Q-Step Postgrads from across the UK present at City

The 2nd Postgraduate Q-Step Network event of the academic year was held at City University London on 27^th April 2016. The PG Q-Step network is a forum for Q-Step postgrads interested in quantitative pedagogy and research to share ideas and learn from each other. This event organised on behalf of the network and sponsored by City Sociology and the Nuffield Foundation featured PhDs from Q-Step centres across the country presenting their research in the areas of work, class, gender and inequalities. The panel discussants were Janet Gornick, Professor of Political Science and Sociology at CUNY and Dr Vanessa Gash, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at City University London.

Rima Saini – City PhD and primary organiser of the event – kicked off the discussions with a brief introductory address. The first session then began with presentations on the theme of women’s employment, political engagement, and role in academic sociology from PhDs stretching from London to Manchester, and Exeter to Cardiff. The second session was equally as interesting, with papers presented on issues of middle-class identity, social exclusion in the US, educational inequality and personal debt.

Janet and Vanessa offered a host of useful insights for the participants, and engaging Q&A sessions followed each panel. The atmosphere was exceptionally friendly and the discussions were compellingly informative. The overall result was a comfortable space for networking and sharing ideas and we hope for the next event to be a similar success