Professor Paul Lambert

Professor

Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology Colin Bell Building, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor Paul Lambert

Contact details

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http://www.stir.ac.uk/people/paullambert

About me

  I have worked at the University of Stirling since 2003, having held previous posts at Cardiff University School of Social Sciences (2000-3), and at the Centre for Applied Statistics at Lancaster University (1996-2000, where I did my PhD). Most of my work involves analysis using secondary survey datasets, and I'm often involved in methodological research and training activities in the domain of quantitative data analysis and social science computing. I undertake applied research in a few different  application areas, but most often on the theme of 'social stratification', particularly studying occupations and their importance to stratification inequalities. Some of my recent and ongoing research projects are:

The 'CAMSIS' project, concerned with occupation-based measures of social stratification derived from the analysis of social interaction patterns between the incumbents of occupations (see www.camsis.stir.ac.uk).  Three recent collaborations linked to the CAMSIS research, concerned with studying social stratification in the era 1600-1938 (see http://www.camsis.stir.ac.uk/hiscam/); with recent trends in social distance patterns (http://www.camsis.stir.ac.uk/pullingapart); and with looking at the relationship between social distance and social network methodologies for exploring social connections between occupations (http://www.camsis.stir.ac.uk/sonocs) Methodological research on data management and software and techniques of data analysis relevant to large scale and survey-based quantitative datasets (e.g. DAMES; S-CSDP, www.thinkdata.org.uk)   Applied collaborative research using survey datasets to explore particular themes in studying social inequalities, such as a role in a recent study of the nature and future of photojournalism supported by World Press Photo, and inputs to a collaborative analysis of employment inequalities in Scotland for the EHRC  

I am engaged in teaching research methodology (social statistics and handling quantitative data), including inputs to the MSc Social Statsitics and Social Research at the University of Stirling. I also teach on the topicof social stratification, and supervise PhD students on a range of sociological projects, themes including social inequalty by gender and ethnicity, and issues of working with complex research data resources. I've also convened a number of external training workshops, including since 2010 teaching an annual course 'Introduction to Multilevel Models with Applications' to the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis. At the University of Stirling, I also lead the 'Social Surveys and Social Statistics' research group, and I have a role in organising the annual professional meeting, the 'Social Stratification Research Seminar' (held in recent years in Cambridge, Milan, Utrecht, Edinburgh and Stirling).  

Research (6)

Research interests

Structures of social stratification the uses of occupational information and occupation-based social classifications (see CAMSIS, www.camsis.stir.ac.uk and GEODE, www.geode.stir.ac.uk)

social stratification, ethnicity and immigration

methodological research on the analysis of large scale survey datasets, in longitudinal and cross-national comparisons (e.g. LDA, www.longitudinal.stir.ac.uk) and using complex quantitative data sources including administrative data and e-social science (e.g. ThinkData, www.thinkdata.org.uk)

Current PhD students:

• Kate O'Hara "Applications of Multilevel Modelling: Exploring the assumption of no correlation of explanatory variables with random effects

• Ebenezer Essien "Understanding Inequalities in Physiological Wear-and-Tear Using an Intersectionality Lens"

• Laura Bryce "An Analysis of the Impact of Social Connections on the Health Outcomes of Individuals"

• Jade Hooper "Social and locality variations in dog bites and strikes in Scotland: Analysis of linked by-product datasets and analysis of variations in public opinion"

• Scot Hunter "Assessment of the impact of contemporary immigration on the UK's Muslim community"

• Louise Macaulay "Overcoming Barriers to Labour Market Entry amongst People with Disabilities and Long-term Health Conditions and their Unpaid Carers"

Completed PhD students:

