**CONFERENCE - 'RESEARCHING INEQUALITY: A THEORY FOR EVERYTHING?'**

Friday 6 May 2011
Faculty of Health and Social Care, the Open University, Milton Keynes

Key Note Speakers
Professor Mary Maynard (University of York) Dr Val Gillies (London Southbank University)

We are pleased to announce this one day conference on the theory and practice of researching inequality, sponsored by the British Sociological Association as part of a series of events for postgraduate students. This event will be of interest to researchers working in the broad field of social inequality.

The conference intends to create a forum for exploring the current state of sociological theories and methodologies on inequality and to consider their application in research practices. As well as two keynote speakers, there will be an opportunity for postgraduate students to present their work and share their experiences of applying sociological theories of inequality in their empirical research.

The organisers invite postgraduate students to submit abstracts of a maximum of 300 words for 20 minute presentations that address the following themes and questions.

The state of sociological inquiry into inequality:

•What are the current trends and future directions in sociological theories on inequality?
•How can we theorise the intersection between different socio-economic inequalities?
•Is it useful to theorise an overarching theory of ‘inequality’ or do we risk creating a ‘theory of everything’ that lacks specific and contextual relevance?

Putting theory into research practice

•How can theories of inequality be applied at each stage of the research process? (i.e. research design, fieldwork practices, data analysis, dissemination of findings)
•How can methodological developments provide innovative ways for better researching and understanding inequality?
•How can sociological theories help researchers address the issues of power and ethics arising from researching social groups affected by inequalities?

The organisers intend for this to be an interdisciplinary conference and would like to hear from postgraduate researchers working on various aspects of inequality (for example disability, gender, ‘race’ and ethnicity, income, health and social care provision, etc.) and from those using qualitative and/ or quantitative paradigms.

Deadline for submission of abstracts is Monday 28th February 2011.

Abstracts should be submitted to Ester Mcgeeney ([log in to unmask]) and general enquiries addressed to Godfred Boahen ([log in to unmask]). Successful abstract authors will be informed by Monday 7 March 2011. Event organisers will meet the transportation cost of all students presenting at the conference. This event will be free to attend for all BSA members, non-BSA members will be charged £10.