Professor Alan Warde

Biography

Dr. Alan Warde B.A. (Cambridge), M.A. (Durham), Ph.D. (Leeds)
Professor of Sociology, University of Manchester and Co-Director of the ESRC Centre for Research on Innovation and Competition (CRIC).

I joined the University of Manchester in September 1999, my previous position being Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University. In the past I have conducted research in the areas of politics, social movements, cities, domestic divisions of labour, economic restructuring and the social structure of Britain. My current research is wide ranging, and covers the sociology of consumption, with particular emphasis on food, social stratification and economic sociology.

Research Interests

Current substantive work is concerned with: the sociology of consumption, especially the changing patterns of cultural consumption in the UK and the emergence of consumer culture in Europe; cultural omnivorousness; the sociology of food, particularly change in habits in Britain, France and the USA, and consumer trust in food in Europe; consumer politics; social capital and political participation; social networks and their role in class formation and cultural consumption; sustainable consumption; cultural capital, distinction and cultural practice; social class analysis; professions; time-use; the market research industry; the analysis of social change; social and cultural elites in Europe. Current theoretical concerns include theories of consumption, the work of Pierre Bourdieu, the application of theories of practice, conventions theory, social network theory and field theory. Methodological approaches in use in current projects include case studies, documentary research, social network analysis and comparative analysis. Techniques include sample surveys, multiple correspondence analysis, observation, in-depth and key informant interviews, life histories and content analysis.

Research Projects

I have recently completed several empirical research projects. These include:

2002-4, Consumer Trust in Food: a European study of the social and institutional conditions for the production of trust, funded by EC Framework V, with Mark Harvey.

2003-6 ‘Cultural Capital and Social Exclusion: a critical investigation, funded by ESRC, with Tony Bennett, Elizabeth Silva and David Wright (Open Unversity) and Mike Savage and Modesto Gayo-Cal in Manchester.

2003-6 'Social capital and consumption: promoting network analysis', with Mike Savage, John Scott (Essex University), Nick Crossley & Gindo Tampubolon, ESRC Programme on Research Methods.

2003-5 ‘The diffusion of consumer culture: a comparative analysis’, with Dale Southerton, Wendy Olsen & Shu-Li Cheng, ESRC Programme on Cultures of Consumption.

Further information on each of these is available at the following sites and also in the Additional Information:

Selected Recent Publications

M Harvey, A McMeekin & A Warde (eds.) Qualities of Food, (Manchester, Manchester University Press, 2004).

M Savage, A Warde & F Devine, ‘Capitals, assets and resources: some analytical points’, British Journal of Sociology, 56(1) (2005), 31-47.

A.Warde ‘Consumption and the theory of practice’, Journal of Consumer Culture, 5(2) (2005) 131-54.

Warde A, Tampubolon G & Savage M, ‘Recreation, informal social networks and social capital’, Journal of Leisure Research, 37(4) (2005), 402-25.

Gayo-Cal M, Savage M & Warde A, ‘A cultural map of the United Kingdom, 2003’ Cultural Trends, 15(2-3), 215-39.

Kjaernes U, Harvey M & Warde A, Trust in Food, (Basingstoke,Palgrave, forthcoming Autumn 2006).

More publications

PhD Supervision

I am keen to encourage research students who wish to work in the fields of the sociology of consumption and the sociology of food and especially on the following topics:

theories of consumer society and social mechanisms of demand
markets, competition and demand
comparative patterns of consumption
time use, everyday life and consumption behaviour
changing patterns of food consumption
food scares and trust in food
routine and ordinary consumption practices
consumer dissatisfaction
changing patterns of household expenditure
the catering industry
the market research industry
the role of social networks
social and cultural capital
applications of theories of practice

Current PhD students are working on:

masculinity and friendship in Norway
use of new media technology in gambling in Norway
personal welfare and economic growth
cultivation of cultural capital among students
professionalisation in environmental services
domesticated animals and the distinction between nature and culture
new social movements and class in Hong Kong
the development of cultural studies

Additional information

Other projects:

Other websites:

Sociology

Contact Details

Email: Alan.Warde@manchester.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)161 275 7363
Fax: +44 (0)161 275 7361

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Centre for Research on Innovation and Competition (CRIC), The University of Manchester,
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