Mr Karl Johnson (BSc (Hons), MRes) is a Lecturer in the Psychology, Sociology and Education Division. He is also joint Programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) Sociology degree.
- Overview
- Research Interests
- Research Publications
- Teaching & Learning
I’ve been at ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø in one capacity or another since 2009 – having completed my Undergraduate and Masters degrees here – and am now a lecturer and Programme Leader for our undergraduate degree in Public Sociology.
Along the way I’ve also previously had roles as the Academic Disabled Student Coordinator for the Division of Psychology & Sociology (as it was then called), the WISeR (Widening Student Participation and Retention) Coordinator for the School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management (ASSaM), and a QAA Enhancement Themes Project Officer. I was ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø’s academic link in coordinating with Edinburgh-based organisation Children in Scotland, on their 2019 conference ‘Biting back: Transforming food experiences for Scotland's children’.
During this time, I have sat on ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø’s WISeR Board, Outcome Agreement Data Group, Student Experience Committee, QAA Enhancement Theme Institutional Team, and the ASSaM School Academic Board.
A large part of my focus to date has been in relation to widening access to, and participation in, higher education in Scotland. Among various projects, I contributed to the following:
- 2017 Academic Trip to Ca’ Foscari University, for Widening Participation students
- ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø’s Contextualised Admissions Policy
- S6 Transitions Course
Outside of the university I’ve acted as a special consultant on social affairs for the 13th (2018) and 14th (forthcoming) editions of the Collins English Dictionary, focussing on definitions relating to gender and sexuality.
I’m writing a non-fiction pocketbook (or ‘Inkling’) for award-winning independent publisher 404 Ink, due out in November 2022. Entitled ‘The Loki Variations: The Man, The Myth, The Mischief’, it explores some of the many interpretations of Norse God Loki in contemporary popular culture, via social science.
My sociological interests are eclectic – ranging from the theoretical to the local to the cultural application of social science. I’m always interested to hear about some of the ‘stranger’ or more niche areas of social research.
Active Research Interests:
- Shetland – particularly social and political issues, and .
- Widening access to, and participation in, Scottish higher education – particularly student dialogue, , , inclusion, .
- Cultural sociology – particularly subcultures and fandoms, and using .
- Sociological fiction.
- Mental health in academia and higher education, and .
- Public Sociology and academic activism.
I have contributed to and coordinated several modules across different iterations of our degree programmes. Mainly I tend to teach on areas around introductory classic and contemporary social theory; research philosophy, reflexivity, and design; public and engaged sociology; theories and research on material culture; higher education; contemporary issues; Scotland and Shetland.