Stacey McNicol (2024) "A Life Lived for Others: Volunteering Participation and Transitions in Older Age"; Nadine Dougall (2021) "Modelling health and social risk factors for suicide in Scotland: data linkage study"; Alana McGuire (2021) "Impact of New Information Technologies and 'Big Data' on Skill Requirements"; Kane Needham (2020) "Social networking and Career Management Skills: A sociological perspective"; Nur Azam Perai (2020) "The Malaysian Third Sector: An Investigation from a Historical and Cultural Perspective"; Camilla Barnett (2020) "Recognising the intersection of gender and occupations when measuring women's social positions"; Michael Comerford (2014) "Security oriented data-linkage techniques for e-Health: e-Health Infrastructure centre linked studentship"; Roxanne Connelly (2013) "Social Stratification and Education: Case Studies Analysing Social Survey Data"; Che-Ying Lin (2010) “The development of quality indicators for Taiwanese institutional dementia care”; Susan Murray (2011) "Growing up in the 1990s - Tracks and Trajectories of the 'Rising 16s' : A longitudinal analysis using the British Household Panel Survey"; Chris Playford (2011) "The role of families in the stratification of attainment: Parental occupations, parental education and family structure in the 1990s"; Kevin Ralston (2012) "Childbearing and Below Replacement Fertility in Scotland"

Projects

Teaching, Learning and Play in the Outdoors 2020 (TLPO) - A Scottish Cross-sectional Sequential Survey
PI: Professor Gregory Mannion
Funded by: NatureScot (Formerly Scottish Natural Heritage)
–

e-Infrastructure for Social Simulation (e-ISS)
PI: Professor Paul Lambert
Funded by: Higher Education Funding Council for England and Jisc
–

Data Management through e-Social Science: Case studies, Provisions and Support (Dames)
PI: Professor Paul Lambert
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council
–

Scottish Social Survey Network
PI:
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council
–

Quangos Revised: The Social Networks of the Public Elite.
PI: Professor Paul Lambert
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council
–

Longitudinal data analysis for social science researchers
PI:
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council
–

Outputs (40)

Outputs

Book Chapter

Optimising the use of measures of social stratification in research with intersectional and longitudinal analytical priorities

Lambert P & Barnett C (2022) Optimising the use of measures of social stratification in research with intersectional and longitudinal analytical priorities. In: Nico M & Pollock G (eds.) The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Inequalities and the Life Course. Routledge International Handbooks. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 188-198. http://www.routledge.com/9781138601505

Book Chapter

The State of Sport Photojournalism: Concepts, practice and challenges

Haynes R, Hadland A & Lambert P (2021) The State of Sport Photojournalism: Concepts, practice and challenges. In: Boyle R (ed.) Changing Sports Journalism Practice in the Age of Digital Media. 1 ed. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 144-159. https://www.routledge.com/Changing-Sports-Journalism-Practice-in-the-Age-of-Digital-Media/Boyle/p/book/9781032089980

Commentary

Class, status and lifestyle: on omnivores, distinction, and the measurement of social position

Lambert PS (2019) Class, status and lifestyle: on omnivores, distinction, and the measurement of social position. Commentary on: Chan T. W. 2019 “Understanding cultural omnivores: social and political attitudes” British Journal of Sociology DOI: 10.1111/1467-9221.12613; Flemmen M. P. Jarness V. and Rosenlund L. 2019 “Class and status: on the misconstrual of the conceptual distinction and a neo‐Bourdieusian alternative” British Journal of Sociology DOI: 10.1111/1468-4446.12508. The British Journal of Sociology, 70 (3), pp. 887-891. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12652

Research Report

The State of News Photography 2016

Hadland A, Lambert P & Barnett C (2016) The State of News Photography 2016. World Press Photo. http://www.worldpressphoto.org/activities/research/state-news-photography-2016

Book Chapter

Contemporary developments in statistical software for social scientists

Lambert P, Browne W & Michaelides D (2015) Contemporary developments in statistical software for social scientists. In: Halfpenny P & Procter R (eds.) Innovations in Digital Research Methods. London: SAGE, pp. 143-160. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/innovations-in-digital-research-methods/book236862#contents

Book Chapter

Social Capital and the Social Relations of Occupational Structure

Griffiths D & Lambert P (2015) Social Capital and the Social Relations of Occupational Structure. In: Li Y (ed.) Handbook of Research Methods and Applications in Social Capital. Handbooks of Research Methods and Applications series. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 204-224. http://www.e-elgar.com/shop/handbook-of-research-methods-and-applications-in-social-capital

