Department of Sociology

In our rapidly changing global environment, there has never been a more important time to look at the world through a social lens and engage in theoretically driven research and teaching that makes a difference.

Welcome to the Department of Sociology at Durham

Our Department members, postgraduate researchers, and students collectively develop ‘sociological imagination’ and apply it to contemporary processes and issues. These include social inequality and its implications for social mobility, education and health; violence, abuse, and the role of help-seeking and state responses.

Find out more about us

1st for Criminology Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

20th in the UK QS World University Subject Rankings 2024

4th in the UK for research impact in REF 2021

Athena Swan Silver Award in Gender Equality

Study with us

Undergraduate study

Find out more about our undergraduate degrees in Sociology, Criminology and Joint Honours in Sociology and Anthropology.
Postgraduate study

Explore our postgraduate study options in Sociology, Criminology, Social Research Methods and Social Work.

Undergraduate study

Find out more about our undergraduate degrees in Sociology, Criminology and Joint Honours in Sociology and Anthropology.

Students reading and discussing a book with their tutor

Postgraduate study

Explore our postgraduate study options in Sociology, Criminology, Social Research Methods and Social Work.

Our research

We work in collaborative and participative ways with communities, both within and external to the university, locally, nationally and internationally to effect social justice and social change.

Underpinning our work is a concern to understand the similarities and differences arising from people’s intersecting identities, especially of gender, sexuality, ‘race’, social class, faith and age.

Research areas

Two students in conversation during a seminar

Find out more about our Department

Our staff

TDepartment staff sitting and standing around a table for a group photo

Facilities

Students working around tables as a lecturer looks on

Alumni

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Postgraduate funding

Students sat round a table laughing with their tutor

What's new?

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Spotlight on: Professor Carlene Firmin MBE – pioneering a new approach to protecting children and young people

Our Spotlight On series celebrates our world-leading academics. Applied social researcher Professor Carlene Firmin MBE has pioneered a radical shift in how we protect young people from harm.

Research news
Overseas-qualified workers could address England’s social worker shortage, research suggests

The severe shortage of social workers in England could be addressed by employing overseas-qualified social workers living in the UK, according to new research.

Global research
Collaborating with Action for ME to improve understanding of ME

Dr Katharine Cheston, from our Institute for Medical Humanities and Department of Sociology, is working with the charity Action for ME to better understand what it is like to live with ME and long Covid.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Funding success for weight inclusivity training tool

We’re celebrating a successful funding application which will enable our experts to establish a new training tool to help tackle weight discrimination in healthcare.

Research news
Twenty Durham researchers appointed to REF 2029 sub-panels

Twenty of our researchers will take important roles in assessing UK universities’ research quality.

Research news
Report tackles modern air pollution

Professor Brian Castellani, from our Department of Sociology, has made significant contributions to a new report identifying air pollution as a public health crisis.

Global research
Summit explores regional inequalities facing women

Researchers, policy makers and politicians from across the North of England have gathered at Durham University to discuss worsening health and work inequalities for women in the region.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Spotlight on: Professor Carlene Firmin MBE – pioneering a new approach to protecting children and young people

Our Spotlight On series celebrates our world-leading academics. Applied social researcher Professor Carlene Firmin MBE has pioneered a radical shift in how we protect young people from harm.

Research news

Overseas-qualified workers could address England’s social worker shortage, research suggests

The severe shortage of social workers in England could be addressed by employing overseas-qualified social workers living in the UK, according to new research.

Global research

An paper cut out of an intergeneration family holding hands, sitting in the palms of a person's hands.

Collaborating with Action for ME to improve understanding of ME

Dr Katharine Cheston, from our Institute for Medical Humanities and Department of Sociology, is working with the charity Action for ME to better understand what it is like to live with ME and long Covid.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Woman facing camera, smiling. Head and shoulders visible

Funding success for weight inclusivity training tool

We’re celebrating a successful funding application which will enable our experts to establish a new training tool to help tackle weight discrimination in healthcare.

Research news

Patient sat in medical consultation with healthcare practitioner to their left listening with a stethoscope

Twenty Durham researchers appointed to REF 2029 sub-panels

Twenty of our researchers will take important roles in assessing UK universities’ research quality.

Research news

Woman in lab coat holding microscope-like device

Report tackles modern air pollution

Professor Brian Castellani, from our Department of Sociology, has made significant contributions to a new report identifying air pollution as a public health crisis.

Global research

Summit explores regional inequalities facing women

Researchers, policy makers and politicians from across the North of England have gathered at Durham University to discuss worsening health and work inequalities for women in the region.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Five women standing behind a table. Two are leaning over the table, holding pens over a document

More news

New book launch by Dr Briony Anderson - How does the abuse of personal information harm?

Dr Briony Anderson's new book 'Doxxed: How Privacy Abuse Harms' explores how the non-consensual disclosure of personal information can lead to gendered, relational and sensorial harms online.

Research news
Spotlight on: Professor Carlene Firmin MBE – pioneering a new approach to protecting children and young people

Our Spotlight On series celebrates our world-leading academics. Applied social researcher Professor Carlene Firmin MBE has pioneered a radical shift in how we protect young people from harm.

Research news
Funding success for weight inclusivity training tool

We’re celebrating a successful funding application which will enable our experts to establish a new training tool to help tackle weight discrimination in healthcare.

Research news

New book launch by Dr Briony Anderson - How does the abuse of personal information harm?

Dr Briony Anderson's new book 'Doxxed: How Privacy Abuse Harms' explores how the non-consensual disclosure of personal information can lead to gendered, relational and sensorial harms online.

Spotlight on: Professor Carlene Firmin MBE – pioneering a new approach to protecting children and young people

Our Spotlight On series celebrates our world-leading academics. Applied social researcher Professor Carlene Firmin MBE has pioneered a radical shift in how we protect young people from harm.

Funding success for weight inclusivity training tool

We’re celebrating a successful funding application which will enable our experts to establish a new training tool to help tackle weight discrimination in healthcare.

Student updates

Find out what our students get up to at Durham University.

Highlights

Studying for an MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Jagraj Singh gives us an insight into studying for an MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice in the Department of Sociology
A day in the life of a criminology student

Olivia Gough gives us an insight into a day in the life as a Criminology student