Congratulations to Simon Cooper and Yifan Lu, who have been awarded prizes for their performance in the MPhil in Sociology and Demography.
Simon won the A.H. Halsey Prize for ‘Best Thesis', while Yifan won the Prize for 'Best Overall Performance'.
Simon's thesis aims to reconcile limited and conflicting research on the economic lives of queer individuals. Despite some improvements in workplace outcomes, many queer people still face significant economic insecurity.
Using data from Australia and the UK, his dissertation examines where in the employment-to-poverty chain this economic disadvantage occurs. The study seeks to determine whether improvements in certain areas signal better future prospects or if economic insecurity arises from other factors. For instance, will narrowing wage gaps alleviate economic insecurity for queer people, or are other influences more significant?
Simon is excited to continue this work in his PhD studies, stating:
Many people lent me their expertise in completing this project. I am especially grateful to Dr Francesco Rampazzo, who is an excellent mentor; to Professor Richard Breen, who taught me many of the techniques I used; and to Professor Jason Ferguson, who shared an essential reading with me.
It’s a genuine honour to receive this recognition for my work, and I’m looking forward to continuing similar research.
Meanwhile, Yifan's research explores the relationship between digital literacy levels and various health outcomes among older adults.
Specifically, by drawing on data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, his thesis uses a quantitative methodology to address two key research questions. First, what is the causal effect of digital literacy on health outcomes among older adults? Second, whether increased digitalisation has exacerbated the health inequalities between older adults with low and high levels of digital literacy?
After winning the award, Yifan said:
It is a great honour to receive this prize, and I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr José Manuel Aburto, and the many other staff members at the Department of Sociology.
The support and encouragement I received during my MPhil have been truly wonderful. I have greatly benefited from the insightful courses and research opportunities provided by the Department.
Halsey Prizes have been awarded since the Department of Sociology was formed in 1999. Professor Albert Henry Halsey was a central figure in the sociology of education. He joined the University of Oxford as a Fellow at Nuffield College in 1962, and remained a part of the Oxford community for over 50 years.
Focusing on the topics of inequality, social mobility and education, Professor Halsey's impact on the study of sociology and social policy was felt across the University and the academic world.
