Project Team

Sarah Neal is a Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield. Sarah's key areas of research are: everyday social life in urban and rural environments; ethnicity, multiculture, race and migration; community, belonging and place; leisure practices, inequalities and urban and rural greenspace; education, citizenship and school worlds and the politics of Brexit and identity. Sarah primarily focuses on people's experiences and perspectives of social life and the places they live in and she uses qualitative research methods to listen to these. Her most recent publication is More than just good friends? Rethinking neighbours in contexts of urban multiculture.

Rana Aytug is a Research Associate in the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield.  Rana’s research interests span across the interdisciplinary field of urban studies, engaging with themes around urban diversity, socio-spatial inequalities, creative placemaking, and inclusive urban planning.  Coming from a spatial planning and architecture background, Rana is interested in bridging research, practice and policy to contribute to shaping socially inclusive and sustainable spaces.

Andres Sierra is a PhD student in the Department of Sociological Studies. He started studying this program in 2021 and previously worked as a Program Researcher at the Centre for Demographic, Urban and Environmental Studies of The College of Mexico. He has been part of research teams and projects at The College of Mexico and The National Autonomous University of Mexico. His research interests gather around environmental justice struggles in urban settings, focusing on everyday life, place attachment, social relationships, and (re)makings of community.

Clare Rishbeth is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on migration histories and the experiential qualities of place, developing a landscape specific contribution within a broad field of literature encompassing belonging and isolation, conviviality and racism and transnational connections. Her previous and current research projects focus on the design and management of Inclusive Public Spaces and on diverse nature connections, and spans young people’s activism, the social life of benches, and #refugeeswelcome in parks. A relevant recent publication is Urban Nature and Transcultural Lives.

Keith D. Parry is Head of Department in the Department of Sport and Event Management at Bournemouth University and an Adjunct Fellow of Western Sydney University. His research interests are primarily focused on identity, sport and in/exclusion and how both traditional and newer, online media formats are used to present and discuss these subjects. He is positioned at the intersection of sports organisations and sport consumers, frequently using a variety of online/netnographic methods to examine the influence of media formats on the latter and the ability for consumers to shape discussions related to sport. His recent research has focussed on media coverage and framing of a variety of topics such as LGBT inclusivity, women’s football, concussion in association football and rugby, and racism.

Bonnie Pang is Associate Professor (Department for Health) at University of Bath. Her research focuses on the health and embodied experiences of Chinese diasporas alongside contemporary issues in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is an author of two books: Understanding Diversity, Differences and Social Justice in Physical Education: Enduring challenges and possible direction in a translocated world (2022) and Interpreting the Chinese Diaspora: Socialisation, Identity and Resilience According to Pierre Bourdieu (2019), both with Routledge Publisher. She is an editorial member of Sport, Education, and Society, a recipient of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship, and AIESEP young scholar award, and an Adjunct Fellow of the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University.