CURRENT TEACHING
SOCL 200 Understanding Social Thought
SOCL 315 Sociology of the Future
SOCL 919 Research Projects in Practice: From Design to Dissemination
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My current research focusses on the potential contributions of theories of practice to futures thinking. In previous projects I have explored how working lives, daily lives and everyday mobility have changed since 1950, and the role of infrastructures, institututions and individual lives in such processes. At present I am interested in the insights that such analyses offer to futures thinking in domains of energy and travel demand, and the future university.
I have an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Masters & PhD in Sociology, and my research interests continue to span the social sciences. Much of my research is characterised by innovative methodology, combining historical and contemporary work to study change across temporal and spatial scales.
If you are interested in finding out more then visit http://www.nicolaspurling.com
Studies of working lives, daily lives, everyday mobility and how they change.
The role of infrastructures and materials in social change.
Theories of social practice, sociology of time, sociology of the future.
Histories of planning. Garden cities and new towns.
Everyday futures, energy and transport demand.
