Dr Nicola Spurling
Senior LecturerResearch Overview
My current research interest is in an unprecedented 'autobiographical mobilisation' that has happened over the past 10-15 years, in which people from around the world (male, female, nonbinary, different ethnicities and cultures, LGBTQIA+) have shared their life stories and experiences of non-parenthood (whether through circumstance, infertility or choice); and changed the narrative for previously isolated cohorts. For example, this work has created vocabularies, educational resources, cross-cultural online spaces, friendship networks and self-help tools, with meaningful impacts for people's lives. My aim is to understand this autobiographical mobilisation, critically explore for whom and how it is significant, and articulate its implications for key aspects of society, such as mental health, health, ageing, housing, work and disaster-planning.
I also research and teach in socio-cultural change and climate change. I am inquisitive about the role that social science, arts and humanities can have in addressing the climate and ecological crisis. Much of my work develops and translates ideas from social theory, and ethnographic, auto/biographical and participatory knowledges, into interventions and actions. You can read about my work in this area on my wordpress site. I have made significant contributions to debates on everyday practices, everyday mobilities and sustainability; and through my teaching and supervision contribute to a much broader range of topics. For example, my current PhD students and their projects are:
Joanna Morley: An Analysis of the UK's Climate Anxiety Preparedness with Suggestions on How to Improve it
Harriet Phipps: Young People as Meaningful Participants in Climate Change Policy
Abi Lafbery What is Wild? The Co-constitution of wild swimming in a context of climate crisis
My research has been funded by the ESRC, the Scottish Government, the EPSRC, the AHRC, and Design United. Also through visiting fellowships and research visits with the Department of Anthropology, Danish School of Education, Copenhagen, Denmark (as an ESRC-funded visiting PhD student); Beyond Behaviour Change, RMIT, Melbourne, Australia; Academy Mobility Humanities, Seoul, S. Korea; Department of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, Sweden.
Current Teaching
I convene and teach:
SOCL521 Theories and Debates in Environment and Culture (MA module)
SOCL221 Climate Change and Society (With Katie Oliver) (UG module)
SOCL210 Dissertation Research Skills (With Shakthi Nataraj) (UG module)
I teach/supervise on:
SOCL360 Independent Dissertation Module (UG module)
In the past I have also convened and/or taught on:
SOCL315 Sociology of the Future
SOCL200 Sociological Thought for Our Times (UG)
SOCL919 Research Projects in Practice (MA)
MA Dissertation supervisor
I was MA Lead Environment, Culture and Society 2020-2022
Career Details
I came to Lancaster University as a Senior Research Associate in 2014. I took up position as Anniversary Lecturer in 2016, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2020. I am Director of the Centre for Mobilities Research and Co-Director (with Vincent Gaine) of Student Experience, Recruitment and Admissions in the Sociology Department.
PhD Supervision Interests
I am especially interested in supervising projects focussed on climate and cultural change, and changing life-course. For example, what new and emerging socio-cultural practices are happening around the world in relation to changing climates and environments? What are the losses - which practices need to disappear, how are these differentially experienced, and how can people and communities be supported? How can young people's meaningful participation in climate change policy be supported, what role can sociologists have in making this possible? How is life course changing in a context of changing climates, what new issues does this place on the agenda, and how can they be researched in novel, future-shaping ways? Theoretical interests: social and cultural change, mobilities, theories of practice, forms of justice, auto/biographies, archival research in the social sciences, social futures. Methodological interests: creative biographical, ethnographic, intergenerational and transgenerational methodologies; oral histories; mobile methods; design ethnography and making; participatory action research.
Connecting Mobilities Research between the UK and South Korea: narrating, mobilizing, experimenting and engaging mobilities for a just future
01/02/2022 → 31/07/2023
Research
ISF: Adding Another Layer?: The Role of Clothing in Heating Demand Reduction and Decarbonisation
01/10/2020 → 30/09/2021
Research
DecarboN8-An Integrated Network to Decarbonise transport
01/09/2019 → 31/08/2022
Research
Mobilities and Futures in the Social Sciences
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Five Ways With Mobilities and Futures
Invited talk
Linköping University, Department of Thematic Studies
Visiting an external academic institution
Mobilities Research 20 Years On
Invited talk
Academy Mobility Humanities, Konkuk University, Seoul
Visiting an external academic institution
Auto/biography, Mobilities and the Climate Emergency
Participation in conference - Academic
Climate Emergency Moblities Symposium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
MoHu (Padua) and CeMoRe (lancaster) Mobilities Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
T2M 2021 Conference
Invited talk
DecarboN8 International Conference: Real Zero in a Hurry
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
What does it take to decarbonise mobility?
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Tactical Urbanism, Everyday Life and Sustainable Mobility Solutions
Invited talk
The Hub as Intervention for Low Carbon Mobility Futures
Invited talk
Thinking on the Move
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Social Futures: The View from Lancaster
Invited talk
Managing Waste and the Circular Economy
Invited talk
Making Space for the Car at Home
Invited talk
Beyond Behaviour Change and the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University, Melbourne
Visiting an external academic institution
Sociology (Journal)
Editorial activity
Space in Use: dwelling in days, weeks, seasons and decades
Invited talk
Institute for Transport Studies, Leeds University (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Workshop 'Dwelling in the Utopian Everyday'
Invited talk
Utopia Fair
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Making and Unmaking Space for the Car: infrastructure in practice
Invited talk
Reconfiguring Everyday Practices for a Post-Carbon World (Event)
Membership of committee
If the Walls Could Talk
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Exploring the Peaks: Energy demand and the changing rhythms of daily life
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Mobility Practice Bundles: Exploring the relationship between everyday and professional practices
Invited talk
Sustainability|Social Practices|Policy
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
- CeMoRe - Centre for Mobilities Research
- Institute for Social Futures Fellow