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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 nature. My current research has focused on plants - particularly related to crofting, gardening and kitchens. I have abiding interests in the role of bureaucracy within society, digital labour, 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; cultural industries; digital labour; cultural labour; social reproduction; nature; plants; conjunctural analysis
Teaching and Learning I teach across the BA (Hons) Social Sciences 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 (more broadly) and sociological approaches to plants/'nature' or cultural studies projects.