School of Sociology and Social Policy

The School of Sociology and Social Policy is a major contributor to research on family, the life course, childhood and education, and inter-personal and generational relationships. This research cluster is an important contributor to the interdisciplinary Centre for Research on Families, Life Course and Generations (FLaG), which is directed by Dr. Sarah Irwin and co-directed by Professor Bren Neale and Dr. Kahryn Hughes.

Wthin SSP, FLaG members have been centrally involved in some large ESRC projects, including ‘Real Life Methods’ (a node of the National Centre for Research methods, co-hosted with the University of Manchester, 2005-2008) and, currently (2008-12) ESRC Timescapes: Changing Relationships and Identities through the Life Course, involving colleagues at Leeds and other UK universities. Timescapes is part of the ESRC's Qualitative Longitudinal Initiative, and uses qualitative methods to explore how people’s identities and relationships with significant others unfold over biographical, generational and historical time. Together, FlaG and Timescapes provide an extensive range of events including a  programme of methods training to social scientists, practitioners and policy makers across the UK. We also have an active postgraduate membership. Postgraduates are an integral part of FlaG although we also run dedicated postgraduate events.

We are running projects and publishing in a range of areas including, for example:

• The evolving lives of children and young adults in qualitative longitudinal perspective (Bren Neale, David Mellor)
• Gender, class and young people’s expectations for the future (Sarah Irwin)
• Sexuality, class and sex and relationship education (Sharon Elley)
• Parenting, education and social inequalities (Sarah Irwin)
• Grandparenting and intergenerational exchange in a low income neighbourhood (Kahryn Hughes)
• Widening participation and inequalities in higher education (Mandy Winterton; Sharon Elley)
• Research methods: many of us are engaging with the development of qualitative methods in various ways (centrally, but not exclusively, through the Timescapes qualitative longitudinal programme of research). These include qualitative longitudinal methods and ethics; secondary analysis; working across qualitative and quantitative data; and accessing (and maintaining contact with) hard to reach groups. We also have a common interest in enhancing links between academic research and diverse ‘user’ groups of practitioners and policy makers.