Chris Holden

Research Database

Chris Holden is Professor of International Social Policy in the School for Business and Society, University of York. His research interests focus on the relationships between the global economy, transnational corporations (TNCs) and health and social policy. His research is concerned particularly with the impacts of corporate behaviour upon health and social outcomes and corporate influence on public policy, including the use of trade and investment agreements by TNCs to constrain governments' making of health policy. Funded projects have included a large, multi-country study of the influence of transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) on public policy and global health governance: as part of a collaborative project funded by the US National Institutes of Health, his research focused upon issues concerning TTCs' use of trade and investment law and the implications of this for health. 

Chris is co-editor with Nicola Yeates of Understanding Global Social Policy (3rd Edition, Policy Press, 2022) and The Global Social Policy Reader (Policy Press, 2009). He is also co-author with Nicola Yeates and others of an International Labour Organization (ILO) working paper investigating governance issues in global funds for health, agriculture and climate and their lessons for a Global Fund for Social Protection, potentially to be set up by the ILO. He is Chair of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Social Policy and is a member of the International Advisory Board of the journal Global Social Policy. He is a former co-editor of Social Policy Review (2009-2011) and a former member of the Executive Committee of the UK Social Policy Association (2004-2011). 

Departmental website: 

https://www.york.ac.uk/business-society/people/chris-holden/#tab-1