School of Social Sciences academic elected as Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences

The Academy of Social Sciences confirmed on Friday 13 March that it had conferred the award of Fellow on a number of leading social scientists.

David James, Professor in the School of Social Sciences and Director of the ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Centre, was named amongst the 33 new Fellows.

Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences are distinguished scholars and practitioners from academia and the public and private sectors. The School of Social Sciences now boasts 14 Fellows within its academic cohort.

The recipients are described as having a wide range of expertise in the social sciences, including management, sociology, psychology, politics, geography and law. These Fellows have made a substantial contribution to wider social science in a variety of contexts, including in higher education, government and learned societies.

Professor James's path into social sciences was somewhat unconventional – he was introduced to sociology in his early 20s by a friend while working as a musician and soon afterwards went to university as a mature student.  His subsequent career saw him teach in London, Bath and Gloucester, completing a part-time PhD along the way. He was promoted to Professor in 2004 and has been at the School of Social Sciences since 2011. Professor James has supervised some 20 Doctoral students to successful completion and continues to supervise many PhD students.

The Academy of Social Sciences announcement hails Professor James as "an exceptional educational theorist with particular interests in learning cultures and school choice, identity and social class."

Professor James says of his Fellowship: "I'm delighted to get this news, and I'm grateful to the British Educational Research Association for nominating me"

You can read the full announcement on the Academy of Social Sciences website.