• University of Edinburgh
• School of Social and Political Studies

Staff Profiles

• Quick Links
• Login
• Search

Qualifications

BA (Southampton), MA (Essex), DPhil (Oxford), PCertUT (Edinburgh)

Biographical statement

My research interests include the labour market, social inequality, quantitative and comparative research methods. I am an associate researcher with CRFR. I serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Social Policy. I am also on the AQMeN Edinburgh Steering Group.

I am currently co-investigator on ESRC research grant "A Blended Learning Course in Quantitative Methods for UK Sociology, Social Policy and Political Science Undergraduates" (2012-2013). I was (2009-2011) co-investigator on ESRC research grant "Welfare Markets and Personal Risk Management in England and Scotland", with colleagues Jochen Clasen (PI) and Traute Meyer (CI). With Paul Norris, I hosted (2011) Knowledge Exchange Fellow Keith Dryburgh from Citizens Advice Scotland. I held an ESRC postdoctoral fellowship (2006-7) examining the intergenerational contributions to child care across Europe under the “Understanding Population Trends and Processes” initiative. I studied for my DPhil in Sociology (2002-2005) at Nuffield College, University of Oxford with Richard Breen as my supervisor. Before this I was at the European University Institute in Florence (2001-2002).

Between March-December 2005 I was the research officer responsible for the data collection and data analysis of a DfES funded longitudinal study of basic skills teachers. This study was based at NRDC (National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy) within the Bedford Group at the Institute of Education, University of London. I have acted as a consultant to the Bank of Ireland (advising on statistical process control). I have also worked at the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex as a senior data processing assistant on the British Household Panel Study (1998-2001).

Teaching  

I am the Programme Director of the MSc Social Research.

I convene and lecture in Social Policy and Society, Doing Survey Research and Social Inequality and the Lifecourse. I have previously taught on Intermediate Inferential Statistics, Comparative Analysis of Social and Public Policies; Family Policies in Comparative Perspective; Social and Political Enquiry; Narrative, Text and Discourse and Welfare, Justice and the State. 

Office hours (semester time only): Mondays 3-5pm or by appointment (alison.koslowski@ed.ac.uk).

Current PhD Students

Helen Graham, "The effect of work-life balance policies on the division of paid work and care in couples with children", ESRC funded.

Hayley Bennett, "Supporting long-term unemployed people in the context of the new ‘welfare market’", ESRC CASE studentship.

Stephen Hinchliffe, "Collaboration between co-resident parents", ESRC CASE studentship.

Tania Wood, "Social and neighbourhood differences in parents' use of personal networks and statutory services ", ESRC funded.

Marc Grau, "The benefits of multiple roles for working fathers: Evidence from Catalonia".

Hannah Zagel, "The dynamics of single motherhood, social policy and women's labour market attachment trajectories in Germany and the UK", University of Edinburgh & DAAD funded.

Caitlin McLean, "The role of institutions in women's employment patterns in the UK and the US", University of Edinburgh funded.

Sarah Rogers, ESRC Funded

Alzbeta Bartova, ESRC Funded

Completed PhD Students

Martin Pullinger, "The greenhouse gas emissions from different working patterns within households: A study of the UK and the Netherlands and implications for Work-Life Balance policy", ERSC funded. 

Valeria Skafida, "Habit of a lifetime? Babies diets and family life in Scotland", ESRC CASE studentship. 

Publications

Journal Articles 

Smith Koslowski, A. (2011), "Working Fathers in Europe: Earning and Caring", European Sociological Review, 27 (2): 230-245.

De Coulon, A. and Koslowski, A. (2010), "Teenage Learners and Teachers' Job Satisfaction in Vocational Education", Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 2 (1): 1-20.

Smith, A. J. and Williams, D. (2007), "Father Friendly Legislation And Paternal Time Across Western Europe" Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, 9 (3): 175-192.

Published Monograph 

Smith Koslowski, A. (2008), Who Cares? European fathers and the time they spend looking after their children, VDM Verlag: SaarbrÜcken. 

Book Chapters 

Smith Koslowski, A. (2009) “Grandparents and the care of their grandchildren” pp.171-190 in Stillwell, J., Coast, E. and Keele, D. (eds.), Fertility, Living Arrangements and Care: Understanding Population Trends and Processes, Springer: Dordrecht.  

Smith, A. J. (2008), "Working Fathers as Providers and Carers: Towards a New Conceptualisation of Fatherhood", in Social Policy Review 20, Chapter 14, Policy Press. 

Other Publications 

Koslowski, A. (2011), "Margaret Thatcher" and "UK", in M. Zeiss Stange and C. K. Oyster (General Editors), Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

Eichhorst, W., Konle-Seidl, R., Koslowski, A. and Marx, P. (2010) “Quantity over Quality? A European Comparison of the Changing Nature of Transitions between Non-Employment and Employment”, IZA (Institute for the Study of Labor) Discussion Paper, no. 5285. IZA: Bonn.

Smith Koslowski, A. (2010), "European Union", in A. O'Reilly (General Editor), Encyclopedia of Motherhood, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

Koslowski, A. (2009), "Helping fathers stay at home is key to equality", p. 102 in J. Clacke (editor) Britain in 2010, ESRC: Swindon.

Smith, A. J. (2005), "Longitudinal Research", Reflect, 4: 37.

Smith, A. J. (2004), "Who Cares? European Fathers and the Time They Spend Looking After Children", University of Oxford Sociology Working Papers: 2004-05. 

Research Briefings 

Smith Koslowski, A. (2008) "Who Cares? European fathers and the time they spend looking after their children" UPTAP Research Findings. 

Smith, A. J. (2007) "Working Fathers in Europe: Earning and Caring?", CRFR Research Briefing, 30.

Book Reviews

Smith Koslowski, A. (2009), Book Review: T. Meyer. P. Bridgen, and B. RiedmÜller (eds), Private Pensions versus Social Inclusion? Non-State Provision for Citizens at Risk in Europe. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2007, Journal of European Social Policy, 19: 185-186.

Smith, A. J. (2007), “Book Review: Poverty An International Glossary”, European Journal of Social Security, 9 (3): 293-4.

Smith, A. J. (2005), "Research Review: Adult Literacy and Numeracy Interventions and Outcomes: A Review of Controlled Trials", Literacy and Numeracy Studies, 14 (2): 104-6.

PhD in Social Policy; PhD in Sociology