Research

The Sociology & Social Policy Division has always been committed to the development of close links between its core disciplines. Much of our sociological research is directly relevant to social-policy concerns, and our social-policy research is critically informed by insights gained from sociology and other disciplines. Although much of our work is organised around specific research groupings, we also encourage all staff to pursue their own individual interests. We also work closely with colleagues in other parts of the School, including the ESRC National Centre for Research Methods, ESRC Third Sector Research Centre, the Work Futures Research Centre, the Centre for Research on Ageing and the Division of Social Statistics. To find out more about the research interests of staff within Sociology and Social Policy, please see our annual research report.

We welcome enquiries from individuals who wish to carry out postgraduate research in any of our research areas. Research Grants

The Division has obtained research grants from a variety of funding agencies, including

  • UK Government
  • Leverhulme
  • Anglo-German Foundation
  • Norwegian Research Council
  • ESRC

These grants are associated with research on

  • informed consent and the research process
  • the structure and performance of non-profit organisations
  • the relationship between quality of life, place and social polarisation
  • the reconstruction of Anglo-German pension regimes
  • telemedicine
  • educational participation
  • the health and morbidity of friendly-society members

Other projects

Several other projects are also ongoing, including work on

  • fashion and identity
  • the relationship between community cohesion and counter-terrorist strategies
  • informed consent and the research process
  • the use of biographical methods in the investigation of social movements
  • the impact of the ‘new genetics’
  • the development of European Union employment strategies
  • the relationship between psychology and criminology