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Dr Gavin Maclean

Biography I am a Lecturer in Sociology within the School of Applied Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University. Prior to this I worked as a Research Assistant in the Employment Research Institute at Edinburgh Napier University.

My research focuses primarily on the interconnections between culture, economy and, more recently, nature. My current research has focused on plants - particularly related to crofting, gardening and their use within kitchens. Previously, I have researched work and organisation within digital, cultural, health or public sector contexts. I also have abiding interests in discussions around bureaucracy within society, cultural studies and 'conjunctural analysis'.

I have a degree in Management, a Masters by Research in Social Research and a PhD, all from Heriot-Watt University. My PhD examined the conflict between artistic freedom and the commercial pressures of work within the recorded music industry.

I have worked as an investigator on a variety of projects. Most recently on a British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant researching the work of producing sustainability in restaurant work. Prior to this, I worked on an ESRC-funded project investigating the use of temporary accommodation to house asylum seekers and refugees during the Covid-19 outbreak, and have previously worked on projects funded by the EPSRC, Carnegie and other funding bodies.
Research Interests sociology of culture; cultural studies; work and employment; organisation; social inequalities; cultural industries; digital labour; cultural labour; healthcare; social reproduction; nature; plants; conjunctural analysis
Teaching and Learning I teach across the programme in the area of sociology. I currently lead the modules Sociology of Media & Culture, Sociology of Work & Organisation and have taught on the modules of Introduction to Sociology, Understanding Social Change, Sociological Theory and Society, Space & Place.
PhD Supervision Availability Yes
PhD Topics I am interested in supervising topics that focus on topics of culture, work, organisation and care. I am particularly keen to look at topics that focus on cultural labour, care work, sociological approaches to plants/'nature' or cultural studies projects.