LSE academics elected as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences

Professor Tania Burchardt, Professor Coretta Phillips and Professor Wendy Sigle are among 74 newly elected Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences.

The Academy of Social Sciences Fellows are elected for their significant contributions to social science. Their work highlights the vital role of the discipline in understanding and helping to address some of the complex societal challenges facing the UK and the world today.

Tania Burchardt, Professor in the Department of Social Policy and Associate Director of the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE), was elected to the Academy for her work on inequalities and the welfare state.

Commenting on her nomination, Professor Burchardt said: "I am humbled to have been selected by my peers to become a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. The Academy plays a crucial role in providing a voice for the social sciences which are otherwise all too often sidelined in policy and public discourse. I hope to contribute to that mission in the years to come.

My own research uses conceptual, quantitative and qualitative approaches to tackle problems of inequality and social injustice. After several decades working on poverty, I have turned my attention to the opposite end of the distribution and am collaborating with other academics, think tanks and NGOs to develop a social indicator of extreme wealth, highlighting the democratic, environmental, economic and social harms it creates."

Coretta Phillips, Professor of Criminology and Social Policy in the Department of Social Policy, was elected to the Academy for her work in the field of race, ethnicity, crime, criminal justice and social policy.

Commenting on her nomination, Professor Phillips said: "I am delighted to have been nominated and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. My research examines patterns of racialised inequality, primarily in the criminal justice system, drawing inspiration from both criminology and social policy.

I study the interactions of socio-economic disadvantage and racism in producing and reinforcing adverse outcomes across policy domains, with a view to promoting social justice. My work combines conceptual insights, particularly in understanding macro-meso-micro racialisation processes, with empirical contributions (ethnography, oral history, interviews - with victims, offenders, and institutional actors in the criminal justice and welfare systems), alongside epistemological reflections on the absence of race in mainstream disciplinary agendas. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the AcSS mission to promote the social sciences widely throughout society."

Wendy Sigle, Professor of Gender Studies in the Department of Gender Studies, was elected to the Academy for her work advancing the field of critical and feminist demography.

Commenting on her nomination, Professor Sigle said: "I am honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. My research explores how demographic change is connected to wider questions of gender equality and social justice. Working across demography, social policy and economics, my research demonstrates the limitations and implications of quantitative research approaches that are inattentive to feminist and intersectional perspectives. My recent work focuses on reproductive justice, asking how societies can support people to realise their reproductive aspirations while promoting gender equality and social justice.

I believe social science has an important role in helping societies respond to demographic change in ways that enhance wellbeing and expand opportunities rather than simply pursuing population targets. I am delighted to join a community committed to demonstrating the value of social science for public understanding and policy."

President of the Academy, Will Hutton FAcSS, said: “Our newest Fellows represent some of the most influential voices in social science today. Their work is expanding knowledge, challenging assumptions and generating insights that are informing and even redefining decision making across government, business, education and civil society. I am delighted to welcome them to the Academy and look forward to working with them to raise the profile and impact of the social sciences across the UK and beyond.”

Find out more about this year's Academy of Social Sciences Fellows.