Prof Elizabeth Silva
Qualifications
PhD Imperial College (Industrial Sociology) - University of London, UK. MA (Political Science) - University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. BA (Social Sciences) - University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Course Devlopment and Teaching Commitments
I have contributed to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Open University:
- DD101 – ‘Introducing the Social Sciences’ - Level one undergraduate course in Social Sciences – course team member, co-coordinator DVD, author - Starting 2006, for presentation in October 2009
- DD308 - ‘Making Social Worlds’ - Level three Sociology Course, first presentation 2007, team member, author.
- DD201 - 'Sociology and Society' – Level two sociology - (i) author in module one 'Understanding Everyday Life' (2002). (ii) author and editor in module four ‘The Uses of Sociology’ (2005), (iii) academic consultant for TV Film 'At Home' (2002), (iv). convenor for 'Research Methods' (2002-4). Production and presentation course team member (2000-2004).
- DD305 -'Personal Lives and Social Policy' – Level three Social Policy - critical reader for module one 'Care' (2003-4).
- D845 - 'Research Methods Dissertation in the Social Sciences' – Postgraduate Social Sciences - Production Course Team Member (2003-4).
- D844- ‘Ethnography' - Postgraduate Social Sciences - critical reader (2000-1)
Research interests
My interests are in Sociology and Culture. These encompass: (1) The Material in Social Life through a specific concern with technologies in the home, and (2) Social Connections and Divisions particularly those of gender and class. I presently explore these interests through two distinct projects, both based on empirical research and currently being written up as books.
Technology, Family, Culture (sole authored, in preparation for Palgrave 2010). This is based on archival research of innovation patterns in technology and gender relations since the early twentieth century (ESRC funded 1996) and an ethnographic study of uses of household technologies (ESRC funded 1998-2000 OU/CRESC funded currently). It explores the ways technology shapes, and is shaped by, the ways we relate to each other.
Cultural Analysis and Bourdieu’s Legacy: Settling accounts and developing alternatives. (co-edited with Alan Warde, in preparation for Routledge 2010). Contributions by Michael Grenfell, Rick Fantasia, David Swartz, Mike Savage, Diane Reay, Andrew Sayer, Tony Bennett, Antoine Hennion and Michèle Lamont.
This work derives from the Cultural Capital and Social Exclusion Project. Funded by the ESRC 2003-2006 to Tony Bennett (principal investigator) and (co-investigators) Mike Savage, Elizabeth Silva and Alan Warde). It included focus groups, representative population survey and household interviews. CCSE assesses the role played by cultural capital in processes of social differentiation in contemporary Britain.
Recent publications
Books and special issues of journals
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Culture, Class, Distinction, London: Routledge, 2009 (co-authored with Bennett, T.; Savage, M.; Silva, E.; Warde, A.; Gayo-Cal, M. and Wright, D.
Double Special issue (2006) ‘Culture, Taste and Social Divisions in Contemporary Britain’, Cultural Trends. Vol 15 (2/3), June/September. Co-editor with Tony Bennett
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Contemporary Culture and Everyday Life, Sociologypress, 2004 (co-edited with Tony Bennett)
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(Theme section editor) ‘Monsters and Morals’ of journal Soundings no. 21, Autumn 2002
Recent articles
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Silva, E.B. and Wright, D. (2009) ‘Display, desire and distinction in housing’, Cultural Sociology, 3(1): 31-50
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Silva, E. ( 2008) ‘Cultural capital and visual art in the contemporary UK’, Special Issue on ‘The consequences of instrumental museum and gallery policy’, Cultural Trends 17 (4): 267-287
