A New Sociology for a New Century: Transforming the Relations between Sociology and Neuroscience through a Study of Mental Life and The City

Duration: 09/13 – 08/15

Urban environments play a major role in shaping neurobiological outcomes. A New Sociology for a New Century: Transforming the Relations between Sociology and Neuroscience, through a Study of Mental Life and The City focuses on ‘urbanicity’ – the connections between the social and neurobiological context of urban residents – to explore the impacts of city life on mental health in particular.

A key aspect of the project is to revive the historical relationship between sociology and neurobiology. Besides investigative research, workshops will bring together sociologists and neurologists to support a shared dialogue and the creation of a protocol to guide future research on urban wellbeing that draws on both disciplines.

The results will provide academics, policy makers and service providers working on research and service delivery with an improved understanding of the relationship between urban environments and mental illness, leading to significant social, economic and health benefits.

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Nikolas Rose (Principal Investigator, Professor of Sociology)
Ilina Singh (Professor of Science, Ethics and Society)

Research on the social and neurological life of urban citizens, with particular attention to mental health.

Promotion of cross-collaboration between neuroscientists and sociologists through two workshops, encouraging the development of a shared protocol for future research on urban wellbeing that combines insights from both disciplines.

The neurosocial city

The metropolis and mental health: are big cities making us sick?