Dr Mark Farwell
BA (Hons), PhD, FHEA

Biography

Mark's main teaching and research interests are in social theory and the network society. He has taught mainly urban sociology throughout his academic career in the UK. He has also taught in the United States and Germany. 

Mark's interests centre around research in political sociology and the publication of original and high quality output to enhance understanding of political structures and processes, and to make a contribution to sociological understanding of political phenomena. His empirical research, post-doctoral, into the political economies of post-war Britain continues (especially changes in the state and welfare regimes under the Blair, Brown, Cameron/Clegg and Cameron/May governments as variants of neo-liberalism), and more recently researching the dynamics and contradictions of the cultural political economy in relation to the knowledge-based economy. This has been partially facilitated by a 20-year association with the University of Hof and San Diego State University. In the former, Mark has undertaken commissioned applied research [simulation - planspiel] for the Bavarian State; and for the latter, field involvement in a longitudinal study into the Health Status and Health Behaviours of Hispanic Americans in southern California.

His research interests have focused upon urban politics and the urban experience, and the dynamics of social polarisation. In the substantive, inequalities in spatial and social mobility [social justice agenda] subsequent to the rise in European mobility opportunities [migration] and austerity which appear to have exacerbated existing inequalities between a mobile elite and immobile lower social class populations in the UK. In particular, the different social trajectories of ‘cosmopolitans’ and ‘locals’ in periods of social change with specific reference to a merit-based higher education system which had historically offset the role of social class in determining economic outcomes (efficiency, social justice and social mobility).

Mark's research and consultancy interests rest on the intersection of public policy and social science - governance and enterprise. In terms of public engagement activities, he recently produced a second scholarly paper on football governance at Portsmouth Football Club, and made a contribution to the 2015 and 2017 Labour Party General Election manifestos [fostering of innovation in public services] as a member of the Fabian Society and as the Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for the Chichester Constituency.

He recently returned to PhD supervision after a ten year absence,and is currently an external examiner at the University of Bedfordshire (School of Postgraduate Studies) for the MSc International Relations and the MA Intercultural Communication.