Susan Durbin

I am a Professor in Human Resource Management and a member of the Centre for Employment Studies Research (CESR) in the Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England. Since being awarded a PhD at the University of Leeds (School of Sociology and Social Policy). I have researched and written on gender and employment, specialising in women who work in male dominated industries. I am an Associate Editor of the journal, Gender, Work and Organisation. My book, Women Who Succeed: strangers in paradise? which explores the careers of senior women in the UK public and private sectors, was published in 2015 by Palgrave Macmillan. I am a founding member of alta, a mentoring scheme for women in aviation and aeerospace, which was launched in 2015 and is based upon a knowledge exchange partnership between UWE, the Royal Aeronautical Society, Airbus and the Royal Air Force and co-funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. I am a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).​​​

Area of expertise The predominant focus of my research is gender inequalities in employment and gendered organization practices, which has involved the analysis of occupations such as front-line service work, senior management, science and engineering. Research projects have included an analysis of the careers of female managers across the public and private sectors in the UK, including career histories and aspirations, mentors and role models as sources of support and networking; the promotional prospects, career mobility, aspirations and networking experiences of female part-time managers; and a comparative study of the educational backgrounds and careers of male and female engineers and scientists. I am also involved in on-going research examining the theoretical links between equality and diversity and networks; and the methodological challenges and policy limitations of an intersectional approach to the analysis of multiple inequalities. I am also interested in the impact of the recession on women, having recently organized a research symposium on the theme of 'gender and austerity' for the Centre for Employment Studies Research at UWE and guest co-editing a special issue of the journal, Gender, Work and Oranization on the theme of gender and austerity. My research record comprises a book, publications in peer-reviewed journals, edited book chapters, commissioned reports and seminar and conference presentations.

I have developed national and international networks with academics and public, private and not-for-profit organisations. I am a member of a number of networks, including Globalisation, Gender and Work Transformation Network (GLOW) an international group, which includes academics from the UK, USA, Japan and Germany; Gender in Management Special Interest Group and the British, European and International Sociological Associations. I am a Board Trustee of Fair Play South West, the gender equality network representing the interests of women in the South West of England. I present my work at both national and international conferences and have co-chaired a number of conference streams. ​

