Work – Sociology at Work

Sociological Record

Painting of a self-portrait of Zofia Rydet. She is a young white woman with short light curly hair, wearing a white top and a long necklace, as she looks into a camera. A man is hazy in the background

Zofia Rydet is a Polish photographer who spent 20 years documenting the ‘Sociological Record.’ We review her work, and then take a look at visual sociology as an applied practice.

Sociology Ethics in an Applied Workplace

Aerial view of three white women working on laptops in a small meeting room

Reflections on managing research ethics in careers outside academia.

Classic Quote of the Week: Ann Oakley on the Sociology of Women’s Unpaid Work

Ann Oakley is a white woman with greying blonde hair below her chin and a fringe. She wears silver stud earrings and she is smiling

“Clearly, society has a tremendous stake in insisting on a woman’s natural fitness for the career of mother: the alternatives are all too expensive.” – Ann Oakley

Social Acts

Close up of an elderly man's ear. He has grey hair and we see the side of his glasses. He points to his hearing aid, which is a thin cord that wraps from the inside of his ear around his ear

Anthony Hogan looks back over his career across academia and applied research roles in social policy.

Youth Unemployment in the Illawarra: An Investigation into the Problems facing Young Job Seekers in our Region

Aerial view of two young people sitting on a bench outdoors. Both wear caps and they have a backpack beside them

Scott Burrows discusses his social policy work on youth unemployment. He explores how sociology can be used as a framework to understand citizenship. He ends by reflecting on his transition from university to a private organisation.

Breastfeeding Policies atWork

A brown woman smiles as she holds a yawning baby

A new study outlines the lack of support and resources that women academics face when they return to work and need to breastfeed their babies.

Work-Life-Balance Optional

A white woman sits crossed leg on a park bench smiling, working on her laptop

Large infographic showing icons of a plate with forks, a palm tree, hearts, clock, house and chats. It says 98% of people send work-related emails nights and weekends, 44$ of people feel well-prepared at work, and 77% of people say personal values influence their decisions

Gender Equality Around the World: Advances and Gaps

Black and white photo of an Indian girl with her long black hair in braids smiles

A new global report finds that, while there are more girls enrolled in education, and more women in paid employment, gender inequality persists.

Addressing Disadvantage: Applying Theory to Practice. Melbourne, Australia

A white woman sits in front of a laptop, with her hands over her eyes

Dina Bowman talks about her work with a not-for-profit organisation in Melbourne, Australia, which addresses social disadvantage through services, advocacy and research. Dina’s current research focus is on understanding inequality in the ‘working years’. She outlines how it is possible to use social theory in an applied context in order to address inequality and toContinueContinue reading “Addressing Disadvantage: Applying Theory to Practice. Melbourne, Australia”

Advice for Students Who Want to Work as Social Activists: A View From a Trade Union, UK

A man in a high-visibility vest is atop a roof, with his fist raised against the sky. He wears a face covering and a hat

Gary Pattison provides advice for students interested in becoming trade union officials, including how he moved into his profession and how sociology helps him achieve better conditions for workers. Gary Pattison G.Pattison@dorsetcc.gov.uk I work as a trade union official with GMB, supporting members in their workplace / collective organisation. GMB is an amalgamation of manyContinueContinue reading “Advice for Students Who Want to Work as Social Activists: A View From a Trade Union, UK”