Professor Satnam Virdee
- Professor of Sociology (Sociology)
telephone: 01413305355
email: Satnam.Virdee@glasgow.ac.uk
Research interests
I am founding Director of the Centre for Research on Racism, Ethnicity and Nationalism (CRREN) established at the University of Glasgow by Dr. Robert Gibb and myself in August 2005, and Deputy Director of the newly-established ESRC-funded Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) based jointly at the Universities of Manchester and Glasgow.
Research Interests
- Sociology of Racism and Ethnicity
- Sociology of Class and Stratification
- Social Movements and the Sociology of Collective Action
- Historical Sociology
- Historical Materialism as theory and method
Current Research
Constructing a theoretical and historical account of the mutually constitutive character of race and class in England, 1780-1990
Over the past twenty years I have produced more than 20 essays in edited collections and refereed journals including Sociological Review (1994), Sociology (2000), and the British Journal of Sociology (2008) assessing the significance of racism and anti-racism in the making of the English working class. This body of work culminated recently in a research monograph entitled Racism, Class and the Racialized Outsider (2014). Alongside tracing how racism became a powerful structuring force within this social class from as early as the mid-Victorian period, this book also maps the episodic emergence of currents of working class anti-racism. Through an insistence that race is central to the way class works, this book reaches beyond the race-blind scholarship on the English working class of EP Thompson, Eric Hobsbawm and most contemporary sociologists of class and demonstrates not only that the English working class was a multi-ethnic formation from the moment of its inception in the 1780s, but what I refer to as racialized outsiders – Irish Catholics, Jews, Asians and the African diaspora – often played a catalytic role in the collective action that helped fashion a more inclusive and democratic society.
In collaboration with my colleague – Brendan McGeever – this work on racism, anti-racism and class formation has been further developed to encompass an international comparative dimension with a particular focus on the significance of antisemitism in the socialist movement of fin-de-siecle Europe. A series of papers presented at the Historical Materialism conference in London in November 2013 are currently being prepared for publication.
Writing a historical sociology of Britain’s anti-racist civil rights movement, 1968-1988
As part of the four-year programme of work funded by the ESRC and being carried out within the Centre for Dynamics on Ethnicity (CoDE), I am currently engaged (with Laurence Brown and Stephen Ashe, both of the University of Manchester) in a major archival and interview study seeking to recover the ‘hidden history’ of Britain’s anti-racist civil rights movement. Our aim is to recover both the lost stories of black activists and their social movements along with those involved in multi-ethnic anti-racist formations such as Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League and develop a unique contentious black politics database (made up of hundreds of events and episodes) that can be used as a teaching resource in schools and universities. A number of refereed articles are currently under preparation and a major research monograph is planned.
Understanding the changing relationship between racism, discrimination, employment and labour markets in historical capitalism: from the welfare state settlement to contemporary neoliberalism, 1945-present
Britain’s racialized minorities were once to be found overwhelmingly in what some sociologists of class referred to as the bottom-end of the British class structure undertaking ‘poor work’ in declining manual industries. However, by the early 1980s, the employment position of such social groups had begun to diversify and came to be characterized increasingly by both growing differences between different racialized groups, and within each social group. Over the past two decades, I have produced two co-authored monographs (1995; 1996) and more than a dozen essays in edited collections and leading journals such as Ethnicity and Health (2003) (with Christopher Kyriakides) and Ethnic and Racial Studies (2006) critically assessing the political, economic, cultural and organizational changes that might help us to understand the increasing complexity of the contemporary class structure, and the position of Britain’s racialized minorities within it. My most recent statement on this subject can be found in 'The Continuing Significance of 'Race': racism, contentious anti-racist politics and labour markets in contemporary capitalism' (2010).
Theorizing racism, capitalism and the politics of social transformation
Much of the research I have conducted over the past twenty years has been undertaken at the disciplinary borders of sociology, history, social policy and politics. At the plenary ‘race’ debate held at the annual conference of the BSA in Leeds in April 2012 and involving Les Back, Michael Banton and myself, my contribution centred on a call for historical materialists and sociologists to re-engage one another in critical conversation if we are to understand more comprehensively than hitherto the organic crisis of contemporary capitalism, and its racializing effects. Download a podcast of the debate.
I have written several key essays addressing these and other important theoretical contributions in the field of racism and ethnicity in refereed articles in the British Journal of Sociology (2008) (with R. Carter), Ethnic and Racial Studies (2012 and 2014 forthcoming) as well as in an essay entitled ‘Racism, Class and the Dialectics of Social Transformation’ (2010). I am currently finalizing a volume of essays entitled Racism, Historical Materialism and the Politics of Social Transformation which will appear in the Historical Materialism book series published by Brill Books.