Publications

Durbin, S., Schedlitzki, D., Adelopo, I. and Warren, S. (2018) The value of non-executive directors to small and medium size enterprises,including a gender perspective. Project Report. University of the West of England. [Submitted] Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/35423 ' Durbin, S., Schedlitzki, D., Adelopo, I. and Warren, S. (2018) The value of non-executive directors to small and medium size enterprises, including a gender perspective. Project Report. N/A. [Submitted] Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/35176 ' Durbin, S., Lopes, A. and Warren, S. (2017) Creating change through feminist solidarities: Critical actors building critical mass. In: European Sociological Association Conference, Athens, Athens, Greece, 29 August - 1st September 2017. Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/33009 ' Durbin, S., Page, M. and Walby, S. (2017) Gender equality and 'austerity': Vulnerabilities, resistance and change. Gender Work and Organization, 24 (1). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0968-6673 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/31408 ' Durbin, S., Lopes, A., Neugebauer, J. and Warren, S. (2016) Mentoring for equality: Women activists creating change in the UK aviation and aerospace industry. In: Gender, Work and Organization Conference: Acting for Women and Equalities in Organizations Stream, Keele, England, 6 June 2016. Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/31462 ' Durbin, S. (2015) Women who Succeed: Strangers in Paradise? 1st. London: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137328250 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/28017 ' Lopes, A., Durbin, S., Neugebauer, J. and Warren, S. (2015) Mentoring professional women in aviation and aerospace. CESR Review. Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/25240 ' Durbin, S. and Tomlinson, J. (2014) Female part-time managers: Careers, mentors and role models. Gender, Work and Organization, 21 (4). pp. 308-320. ISSN 0968-6673 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/19377 ' Danford, A., Durbin, S., Richardson, M., Stewart, P. and Tailby, S. (2014) Workplace partnership and professional workers: ‘About as useful as a chocolate teapot’? International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25 (6). pp. 879-894. ISSN 0958-5192 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/27744 ' Durbin, S. (2011) Creating knowledge through networks: a gender perspective. Gender, Work and Organization, 18 (1). pp. 90-112. ISSN 0968-6673 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/12518 ' Durbin, S. (2011) Knowledge creation, call centres and gender: A critical perspective. In: Krings, B.-J., ed. (2011) Brain Drain or Brain Gain: Changes of work in knowledge-based societies. Berlin: Sigma, pp. 241-260. ISBN 9783894049447 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/19380 ' Durbin, S. and Tomlinson, J. (2010) Female part-time managers: Networks and career mobility. Work, Employment and Society, 24 (4). pp. 621-640. ISSN 0950-0170 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/12525 ' Durbin, S. and Conley, H. (2010) Gender, labour process theory and intersectionality: Une Liaison Dangereuse? In: Thompson, P. and Smith, C., eds. (2010) Working Life: Renewing Labour Process Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230222236 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/25974 ' Durbin, S. and Fleetwood, S. (2010) Gendered inequality in employment: Editors introduction. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: an international journal, 29 (3). pp. 221-238. ISSN 2040-7149 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/15966 ' Durbin, S. and Fleetwood, S. (2010) Gender inequality in employment: Editor's introduction. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 29 (3). pp. 221-238. ISSN 2040-7149 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/12532 ' Tomlinson, J. and Durbin, S. (2010) Female part-time managers: Work-life balance, aspirations and career mobility. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 29 (3). pp. 255-270. ISSN 2040-7149 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/12534 ' Durbin, S. and Conley, H. (2010) Gender, intersectionality and labour process theory. In: Thompson, P. and Smith, C., eds. (2010) Working Life: renewing labour process analysis. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 182-204. ISBN 9780230222236 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/12537 ' Durbin, S. (2010) SET Women and Careers: a case study of senior female scientists in the UK. In: Cater-Steel, A. and Cater, E., eds. (2010) Women in Engineering, Science and Technology: education and career challenges. IGI Global, pp. 232-250. ISBN 9781615206575 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/12540 ' Danford, A., Durbin, S. and Richardson, M. (2009) “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows”: Public sector reform and its impact upon climatology scientists in the UK. New Technology Work and Employment, 24 (3). pp. 215-229. ISSN 0268-1072 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/11173 ' Danford, A., Durbin, S. and Richardson, M. (2009) ‘You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.’ Public sector reform and its impact upon climatology scientists in the UK. In: 27th International Labour Process Conference, Edinburgh, 6-8 April 2009. Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/59 ' Danford, A., Durbin, S. and Richardson, M. (2009) You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows: Public sector reform and its impact upon climatology scientists in the UK. New Technology, Work and Employment, 24 (3). pp. 215-229. ISSN 0268-1072 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/28042 ' Danford, A., Durbin, S., Richardson, M., Tailby, S. and Stewart, P. (2009) ”Everybody’s talking at me”: The dynamics of information disclosure and consultation in high-skill workplaces in the UK. Human Resource Management Journal, 19 (4). pp. 337-354. ISSN 0954-5395 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/11171 ' Durbin, S., Lovell, L. and Winters (now Miller), J. (2008) Diversities in an organisational context. Equal Opportunities International, 27 (4). pp. 396-400. ISSN 0261-0159 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/19378 ' Durbin, S. (2007) Who gets to be a knowledge worker? The case of UK call centres. In: Walby, S., Gottfried, H., Gottschall, K. and Osawa, M., eds. (2007) Gendering the Knowledge Economy: Comparative perspectives. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 228-247. ISBN 1403994579 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/19381 ' Durbin, S. (2006) Gender, skills and careers in UK call centres. In: Connell, J. and Burgess, J., eds. (2006) Developments in the Call Centre Industry: Analysis, Changes and Challenges. Routledge, pp. 117-135. ISBN 9780415357029 Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/6330 '