Department of Sociological Studies

I joined Sheffield's Sociological Studies department in October 2003. Prior to Sheffield, I was a staff member at McDaniel College, USA. I earned my Ph.D. in Communication and Rhetoric from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, USA (degree awarded May 2003). Recently, my research focuses on the role of social networks in a) stakeholders´ learning and behaviour, b) how networks influence stakeholder decisions regarding land management, c) the role of networks in social capital; and d) the evolution of networks and the emergence of social network structures.

Currently, I am leading an ESRC-funded project on the topic of social capital and small-worlds. I am also involved in two successfully funded projects dealing with sustainable uplands management in the Peaks District National Park. Issues of social networks, social capital, sustainability, and social learning are prominent in this project (more details can be found below). I am currently writing a book on social network analysis with SAGE publications, and co-editing a book on social networks and resource management with Cambridge University Press.

Prell, Christina, Klaus Hubacek, Mark Reed (2009) "Stakeholder analysis and social network analysis in natural resource management", Society and Natural Resources, Volume 22, Issue 6, pp. 501-518.

Prell, Christina, John Skvoretz. (2008)."Looking at social capital through triad structures." Connections, Volume 28, Issue 2, pp. 4-16.
http://www.insna.org/PDF/Connections/v28/2008_I-2_P-1-13.pdf

Prell, Christina, Klaus Hubacek, Claire Quinn, Mark Reed (2008). "Who´s in the network? When stakeholders influence data analysis." Special Issue in Systemic Practice And Action Research, Volume 21, Issue 6, pp. 443-458.

Prell, Christina, Klaus Hubacek, Mark Reed, Tim Burt, Joe Holden, Nanlin Jin, Mike Kirby, Claire Quinn, Jan Sendzimir. (2007). "If you have a hammer everything looks like a nail: `traditional´ versus participatory model building." Interdisciplinary Science Review, 32/3, pp. 263-282.

Holden, J., Shotbolt, L., Bonn, A., Burt, T.P., Chapman, P.J., Dougill, A.J., Fraser, E.D.G., Hubacek, K., Irvine, B., Kirkby, M.J., Reed, M.S., Prell, C., Stagl, S., Stringer, L.C., Turner, A., Worrall, F. (2007) "Changing environmental conditions in UK moorlands: a review". Earth Science Reviews, Vol. 82, 75-100

A full list of publications can be downloaded by clicking the link on the right of this page.

At undergraduate level, I teach SCS1008 Introduction to Social Research. At postgraduate level, I teach on the MA in Sociological Research.

Past courses taught at other institutions include Research Methods, Mass Communication, Computer-mediated-communication, Communication Theory, and Writing and Rhetoric.

I am interested in supervising post-graduate students with interests relating to the following:

• The Internet and information technology: relationship between community and IT, the social shaping of information technologies, community networking, computer-mediated-communication

• Social capital: social networks, community, civic culture, social support and well-being

• Social networks and community, sustainability, rural sociology

To find out more about our PhD programmes, go to:

Studying for a PhD in Sociology