 Virdee, S. (2014) Racism, Class and the Racialized Outsider. Palgrave Macmillan |
 Modood, T., Berthoud, R., Lakey, J., Nazroo, J., Smith, P., Virdee, S. & Beishon, S. (1997) Ethnic Minorities in Britain: Diversity and Disadvantage: The Fourth National Survey of Ethnic Minorities, Policy Studies Institute |
 Metcalf, H., Modood, T. & Virdee, S. (1996) Asian Self Employment: The Interaction of Culture and Economics in England, Policy Studies Institute. |
 Racial Violence and Harassment (1995) by Satnam Virdee. Policy Studies Institute |
 Nursing in a Multi-Ethnic NHS (1995) by Sharon Beishon, Satnam Virdee and Ann Hagell. Policy Studies Institute. |
 Modood, T., Beishon, S. & Virdee, S. (1994) Changing Ethnic Identities, Policy Studies Institute. |
Selected publications
Virdee, S. (2014) Racism, Class and the Racialized Outsider. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke. ISBN 9780230551633
Virdee, S. (2014) Anti-racism and the socialist left, 1968-79. In: Smith, E. and Worley, M. (eds.) Against the Grain: The British Far Left from 1956. Manchester University Press: Manchester. ISBN 9780719095900
Virdee, S. (2010) Racism, class and the dialectics of social transformation. In: Solomos, J. and Hill Collins, P. (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Race and Ethnic Studies. Sage Publications: London, UK, pp. 135-165. ISBN 9780761942207
Virdee, S. (2010) The continuing significance of 'race': racism, antiracist politics and labour markets. In: Bloch, A. and Solomos, J. (eds.) Race and Ethnicity in the 21st Century. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke, UK, pp. 62-92. ISBN 9780230007789
Grants
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- 'Understanding the Dynamics of Ethnic Identity and Inequality in the UK'. Economic and Social Research Council Research Centre/ Large Grant Award. Overall value of award: £2.69 million. April 2013–March 2017; (P.I. Professor James Nazroo, Co-I’s include Drs. Laurence Brown, Bridget Byrne, Andrew Smith, Professor Satnam Virdee and others).
- 'Location Dynamics, Owner Occupation and Ethnicity in Scotland’. Economic and Social Research Council Cross-Linkage Award. Overall value of award: £378,184. January 2014-December 2016; (P.I. Professor Gwilym Price, Co-I’s include Dr. Andrew Smith, Professor Satnam Virdee and others)
- 'Racism and Nationalism in Scotland and England', award no. RES-000-23-0556, 2004-2007, £148,000; (P.I. Professor Satnam Virdee, Co-I Professor Tariq Modood).
- 'Networks of Civic Organisations in Britain', award no. L215252006, 2001-2003, £135,000; (P.I. Professor Mario Diani, Co-I’s Dr. Satnam Virdee and Dr. Isobel Lindsey).
- 'Everyday Racism in School Life', award no. R000222376, 1998-2000, £38,000; (P.I. Dr. Satnam Virdee, Co.I’s include Professors Tim Newburn and Tariq Modood).
- 'British Asian Self-employment: the interaction of culture and economics', ESRC Economic Beliefs and Behaviour Programme, award no. L122251020, 1994-1996, £92,000; (P.I. Professor Tariq Modood and Co-I’s include Satnam Virdee and Hilary Metcalf).
Government Departments, International Agencies and Charitable Foundations
- 'Racial' Equality in the Workplace, Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), 1997-1998, £74,000; (P.I. Hilary Metcalf, Co-I’s include Dr. Satnam Virdee and John Forth).
- Racism and Anti-racism in the Workplace, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EFILWC), 1997, £100,000; (P.I. Dr. Satnam Virdee)
- 'Race' and Class: the participation and representation of racialized minority workers in British trade unions, The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), 1990-1992, £30,000; (P.I. Satnam Virdee).
Supervision
PhD Supervision
I welcome PhD applications from students in any of my main areas of research interest.
Current students include:
Paul Goldie
Title: The Irish Catholic question in Scotland
Start date: September 2014
Funder: Glasgow University Scholarship
Co-supervisor: Dr. Andrew Smith
Sylwia Sajid
Title: UK Poles and interethnic relationships: attitudes and experiences
Start date: September 2014
Funder: ESRC studentship
Co-supervisor: Dr. Roona Simpson
Minna Liinpaa
Title: Nationalism, devolution and ethnic identity in Scotland
Start date: September 2013
Funder: ESRC studentship
Co-supervisor: Dr. Andrew Smith
Mengxi Pang
Title: Multiracial identity of mixed race children in Scotland
Start date: September 2013
Funder: China Scholarship Council
Co-supervisor: Dr. Roona Simpson
Maureen McBride
Title: Understanding sectarianism in Scotland
Start date: September 2013
Funder: ESRC studentship
Co-supervisor: Dr. Susan Batchelor
Khauthar Ismail
Title: Migration and ethnic conflict in Malaysia
Start date: September 2012
Funder: Malaysian government scholarship
Co-supervisor: Fred Cartmel
Francesca Minelli
Title: Communitarian water providers and the movement for water justice: The case of Cochabamba Water Cooperatives
Start date: September 2012
Funder: Glasgow University scholarship
Co-supervisor: Dr. Nicole Bourque
Elisabeth Badenhoop
Title: The Transformation from "Immigrants" to "Citizens" – A comparison of the naturalisation process in Britain and Germany today
Start date: September 2011
Funder: ESRC studentship
Co-supervisor: Dr Robert Gibb
Brendan McGeever
Title: The politics of 'race' and Russian Communism 1914-1927: a case study of the 'Jewish Question'
Start date: September 2009
Funder: CRCEES studentship
Co-supervisor: Professor Terry Cox
PhD students whom I have supervised to completion include:
Dr. Carin Runciman
Title: Rethinking citizenship and identity in South Africa
Dates: 2007-2012
Funder: Glasgow University Scholarship
Current employment: Research Fellow, Centre for Sociological Research, University of Johannesburg.
