Dr. Vanessa May

Biography

Vanessa May earned her PhD from Abo Akademi University in Finland in 2001 and has since developed significant expertise in the fields of sociology and kinship studies. She began her career at the Centre for Research on Families, Kinship & Childhood at the University of Leeds from 2002-2005. In 2005, she joined the Department of Sociology at the University of Manchester, where she currently serves as the Head of the Department and has been active in various research initiatives. She co-directed the Morgan Centre for Research on Everyday Lives from 2018-2022 and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, serving as the Publications Director for the British Sociological Association. Her research interests encompass self, belonging, migration, family life, and temporality, utilizing mixed methods, qualitative interviews, and narrative analysis in her work. Recent projects include studies on the experiences of ageing in the context of migration and belonging, as well as the impact of cultural and familial dynamics on socio-emotional wellbeing. May's expertise aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on poverty alleviation and enhancing social equity through her research.

Research Interests

Experience