We study impact. Here's ours.

We research the role social movements play in social change. We try to apply the same rigorous standards to understanding our own impact.

Our Theory of Change

From evidence to impact

1
Research
We conduct rigorous research on social movements to understand what drives impact — and what doesn't.
2
Communicate & Collaborate
We share findings openly with activists, NGOs, funders, and journalists — meeting them where they are.
3
Shaping Understanding & Practice
Our evidence helps the public, researchers, and funders better understand what works and the wider role movements play in social change.
4
Monitor & Adapt
We track the impact of our own work — learning what's working and feeding that back into future research.
Direct Outputs

What we've produced

Since 2021, we've built a body of work spanning peer-reviewed papers, polling, campaign evaluations, and public-facing analysis — all open access.

35+
Research outputs

Across climate, animal rights, AI safety, and movement strategy since 2021.

100+
Media features

Quoted as expert sources by the BBC, New York Times, The Guardian, PBS, and others worldwide.

12+
Polling reports & evaluations

Nationally representative polls and rapid-response studies of specific campaigns.

10+
Public webinars & talks

Sharing findings live with activists, funders, researchers, and journalists.

Reach

Where our research lands

Our work is published in top-tier scientific journals where it builds the evidence base, and major media outlets where it shapes public understanding.

In high-quality journals and edited volumes

Nature Sustainability

Radical climate protests linked to increases in public support for moderate organizations

Rigorous analysis demonstrating the radical flank effect — how disruptive climate protests increase public support for more moderate environmental organisations.

Oct 2024 >5000 accesses >50 citations
Humanities & SSC

Short and long-term effects of disruptive animal rights protest

Longitudinal analysis showing initial negative reactions to disruptive animal rights protests dissipate while awareness gains persist.

2025
Routledge (Edited Volume)

The role of disruptive protests in the animal advocacy movement

Chapter in Animal and Vegan Advocacy, examining how disruptive tactics shape the trajectory and effectiveness of the animal advocacy movement.

2026

In the media

View all coverage
The Guardian
What next for climate activism now Just Stop Oil is 'hanging up the hi-vis'?
Read article
BBC — Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Our work cited by Chris Packham on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Watch segment
The New York Times
These Groups Want Disruptive Climate Protests. Oil Heirs Are Funding Them.
Read article
BBC News
Just Stop Oil sentences condemned by celebrities
Read article
Al Jazeera
Do sports protests help or harm activism?
Read article
Nature
The science of protests: how to shape public opinion and swing votes
Read feature
Stanford Social Innovation Review
Protest Movements Could Be More Effective Than the Best Charities
Read op-ed
Washington Post
Climate activists disrupted Wimbledon, exposed split in movement
Read article
Waging Nonviolence
Where is the AI safety movement?
Read op-ed
Big Issue
Just Stop Oil may be reviled – but their tactics reshaped the climate movement
Read op-ed
Also featured in

Associated Press, RTÉ, New York Magazine, New Statesman, France 24, Vox, Deutsche Welle, The Conversation, CBC News, Daily Mirror, plus 17 Swedish outlets covering our Restore Wetlands evaluation. Our commentary on the global Gen Z protest wave was picked up by over 30 news outlets worldwide.

Influence

How our work shapes the practice of movements and funders

Reach is a means, not the end. Our aim is for rigorous, independent research on social movements to be widely available and well understood, so that practitioners, funders, and the public can all draw on a shared evidence base.

How our research is used

Movements, researchers, and others have drawn on our published research in their own work.

Green New Deal Rising

Provided evaluation support for their four-year climate justice organising effort, helping them write up which strategies were working and how to communicate this in a series of articles.

AI safety campaigns

PauseAI UK used our research on public response to different AI risks to inform their comms strategy. Pull the Plug built their campaign based on insights from our AI mapping report.

Greenpeace International & Climate Majority Project

We co-authored discussion papers with Greenpeace and Climate Majority Project on future directions for the climate movement, synthesising evidence on what tactics and framings are most likely to grow coalition size and sustain long-term momentum.

Animal rights charity — “Forced us to interrogate our theory of change”

Before-and-after polling of a national protest gave an animal charity rigorous evidence on how the action was received — and prompted a strategic re-evaluation.

Informing funder decisions

Foundations and movement funders have drawn on our research when considering their own giving. Our funder surveys and analyses give philanthropy an independent evidence base to inform those decisions.

Climate Emergency Fund

An individual funder provided a ~$700,000 per year grant to Climate Emergency Fund after reading our research.

Youth charity

Developed a £180K annual youth climate activism fund informed by our research.

Anonymous foundation

Created a $405,000 programme supporting social movements based on our advice.

Social justice foundation

Leadership found our funder guidance closely aligned with their trustee strategy.

“
Social Change Lab has been a valued partner across research, network building, and events — their insight at the intersection of movement building and philanthropy makes complex systemic change accessible and actionable.
Sarah Greenfield Clark, The Movements Trust
57%
of Social Change Lab stakeholders surveyed reported our research had changed their beliefs about which movement tactics work.

Help keep rigorous research free

Our work is free to access.That's only possible with the support of people who think rigorous research should be a public good.

Donate now