Jimmy Reid Foundation (SCIO)

Constitutional objectives

To advance education by raising the critical understanding and analytical and intellectual skills amongst the general public on key contemporary issues in Scottish society through conducting structured and well-balanced research and writing, based upon evidence, analysis and reasoning, and disseminated through online and in print publications and public events. The publications are primarily written by academics and for public consumption, being almost all freely available, written in an accessible style and on topical matters. Crucially, the publications concern not only diagnosis through critique (evaluation, assessment, scrutiny) but also prognosis, in terms of proffering an array of progressive options for ameliorating economic, environmental, human rights and social issues. These options themselves are evaluated and assessed and this includes critiques of those options proffered by other policy analysts and thinkers from across the political spectrum. The publications do not engage in outlining any political strategies for achieving the attainment of the options, and do not support any particular political party (or parties) or particular causes like independence for Scotland. In toto, publications are able to facilitate and enable readers to receive systematic intellectual instruction which is the key component of advancing education. This provides the basis for increased public engagement and enhanced quality of public debate, leading to better informed societal choices. The agenda of the structured work programme is determined by high-ranking academics, union officers, writers, and informed public commentators. They also act as the quality controllers by reviewing the publications prior to publication. As a result of these publications, we believe readers will, therefore, be in a strong position to independently and critically assess salient problematic contemporary issues and then generate rigorously and robustly informed perspectives on what the likely solutions are to them.