Article

Measuring social structure in the past: A comparison of historical class schemes and occupational stratification scales on Dutch 19th and early 20th century data

Zijdeman R & Lambert P (2010) Measuring social structure in the past: A comparison of historical class schemes and occupational stratification scales on Dutch 19th and early 20th century data. Journal of Belgian History/ Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Nieuwste Geschiedenis/ Revue Belge de Histoire Contemporaine, 40 (1-2), pp. 111-141. http://www.journalbelgianhistory.be/nl/journal/belgisch-tijdschrift-voor-nieuwste-geschiedenis-2010-1-2/measuring-social-structure-past

Book Chapter

Managing Data in E-Social Science

Turner KJ, Tan KLL, Blum JM, Warner G, Jones S & Lambert P (2009) Managing Data in E-Social Science. In: Bestak R, George L, Zaborovsky VS & Dini Cosmin C (eds.) Eighth International Conference on Networks, 2009. ICN '09. Piscataway, New Jersey: IEEE Computer Society, pp. 214-219. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=4976677; https://doi.org/10.1109/ICN.2009.15

Book Chapter

Grid Computing for Social Science

Turner KJ, Lambert P, Tan KLL, Gayle V, Sinnott R, Prandy K, Bihagen E & van Leeuwen MHD (2008) Grid Computing for Social Science. In: Putnik G & Cunha M (eds.) Encyclopaedia of Networked and Virtual Organizations. Pennsylvania, USA: IGI Global, pp. 643-651.

Conference Paper (published)

Data Curation Standards and the Messy World of Social Science Occupational Information Resources

Sinnott R, Tan KLL, Turner KJ, Lambert P, Gayle V & Prandy K (2007) Data Curation Standards and the Messy World of Social Science Occupational Information Resources. In: 2nd International Digital Curation Conference. 2nd International Digital Curation Conference, Glasgow, 21.11.2006-22.11.2006. National E-Science Centre, pp. 1-8. http://www.nesc.ac.uk/bibliography/paperdetails.cfm?id=2494&author_list=Sinnott%2CR%2EO%2E%3BTan%2CL%2E%3BTurner%2CK%2EJ%2E%3BLambert%2CP%2E%3BGayle%2CV%2E%3BPrandy%2CK%2E&abstract=Occupational%20information%20resources%20%E2%80%93%20data%20about%20the%20c

Conference Paper (published)

Enabling Quantitative Data Analysis on Cyberinfrastructures and Grids

Tan KLL, Lambert P, Gayle V & Turner KJ (2007) Enabling Quantitative Data Analysis on Cyberinfrastructures and Grids. In: Olson G & Procter R (eds.) Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on e-Social Science. Third International Conference on e-Social Science, Ann Arbor, Michigan, US, 07.10.2007-09.10.2007. Manchester: The National Centre for E-Science, pp. III.20-III.31. http://ess.si.umich.edu/papers.htm

Conference Paper (published)

GEODE – Sharing Occupational Data Through The Grid

Tan KLL, Gayle V, Lambert P, Sinnott R & Turner KJ (2006) GEODE – Sharing Occupational Data Through The Grid. In: Cox SJ (ed.) Proceedings of the UK e-Science All Hands Meeting 2006. Fifth UK e-Science All Hands Meeting (AHM 2006), Nottingham, UK, 18.09.2006-21.09.2006. Edinburgh: National e-Science Centre, pp. 534-541. http://www.allhands.org.uk/2006/proceedings/

Conference Paper (published)

Development of a Grid Enabled Occupational Data Environment

Lambert P, Tan KLL, Turner KJ, Gayle V, Prandy K & Sinnott R (2006) Development of a Grid Enabled Occupational Data Environment. In: Procter R (ed.) Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on e-Social Science. Second International Conference on e-Social Science, Manchester, UK, 28.06.2006-30.06.2006. Manchester: National Centre for e-Social Science, pp. 1-12. http://www.ncess.ac.uk/events/conference/2006/papers/

Research centres/groups