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Silva, E.B. and Wright, D. (2008) ‘Researching Cultural Capital: Complexities in mixing methods’ in Methodological Innovations, vol 2, issue 3, published 13/12.2007). http://erdt.plymouth.ac.uk/mionline/public_html/viewarticle.php?id=65&layout=html
- Silva, E.B. (2007) ‘What’s [Yet] to Be Seen? Re-Using Qualitative Data’ in Sociological Research Online, vol 12, issue 3, published 30/5/2007. Refereed Special Section: ‘Reusing Qualitative Data’. pp.16 http://www.socresonline.org.uk/12/3/4.html
- Silva, E.B. (2007) ‘Security, self and the home’ Ch 4 in Carter, S., Jordan, T. and Watson, S. (eds) Security. Making Social Worlds, Manchester: Manchester University Press, pp. 81-100
- Silva E B (2007) ‘Gender, class, emotional capital and consumption in family life’ in E Casey and L Martens (eds) Gender and Consumption: Domestic Cultures and the Commercialisation of Everyday Life. Hampshire: Ashgate, pp.141-162
- Silva E B (2006) ‘Homologies of social space and elective affinities: researching cultural capital’ in Sociology, 40(6): 1171-1189
- Silva E (2006) ‘Distinction through Visual Arts’ in Cultural Trends, vol 15 (2/3): 141-158
- Bennett, T and E B Silva (2006) ‘Cultural Capital and Inequality: Policy Issues and Contexts’ in Cultural Trends, vol 15 (2/3): 87-106
- Silva E B (2006) ‘Conhecimentos no Cotidiano: Situacoes e estorias’ (Knowledge in the Everyday: situations and stories) in Santos, L. Woellner dos; Ichikawa, E. Yoshie; Cargano, D. de F. (eds) Ciência, Tecnologia e Gênero: desvelando o feminino na construção do conhecimento. Londrina: IAPAR, pp. 73-87
- Silva E B (2005) ‘Gender, home and family in cultural capital theory’, British Journal of Sociology, 56 (1): 83-103
- Silva E B and Wright D (2005) ‘The judgement of taste and social position in focus group research’, Sociologia i Ricerca Sociale, Special double issue on ‘Focus group methodology’ , 76/77, pp.241-253. Milan: Angeli
- Silva E B (2005) ‘Conhecimentos no Cotidiano: Situacoes e estorias’ (Knowledge in the Everyday: situations and stories) Revista ARBOR ‘Ciencia Pensamiento y Cultura’ (Science, Thought and Culture) no. 176 issue Nov/Dec: 463-470, Barcelona/Spain
- Silva E B (2005) ‘Genero e Ciencia. Interpretacoes Feministas e Distincoes Locais’ (Gender and Science. Feminist Interpretations and Local Distinctions) Revista ARBOR ‘Ciencia Pensamiento y Cultura’ (Science, Thought and Culture) no. 176 issue Nov/Dec: 531-538, Barcelona/Spain
- Silva E B (2004) ‘Materials and Morals: Families and Technologies in Everyday Life’ in E B Silva and T Bennett (eds) Contemporary Culture and Everyday Life Durham: Sociologypress
- Silva E B and Bennett T (2004) ‘Everyday Life and Contemporary Culture’ in E B Silva and T Bennett (eds) Contemporary Culture and Everyday Life Durham: Sociologypress, 52-70
- Silva E B (2003) ‘Everyday Life Invented and Revisited’, Extended Book Review, New Formations 49, pp. 165- 169
- Silva E B (2002) ‘Time and Emotion in Studies of Household Technologies’, Work, Employment and Society, 16 (2): 329-340
- Silva E B (2002) ‘Disastrous Differences – Tuesday 11 September: 2001 USA, 1973 Chile’, Soundings no. 21: 83-100
- Silva E B (2002) ‘Routine Matters: Narratives of Everyday Life in Families’ (2002) in G. Crow and S. Heath (eds) Social Conceptions of Time, Basingstoke: Palgrave
- A repository of research publications and other research outputs can be viewed at The Open University's Open Research Online
Other Interests
Other affliations/positions
- Member of the Editorial Board of Sociological Review on Line (BSA – UK) 2009-2011, Sociology (BSA - UK) 2004-2008, Member of the International Editorial Board of Cadernos Pagu (UNICAMP, Brazil) since 1998.
- Member of CRESC (Centre for Research on Culture and Social Change, ESRC funded – partnership between the Open University and the University of Manchester.
- Advisory Board Member in CRESC Qualitative Research Laboratory.
- Member of CCIG (Centre for Citizenship, Identity and Governance, Open University Centre of Excellence).
Contact Details
Sociology Department
Faculty of Social Sciences
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
UK
tel: +44(0)1908 654431
email: e.b.silva@open.ac.uk