in Research, Theory and Politics – Edited by Nick Mahony, Janet Newman and Clive Barnett. Political Studies Review, 10(2), p. 279.

Escobar, O. (2012), Challenges of Ordinary Democracy: A Case Study in Deliberation and Dissent – By Karen Tracey. Political Studies Review, 10(2), pp. 282–283.

Reports and commentary:

Escobar, O. (2010) ‘Notes on public engagement and policy making’, in Brain Imaging and its Impact on Society, pp. 16-17, Glasgow: Scottish Universities Insight Institute.

Escobar, O. (2010) ‘At the crossroads: The Science and the Public Conference 2010’, Short report for Edinburgh Beltane (UK Beacons for Public Engagement).

Escobar, O. (2009) A consultation in Brussels- EU Research & Development: Share today to win tomorrow. 3 December 2009, Scotland House, Brussels: Interim report for Edinburgh Beltane (BFPE).

Escobar, O. (2009) ‘Evaluation of communication dynamics in the policy making process of the MHPSN Stewarding Group in Johannesburg’, Interim report for the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Network.

Escobar, O. (2009) ‘A journey into Public Dialogue: Sciencewise Research Workshops’, Short report for Edinburgh Beltane (UK Beacons for Public Engagement).

Selection of poetry books:

Escobar, O. (2009) Galician rhapsody, blues escocés, Cangas: University of Stirling and Morgante.

Escobar, O. (2006) Apostasía , Santiago de Compostela: Edicions Positivas.

Escobar, O. (2004) A última bengala, Ferrol: Colección Esquío.

Short-film scripts:  'Hard of hearing' (2009), 'The road ahead' (2010), and 'A bagpipe in the sea' (2011).

Contact Information