- On this page
The Department of Sociology has an international reputation for the high quality of its research. We place particular emphasis on analysing the relationships between culture and the social, across a wide range of theoretical and empirical contexts.
The department plays host to the ESRC Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (CRESC), a joint partnership with the University of Manchester and the first major research centre in Britain to develop a broad, empirically focused account of cultural change and its economic, social and political implications. Sociology staff also contribute to the Centre for Citizenship, Identities and Governance (CCIG), a University designated Centre of Research Excellence. Vibrant and innovative work is done by staff through their work in these centres.
Key facts
- Recognised by the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise as a locus of world-class research
- A thriving interdisciplinary and supportive research environment
- A strong record of securing research funds from major UK research councils and the European Research Council
Further information
If you have an enquiry specific to this research area please contact:
- Name:
- Ms Kerry Lawrence
- Email:
- sociology-PhD@open.ac.uk
- Phone:
- +44 (0)1908 654558
For general enquiries please contact the Research Degrees Team via the link under ‘Your questions’ on the right of the page.
Publications
Research publications by Open University staff are available through Open Research Online (ORO), the university's repository of research publications and other research outputs. ORO can be searched or browsed by staff name or subject.
The following list, generated from ORO, provides a flavour of the most recently published work in Sociology:
- Doffman, Mark; Tackley, Catherine and Toynbee, Jason eds. (2014). Black British Jazz: Routes, Ownership and Performance. Ashgate (Pending review).
- Webb, Alban (2013). London Calling: Britain, the BBC World Service and the Cold War. London: Bloomsbury Academic (forthcoming).
- Ware, Vron (2013). ‘A thinning of skin’: writing on and against whiteness. Life Writing (In Press).
- McFall, Liz (2013). Devising Consumption: Cultural Economies of Insurance, Credit and Spending. CRESC. Abingdon: Routledge.
- Gillespie, Marie (2013). BBC Arabic, social media and citizen production: an experiment in digital democracy before the Arab Spring. Theory, Culture and Society, 30(4) (In press).
- More publications relating to Sociology
Research degrees
Your questions
For advice about applying for a research degree, or sponsoring a research student, send us an email or call +44 (0)1908 654882.