Dr Angharad Beckett

Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy

Photo of Dr Angharad Beckett

I have a degree in Sociology and Social Policy from Durham University and PhD from the University of Sheffield. I lectured previously at Nottingham and Durham University.

Funded research includes the ESRC grant (as PI): 'Disability Equality in English Primary Schools' (completed 2009) and the Leverhulme Grant (as Co-I) 'Designing for Inclusive Play: facilitating meaningful play between disabled and non-disabled children'. I convene the BSA/SPA Study Group for the Sociology of Social and Public Policy.

Research Interests

My core research interests focus upon citizenship and the nature of social and political engagement. I am also interested in theorising social exclusion.

My other key research interests are disability politics, education policy with a focus upon teaching about disability equality and citizenship education, and social research methods, in particular, new qualitative tools and techniques.

Teaching

My teaching focuses upon citizenship theory, social exclusion, research methods (particularly research ethics and qualitative methods), and social theory (in particular, the work of Goffman and Giddens). I currently teach the level 3 UG module 'Citizenship, Identity & Social Change' and contribute to other UG and PG courses, including the MA module 'Qualitative Research Methods'.

PhD Supervision

I am interested in supervising promising PhD students in the following areas.

Citizenship - theoretical or empirical investigations and explorations.
Social movements - again, theoretical or empirical studies.
Qualitative examinations of social exclusion in the UK.
Disability politics, culture and identity.

Key Publications

Books

Beckett, A. (2006) Citizenship and Vulnerability: disability and issues of social and political engagement, Palgrave Macmillan.

Journal Articles

Beckett, A., Ellison, N., Barrett, S. and Shah, S. (2010) 'Away with the Fairies? Disability within primary-age children's literature', Disability and Society, 25 (3), pp. 373-386.

Beckett, A.E. (2009) 'Challenging disabling attitudes, building an inclusive society: considering the role of education in encouraging non-disabled children to develop positive attitudes towards disabled people', British Journal of Sociology of Education, 30(3).

Beckett, A. (2006) Understanding Social Movements: theorising the disability movement in conditions of late modernity. The Sociological Review, 54(4), pp.734-752.

Beckett, A. (2005) Reconsidering citizenship in the light of the concerns of the UK disability movement. Citizenship Studies, 9(4), pp.405-421.

Conference Papers

Beckett, A. (2001) Reconsidering Citizenship in the light of the Disability Movement. In: Barker, C. and Tyldesley, M. (eds.) Seventh International Conference on Alternative Futures and Popular Protest - Selected Papers, 1 , Manchester Metropolitan University.

Research Reports

Beckett, Angharad et al (2009). Disability Equality in English Primary Schools: exploring teaching about disability equality and non-disabled children's perceptions of disability: Full Research Report ESRC End of Award Report, RES-062-23-0461. Swindon: ESRC.