ACEF funding has been crucial for the development of my doctoral project and for strengthening my international collaboration. Thanks to the support, I was able to extend my UK fieldwork beyond the wellstudied Page Hall to Eastwood and Darnall, which opened up a genuinely comparative research design and allowed me to analyse how different neighbourhood reputations shape families’ access to housing, schools, and employment. I also gained sustained access to Roma households outside visible enclaves—families whose trajectories reveal quieter, often overlooked forms of statusbuilding. My embedded volunteer roles in community organisations have deepened trust, generated ethically grounded observations, and provided unique insight into everyday encounters between families and institutions.
The funding also enabled closer collaboration with Professor Ryan Powell at the University of Sheffield, helping me refine my theoretical framework and datagovernance protocols. These advances directly feed into my planned journal articles, policy briefs, and dissertation chapters.
R.M.