Teresa Piacentini
Title: Refugee community organisations: an ethnographic study of the dynamics of settlement and the struggle for identity, community and survival in exile.
Dates: 2007-11
Funder: ESRC studentship
Current employment: University Teacher, Sociology, University of Glasgow.
Kirsteen Paton
Title: Gentrification and class identities
Dates: 2005-2010 (assumed supervisory duties in August 2008)
Funder: ESRC/CASE studentship
Current employment: Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Leeds.
Christopher Kyriakides
Title: The anti-racist state
Dates: 2001-2005
Funder: ESRC studentship
Current employment: Assistant Professor at the Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus.
Teaching
Masters
I teach a course called ‘Racism and Modernity’ on the Equality and Human Rights Masters taught programme.
Honours
I teach two honours classes on ‘the Sociology of Racism’ and ‘Class and the Making of Modern Britain’.
Level 2
I teach a module on ‘Racism, Nationalism and the Modern World’.
Additional information
University, School and Departmental Service
Current responsibilities include:
- Director, Centre for Research on Racism, Ethnicity and Nationalism (CRREN) (2010- present) and Deputy Director of ESRC-funded Centre for Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) (2013-present).
- Dissertation convenor, PGT Programme in Equality and Human Rights and the MSc in Sociology (2014-present).
Previous responsibilities included:
- Chair, Sociology subject area (2010-2013)
- Sociology representative, LBSS Faculty Research Committee (2006-10)
- Chair, Departmental Research Committee (including Sociology RAE2008 Champion) (2004-10)
- Member, Social Sciences Faculty Promotions Committee (2003-2005)
- Member, Social Sciences Faculty Research Committee (2003-2005)
- Member, Departmental Research Committee (2003-2004)
- Member, Departmental Management Group (Workloads) (2003-2004)
- Member, Departmental Working Party on methods teaching, Glasgow University (2002-2003)
- Member, Glasgow University Race Equality Co-ordinating Committee (2002-2003)
- Member, Glasgow University and Strathclyde University Sociology Synergy Group (2002-2003)
- Co-ordinator, Sociology and Anthropology Honours Programme (Years 3 and 4) (2001-2004)
- Member, Departmental Teaching and Learning Committee (2001-2004)
- Member, Departmental Staff/Student Committee (2001-2004)
- Co-ordinator, Level 1 Sociology, University of Strathclyde (1999-2001)
- Academic Advisor for Sociology, University of Strathclyde (1999-2001)
Professional Service
- Member, Editorial Board of Ethnic and Racial Studies (2009-)
- Member, Runnymede Academic Forum, a committee of leading academics with the remit of making informed interventions in the area of policy discourses on race equality and community cohesion (2006-).
- Member, Advisory Group, Governance and Diversity: fluid communities and solid structures, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2006-2009).
- Member, ESRC Strategic Research Board (2005-2006).
- Member, Academic Panel advising specialist Cabinet Office Committee about the labour market performance of racialized minority groups (2001-2003).
- Academic Consultant, TUC Task Group on Institutional Racism (comprising the general secretaries of the major affiliated trade unions and the general secretary of the TUC) established to develop policies and practices to combat racism in the workplace and beyond (1999-2003).
- Editor, Strathclyde Papers in Government (1999-2001).
- Academic Consultant, Department of Health Task Force on 'Tackling Racism in the National Health Service' established as a direct outcome of the findings contained in the research monograph 'Nursing Careers in a Multi-Ethnic NHS' by Virdee and others (1995) (1997-1999).
- Referee and rapporteur, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), British Academy, Leverhulme Trust and the Nuffield Foundation.
- Manuscript referee, Routledge, Sage, Cambridge University Press, Polity, Palgrave and Oxford University Press, Brill.
- Referee, Sociology, British Journal of Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Sociological Review, Scottish Affairs, Journal of Youth Studies, National Institute Economic Review, Ethnicity and Health.
- Regular contributor to debates in the media including the Guardian, the Times and most recently, academic consultant and key interviewee on '25 years since Grunwick', BBC Radio 4 Programme Special.
- Member, British Sociological Association (BSA), American Sociological Association (ASA) and the International Sociological Association (ISA).
R1002 Level 10, Sociology, Adam Smith Building, Glasgow G12 8RT