معرفی
Dr. George Karl Ackers is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Portsmouth, part of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences and the School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics and Literature. He is affiliated with the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures and the Centre for European & International Studies Research. He joined the university in 2013 and has since developed a strong research and teaching profile in sociology, particularly around work, class, gender, and deindustrialization.
His research focuses on the sociology of work, class, and gender, with an emphasis on how deindustrialization impacts identities, communities, and intergenerational dynamics. He explores themes such as craft as a form of work-life unity, the emotional tensions of upward social mobility, and familial cohabitation. His work often employs qualitative and oral history methods, drawing on intergenerational narratives from naval and industrial communities in southern England.
His recent publications span journals like Current Sociology, Gender, Work & Organization, and Family Relations, revealing consistent engagement with working-class male identities, social mobility, and family relationships. He has led a British Academy/Leverhulme-funded project on gender and deindustrialization and is contributing to an AHRC Curiosity Award proposal on apprenticeships and ethnic diversity in UK shipbuilding. His research informs both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, particularly in modules on work, employment, and family.
- First Supervisor for ESRC Funded PhD (2019)
George Ackers actively supervises PhD students, including Bill Cleary (completed) and Hannah Green (ongoing, ESRC-funded). He leads the Sociology and Social Theory Research Cluster Group, demonstrating active research citizenship. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to decent work, reduced inequalities, and gender equality.
He is also involved in public engagement, notably co-developing the 2024 SHE_SEES Rewriting Women into Maritime History exhibition at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, highlighting the often-overlooked role of women in maritime industrial communities.
