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Professor Theo Nichols

Emeritus Professor

School of Social Sciences

Overview

Theo Nichols has a range of both qualitative and quantitative interests in economic sociology/political economy: particular interests in the labour process (including occupational health and safety), the study of different sectors, and comparative studies of state, capital and labour relations in various countries, especially Turkey and China.

Recently conducted research projects include:

  • a study of management strategy and employee relations in the modern sector in Turkey;
  • a comparative study of white goods production, management methods and the condition of labour in the white goods sector in Brazil, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and the UK;
  • a study of the international maritime car carrier sector, its dynamics and the condition of labour;
  • a study of health and safety provision and its determinants and outcomes in 15 UK workplaces;
  • a study the role of trade unions in the determination of workplace injury in UK manufacturing.

[details of the outputs from these studies are to be found under Publications, together where appropriate with the names of collaborators]

Biography

Theo Nichols was formerly Professor of Sociology at Bristol University and has been Distinguished Research Professor in the Cardiff School of Social Sciences since 2000.  He has spent much of his teaching career supervising postgraduate research students, most especially from Turkey and China.

A member of the School of Social Sciences Management Board, he is also a Member of the Management Committee of the Seafarers$acirc;   International Research Centre (SIRC) and of the Cardiff Work and Environment Research Centre (CWERC) and Chair of the School$acirc;  s Health and Safety Committee.

Professional memberships

A former editor of Work, Employment and Society, he is also a former President Sociology and Social Policy Section, British Association for the Advancement of Science.  He is a member of the Policy Committee, Industrial Relations Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia, and Chair Advisory Committee, China Labour Studies Centre, Beijing Normal University, China.   He is currently a Member of the ESRC International Advisory Committee.