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Special Interest Group

Social Theory and Education

The Social Theory and Education SIG aims to support and develop theoretically informed educational research, to engage with and facilitate new social theory and to explore the relationships between theory-work and research. Social theory here refers to the use of theoretical frameworks to explain and analyse social action, social meanings and large-scale social structures.

The field is interdisciplinary, drawing ideas from a range of contributing disciplines but particularly from politics, philosophy and sociology. Social theory aims to develop concepts and ontologies that can provide social research with conceptual and methodological tools for analytical and interpretational work.

The SIG plans to accommodate and encourage work which applies and develops ideas and concepts from social theory to education research, as well as exploring and critiquing the contributions to education of major social theorists. Our primary focus is substantive research applications of social theory, but we will also seek to support the development of new theoretical work and reflexively consider the role of theory in relation to research and the analysis of data.

SIG Convenors

Profile picture of Cristina Costa
Cristina Costa, Dr

Associate Professor at Durham University

Cristina Costa is Associate Professor in the School of Education at Durham University. She has a strong interest in educational and digital practices and inequalities. She particularly interested in exploring the intersection of education and...

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Richard Hall, Professor

Professor of Education and Technology at De Montfort University

Richard Hall is Professor of Education and Technology at De Montfort University. A National Teaching Fellow, Richard directs the research and evaluation work of the Decolonising DMU project. He is the author of The Hopeless University:...

Profile picture of Denise Mifsud
Denise Mifsud, Dr

Associate Professor in Educational Leadership, Management & Governance at University of Bath

Dr Denise Mifsud is Associate Professor in Educational Leadership, Management and Governance at the University of Bath. She has many years of practitioner experience in education settings in both teaching and top-level leadership roles within the...

Content associated with this SIG

BERA Conference 2023

12 September 2023 to 14 September 2023Aston University/ Conference Aston

Welcome to the BERA Annual Conference 2023 The programme is now live online. We have a fantastic array of presentations! The mobile app will soon be launched, which will allow you to favourite...

Upcoming conference12 Sep 2023

SIG Forum Meeting – Social Theory and Education

Join the Social Theory and Education SIG annual meeting to network with colleagues, learn about the activities of the SIG over the last year and plans for 2023. This meeting will be hosted...

Past event27 Oct 2022

‘Learning for All’

BERA is funding six new small grants in 2022/23 under the title “Learning for all”. These grants support projects which examine educational provision in its widest sense that seeks to provide...

Ongoing project