Two University of Liverpool researchers have been elected to the Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship.
Professor Nicola Barker, from the School of Law, and Dr Olivier Sykes, from the School of Environmental Sciences, have been recognised for their significant contributions to social science research, excellence, and impact.
Professor Nicola Barker
Professor Barker’s research takes a feminist approach to family law and human rights, critically analysing the legal recognition and regulation of diverse family forms in the UK and globally.
he has written extensively on matters such as marriage and conjugality, assisted reproduction, domestic abuse, and LGBT+ rights, winning the Socio-Legal Studies Association book prize for her monograph, Not the Marrying Kind: A Feminist Critique of Same-Sex Marriage.
Her research has had significant international impact beyond the academy, most recently resulting in an application to the European Court of Human Rights challenging the revocation of same-sex marriage in Bermuda for which she was awarded the Socio-Legal Studies Association impact prize. She is also coordinating editor of Feminist Legal Studies.
Dr Olivier Sykes
Dr Sykes’s research explores international and comparative dimensions of urban and territorial planning, urban regeneration, and regional policy.
His work has supported policy development with stakeholders including local and regional governments, professional bodies and the EU. He is currently researching the impacts of the global sustainability agenda on planning. He has published books on international planning and English planning reform.
He is Viewpoints editor of Town Planning Review, an editorial board member of Urban, Planning and Transport Research, and Convenor of the Association of European Schools of Planning’s French and British Planning Studies Group. He is currently Discipline Lead for Planning at Liverpool.
Recognition by the Academy
President of the Academy, Will Hutton FAcSS, said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome these 63 leading social scientists to the Academy’s Fellowship. Their research and practical applications have made substantial contributions to social science and wider society in a range of areas from international trade policy and inclusive planning systems through to innovative entrepreneurship and governing digital technologies. We look forward to working with them to promote further the vital role the social sciences play in all areas of our lives.”
The Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship comprises more than 1,700 leading social scientists from academia, as well as the public, private, and third sectors. All Fellows are elected for their excellence in their fields and their substantial contributions to social science for public benefit. Selection is made through an independent peer review process that recognises both excellence and impact.
Professor Barker and Dr Sykes are part of a cohort of 63 social scientists elected to the Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship this autumn.