Manchester experts conferred as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences

Two academics from The University of Manchester have been recognised as leading experts in their field, after they were conferred the award of Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.

New Fellows are named due to the excellence and impact of their work, which addresses matters of vital importance and contributes to the social sciences for the public good. Through leadership, scholarship, applied research, policymaking and practice, they have helped to deepen the understanding of some of the toughest challenges facing our society and the world.The Academy is made up of over 1400 Fellows, 46 societies and a number of affiliates. This extensive community of over 90,000 social scientists has helped establish the UK’s position as a global leader in the social sciences.

Joining them is Yoram Gorlizki, a Professor of Politics at Manchester whose path-breaking inter-disciplinary research spanning several areas – comparative politics, political and economic history and Slavic studies - places him at the cusp of the social sciences and the humanities. Starting from the Russian case, his work has helped shed light on the nature of trust, property rights and institutional change in dictatorship - most recently in his book Substate Dictatorship: Networks, Loyalty, and Institutional Change in the Soviet Union. He has been at The University of Manchester since 1994, and is the incoming Head of Politics. 

The second new Fellow from Manchester is Dr Vanessa May, a Professor of Sociology who has been recognised for her expertise in the areas of belonging, self, family and personal life. She has been at Manchester since 2005, and is Co-Director of the Morgan Centre for the Research into Everyday Lives. She is also Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal Sociology.

They are two of the 37 exceptionally talented social science practitioners and academics who have joined the Academy’s Fellowship this Spring. Collectively, their world-class thought-leadership, research and professional expertise demonstrate the importance of the social sciences to our political, social and economic lives.

“Having devoted my career to extending the reach of social science concepts and methodologies to new intellectual terrains and to helping build cross-national links and understanding within the international social science community, I am delighted to be joining the most prestigious and influential association of social scientists in the UK,” said Yoram.

“I am very honoured to be selected to join the Academy of Social Sciences, a body whose work is crucial - especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it has become more evident than ever how important it is that we understand how social factors and inequalities shape people’s lives,” said Vanessa. “I am looking forward to doing my bit to help advance social science research and its impact.”