Kanwal Mand

Research Interests

My research interests are in migration and the life course, most specifically in the context of South Asian Diasporas. I have been part of research teams and a co-investigator for projects funded by the ESRC and AHRC held at the University of Sussex and London Southbank University. I have been keen to understand the significance of transnational ties, belonging and identity exploring these through the lens of Bourdieu’s work underlining social and cultural capital. I am also interested in developing innovative research practices. For my doctorate I conducted multi-sited research across international borders and more recently, I have utilised participatory and creative research practices (with children).

Teaching interest

I have developed several courses as part of the sociology programme and these are based on my research interests and practices. My teaching practice is informed by being research led and to this effect I offer courses on ‘Childhood across cultures’; ‘Emotions in Society’ as well as ‘Mobile Lives’.  I co-ordinate a year long, level 2 course ‘Researching Social and Cultural Life’, as well ‘Global Cultures’. I have also developed courses for politics students such as ‘Nation and Nationalism’ and contribute to Level 6 course on International Relations

Scholarly Biography

I undertook my BA in English and Literary studies and went on to undertake my post graduate studies at University of Sussex receiving an MA in ‘Race, Culture, Difference’, and a PhD in Social Anthropology (2003) supervised by professor Katy Gardner.  I have worked as a Research Assistant at the Ethnicity and Social Policy Research Centre (University of Bradford) and as a Research Fellow at the Families and Social Capital Research ESRC Centre (London South Bank University). Prior to joining Brighton University I held the position of  Research Fellow on an AHRC funded research project entitled 'Home and Away: Experiences and Representations of transnational South Asian Children'. I currently hold the position of Senior Lecturer (sociology) at the School of Applied Social Science at the University of Brighton.

Community and Impact

An exhibition of children's art, arising from the research with Children of Bangladeshi heritage, has been on display at the V&A Museum of Childhood. A report of this can be read on BBC on-line:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7898294.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7898256.stm#

I am interested in supervising students in the area of migration, working on the life course and families, marriage and ritual practices.