About
Vanessa May is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester and currently Head of the Department of Sociology. She holds a PhD from Abo Akademi University (2001) and has held roles including Co-Director of the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives (2018–2022). A Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, she serves as Publications Director on the British Sociological Association’s Board of Trustees. Her research focuses on self, belonging, migration, family life, temporality, and qualitative methods. Recent projects include studies on ageing in migration contexts, ageing in place, and the Claremont Court housing scheme. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to social inclusion and sustainable cities.
Key research interests include the interplay between temporality and the built environment, qualitative longitudinal analysis, and the sociological study of public spaces. She has led interdisciplinary projects funded by ESRC and AHRC, exploring themes like socio-emotional wellbeing in families and the impact of non-standard work hours on parenting. Her methodologies span mixed methods, narrative analysis, and biographical approaches.
- Education: PhD, Abo Akademi University (2001)
- Awards: Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences
- Key Projects:
- ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health (Co-lead for Innovative Methods)
- Ageing in Place longitudinal study (ESRC-funded)
- Claremont Court interdisciplinary project (AHRC-funded)
Her recent publications address pandemic masking practices, urban family dynamics, and temporal belonging. She actively engages in public sociology through talks and editorial roles, emphasizing the societal relevance of sociological research.
