The University of Newcastle, Australia

Research at the University of Newcastle will be enhanced with the appointment of two world-renowned professors of Sociology.

The appointment of Professor Lisa Adkins and Professor Mitchell Dean will help make the University of Newcastle one of the leading sites for sociological research in Australia, said Associate Professor John Germov, Dean of Arts and Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Education and Arts.

“Professor Adkins and Professor Dean are leaders in their fields of sociology and have written some of the seminal texts used by sociological researchers across the world,” Associate Professor John Germov said.

“The work of Professor Adkins and Professor Dean will further consolidate the University’s Research Institute for Social Inclusion and Wellbeing, and contribute towards making Newcastle one of the leading sites for research on contemporary social issues.”

Professor Adkins was Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, before joining the University of Newcastle last month. Her research interests include economic sociology, especially the study of post-industrial economies, social and cultural theory, and the sociology of gender.

“I am looking forward to engaging with my fellow scholars to develop research in economy and society at the University, with a focus on transformations in work and working lives, and the implications of these changes for understanding the economy.”

Professor Dean will join the University in December, after leaving his post at Macquarie University, where he is Professor of Sociology and a founding member of the Centre for Research on Social Inclusion. Governing in liberal democracies, public governance and social policy, and the structure of international systems of government and sovereignty and are his main research interests. 

“My aim is to expand my work on social inclusion and on the frameworks of power and public governance. I want to work with my new colleagues to ensure the University of Newcastle is at the forefront of sociological research in Australia.”

For further information: Associate Professor John Germov, Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Arts and Education, 02 4921 5175.