Research Associate, GRACE — University of Lancashire

Jonathon
Prasad

I research how inequality is lived, felt, and written onto the body in post-industrial Britain. My work explores poverty, race, and oral health as interconnected forms of structural injustice. The mouth is a biography of inequality, its condition a testament to the lives of communities too often excluded from the narratives that shape their world.

Qualitative Researcher

Poverty · Race · Health Inequalities
Post-Industrial Northern England

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Capabilities Approach Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Poverty Research Oral Health Inequalities Decolonised Methodologies Participatory Research Post-Industrial Communities Race Equity Capabilities Approach Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Poverty Research Oral Health Inequalities Decolonised Methodologies Participatory Research Post-Industrial Communities Race Equity
About

Rooted in
community,
driven by justice.

Jonathon Prasad
Jonathon Prasad
"Research must not only understand the world — it must transform it, by working alongside communities to produce knowledge that is accountable, critical, and liberatory."

I'm a qualitative researcher, writer, and community activist dedicated to tackling structural inequalities through research, action, and collaborative change. My work is grounded in lived experience and a strong commitment to racial and social justice.

My research explores how poverty, racialisation, and marginalisation shape everyday life, with a particular focus on minoritised ethnic communities in northern England; children's oral health inequalities; the ways minoritised communities' experience and use public space; and post-colonial politics in the South Pacific, especially Fiji.

I am a Research Associate at the Global Race Centre for Equality (GRACE) at the University of Lancashire, where I focus on co-producing research with communities using decolonised and participatory methodologies.

Beyond academia, I spent several years working in international development. I also served as Operations Manager for a regional infrastructure organisation, where I established a free bilingual counselling service and co-founded a race equity body that worked with public sector organisations. In additon I have acted as a race equality advisor to several national bodies, and served as a trustee for a number of organisations. Between 2020 and 2025, I secured over £2.6 million in funding for grassroots and regional projects across Lancashire.

Poverty Research Qualitative Methods Race Equity IPA Capabilities Approach Community Activism South Pacific Politics Health Inequalities Participatory Research
Impact
£0m Funding secured for grassroots projects
0+ Years of sustained community impact
0 Primary research areas
0 International research locations
Research Areas

Three pillars of inquiry and action.

My research is grounded in a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on the Capabilities Approach and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to foreground the lived realities of communities in post-industrial northern England and beyond.

01

Poverty & the Capabilities Approach

Exploring the everyday experience of poverty in post-industrial settings through the lens of Amartya Sen's Capabilities Approach.

  • Lived experience of poverty in northern towns
  • Social structures that limit individual capabilities
  • Minoritised communities in Lancashire
  • Community-led participatory inquiry
02

Health Inequalities & Oral Health

Examining the intersection of poverty and oral health outcomes, and the systemic barriers that entrench health inequality across generations.

  • Children's oral health in deprived communities
  • Poverty as a structural determinant of health
  • Barriers to healthcare access and equity
  • Policy implications for public health
03

Cultural Visibility & Space-Making

Investigating how minoritised ethnic communities assert presence and identity in UK settings and post-colonial Pacific contexts.

  • Minoritised communities in UK public space
  • Inclusion, representation, and belonging
  • Post-colonial politics in Fiji and the Pacific
  • Identity formation in diaspora communities
Methodology

Research grounded in lived realities.

My methodological approach is rooted in a belief that communities are experts in their own lives. I employ decolonised and participatory frameworks that centre community knowledge, challenging extractive research traditions that take from communities without returning meaningful benefit.

I draw on phenomenological, ethnographic, and capabilities-based traditions, combining rigorous academic inquiry with activism and community accountability, producing research that is both intellectually credible and practically transformative.

01
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
In-depth exploration of how individuals make meaning of their lived experience of poverty and marginalisation.
02
Ethnographic Research
Sustained engagement with communities to understand culture, practice, and social dynamics from the inside.
03
Capabilities Approach
Evaluating poverty not just by income, but by what people are able to do and be — their real freedoms.
04
Participatory Action Research
Co-producing knowledge with communities so they lead their own inquiries and drive their own change.
05
Decolonised Methodologies
Centring indigenous and community epistemologies, challenging Eurocentric research traditions.

"At the core of my work is a commitment to bridging the gap between academic research, public policy, and everyday community life — ensuring that insights lead to meaningful, practical change."

— Jonathon Prasad

Work & Portfolio

Research in action.

From community-led fieldwork to conference presentations and policy advocacy, this work spans UK post-industrial towns to the South Pacific, always oriented toward justice and transformation.

Current
Active Research — 2024–Present

The Impact of Poverty on Minoritised Ethnic Communities in Post-Industrial Northern England

This primary research project explores the everyday lived experience of poverty amongst minoritised ethnic communities in a post-industrial town in Lancashire. Grounded in the Capabilities Approach and using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study foregrounds the voices of individuals navigating structural disadvantage, examining how poverty intersects with race, identity, and place to shape life outcomes across generations.

The research adopts a participatory framework, ensuring community members are not simply research subjects but active co-investigators in identifying questions and producing knowledge.

Institution
GRACE, ULan
Location
North West England
Methods
IPA · Participatory · Ethnographic
Focus
Poverty, Race, Identity
Health Inequalities

Children's Oral Health & Structural Poverty in Lancashire

Examining how poverty shapes oral health outcomes in children from minoritised communities, with implications for NHS public health strategy

Ongoing Funded Research
Race & Space

Space-Making and Visibility in Post-Industrial UK Towns

Studying how minoritised ethnic communities create space and assert cultural visibility in urban and rural settings across northern England

Ongoing Funded Research
Post-Colonial Studies

Post-Colonial Politics and Identity in Fiji and the South Pacific

Field research examining the legacies of colonialism, ethnic identity, and political power in Fijian society and wider Pacific communities

Ongoing Research
Contact

Let's work together.

I welcome enquiries from researchers, journalists, community organisations, funders, and public sector bodies. Whether you're interested in collaboration, speaking engagements, or media comment, I'd be glad to hear from you.

Affiliation
Global Race Centre for Equality (GRACE)
University of Lancashire
Research Interests
Poverty · Race · Health Inequalities · Space-Making · Pacific Politics
Response Time
I typically respond within 1-2 working days.
Open to
Research Collaboration · Media Enquiries · Speaking · Community Projects · Bid Writing