Emma Uprichard (Reader)

Academic profile

I am a Reader at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies, working at the methodological frontier of complex social systems 鈥� how we research, model, and govern a world of interwoven crises across time and space. My research bridges qualitative, quantitative, computational, and mathematical methods, and feeds directly into UK and international policy.

I joined Warwick and CIM in August 2012 having previously held posts at Goldsmiths, University of London (2011-2012); University of York (2007-2010); Durham University (2004-2006).

National advisory and policy roles

Member, Department for Education Serious Violence Research and Analysis Expert Advisory Group (2018鈥损谤别蝉别苍迟)
Member, National Statistician's Data Ethics Advisory Committee, UK Statistics Authority (2017鈥�2023)
Alan Turing Ethics Group (2018-2023)
Fellow, Alan Turing Institute (2018鈥�2023)
Invited Panel, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology 鈥� Big Data and Governance (2014)

Editorial and disciplinary leadership

Co-Editor, Routledge book series Complexity in the Social Sciences, with David Byrne (11 titles, 2017鈥損resent)
Co-Editor, International Journal of Social Research Methodology (2017鈥�2019); continuing Editorial Board member
Editorial Board, Complexity, Governance and Networks (2018鈥损谤别蝉别苍迟)
Convenor, British Sociological Association Methodological Innovations stream (2014鈥�2017)

Prospective students: I am interested to hear from talented PhD students across disciplines in the following areas:

Complexity theory and its application to social systems;
Theories and methods of/for time, temporality and change;
Methods and data - qualitative, computational, AI and big data - how they've changed and what they might mean for complex policy and evaluation;
Childhood, food, chronic illness, cities and urban systems.
Complex realism, i.e. complexity and critical realism

I value intellectual curiosity and rigour. If your interests overlap with mine, even partially, please do reach out.

Research

Subject area

Selected key roles:

2018-present: Member of the Department for Education鈥檚 (DfE) Serious Violence Research and Analysis Expert Advisory Group (EAG).

2018-23 - developing data science methods for complex government policy and evaluation.

2017-23: Member of the UK Statistics Authority's .

2020-21: I led the Data Science initiatives across the University, now known as Warwick DataLink opens in a new window.

2017-19: Co-editor of the I am still a Board member of the journal.

2018-present: Editorial board member for .

2016-23: Co-Investigator, - the 'Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus鈥� (led by Prof. Nigel Gilbert), which pioneers, tests and promotes innovative policy complex evaluation approaches across UK government departments. This national research centre is funded and supported by the ESRC, Dept. of Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Dept. for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Environment Agency (EA), and Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Previously, I led the 神马福利影片's Nuffield/ESRC/HEFCE Q-Step bid (拢1.3mil) and subsequently set up what is now the , part of a trail-blazing initiative designed to promote a step-change in quantitative social science training in the UK.

Selected Publications

A complete list of my publications can be found on my

Books

Book series co-editor (Routledge) - 11 titles

- with David Byrne (previously also Brian Castellani and Lasse Gerrits)

This interdisciplinary series encourages social scientists to embrace a complex systems approach to studying the social world. Covering a broad range of topics from big data and time, globalization and health, cities and inequality, and methodological applications, to more theoretical or philosophical approaches, this series responds to these challenges of complexity in the social sciences 鈥� with an emphasis on critical dialogue around, and application of these ideas in, a variety of social arenas as well as social policy.

Books

Uprichard, E. (forthcoming, 2027) Time and Method, Routledge.

Uprichard, E. and Martin, S. (Forthcoming, October 2026) , Bristol: Policy Press.

Byrne, D., Callaghan, G. and Uprichard, E. (2025) . Bristol: Policy Press.

Edited books

Lury, C., Fensham, R., Heller-Nicholas, A., Lammes, S., Last, A., Michael, M., Uprichard, E. (eds), (2018) , Oxon: Routledge.
Byrne, D. and Uprichard, E (eds) (2012) .
London: Sage. Four Volume Set:
- Vol. 1: 鈥楲ogic and Classics鈥�;
- Vol. 2: 鈥楿seful Key Texts鈥�;
- Vol. 3: 鈥楥luster Analysis in Practice鈥�;
- Vol. 4: 'Data Mining with Classification

Journals

Byrne, D., Uprichard, E. and Callaghan, G. (2026) Enacting Complexity: Action Research for Socio-Ecological Transformation. Complexity, 1588585.
Bednarowska-Michaiel, Z., & Uprichard, E. (2026) Bringing Interdisciplinary Data Science Education Challenges into the Classroom. Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education, 34(1), 72鈥�87.
Uprichard, E., Edwards, R. and M. Williams (2018) IJSRM鈥檚 100th issue, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 21:1, 1-6, DOI:
Halls, A., Uprichard, E. and Jackson, C. (2018) Changing Girlhoods 鈥� Changing Girl Guiding, The Sociological Review. 66, 1,.
Uprichard, E. and Dawney. L. (2016) , Journal of Mixed Methods Research, Published online before print October 20, 2016, doi: 10.1177/1558689816674650.
Uprichard, E. (2016) Reply to Smith and Atkinson. International Journal of Social Research Methodology. 19(1), pp. 131鈥�136. Special issue: Celebrating 50 years of
Method and Measurement in Sociology.
Moor, L. and Uprichard, E. (2014) 'The Materiality of Method: The Case of the Mass Observation Archive', Sociological Research Online, 19 (3): 10.
Uprichard, E., Nettleton, S. and Chappell, P. (2013) , Appetite, 17: 137-143.
Uprichard, E. (2012) , Sociology, 47 (2): 368-382.
Uprichard, E. (2012) Sociological Review Monograph, Live Research Methods, Back, L. and Puwar, N. (eds), 60 (1): 124-138.
Uprichard, E. (2012) ', International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 16 (1): 1-11.
Uprichard, E. (2012) '', Sociological Review, 59 (2): 93-112.
Uprichard, E., (2011) 'Narratives of the Future: Complexity, time and temporality' in Handbook of Methodological Innovations in the Social Sciences, Williams, M. and Vogt, P. (eds), London: Sage, pp.103-119.
Uprichard E (2010) ' Children & Society. 24(1):3-13.
Uprichard E (2008) Children and Society, 22(4): 303鈥�313.
Byrne, D. and Uprichard, E., (2007) 'Crossing levels: The potential for numerical taxonomy and fuzzy set approaches to studying multi-level longitudinal change', Methodological Innovations Online, 2, 1.
Parker, S., Uprichard, E. and Burrows, R. (2007) ', Information, Communication and Society, 10(6): 902-921.
Uprichard E and Byrne D (2006) 'Representing Complex Places: A Narrative ApproachLink opens in a new window', Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 38(4). 10.1068/a37333

Other

Book chapters

Martin, S. and Uprichard, E. (2025) 'Long covid times: an x/twitter-informed rhythmanalysis of pacing', in D. Lupton (ed), Long COVID and Society, Palgrave, pp. 59-81.
Uprichard, E. (2018) 'Capturing and Composing: Doing the epistemic and the ontic together', in Lury, C. et al. Routledge Handbook of Interdisciplinary Research Methods, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 83-90.
Caves, L., Teixeira de Melo, A., Stepney, S., and Uprichard, E. (2018) 'Time Will Tell: Narrative expressions of time in a complex world' in R. Walsh and S. Stepney (eds) Narrating Complexity,Springer, Chapter 19, pp. 269-284.
Mahnke, M. and Uprichard, E. (2013) '' in K. Reneacute and M. Rasch (eds), Society of the Query Reader: Re-actions on Web Search, Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures, pp. -270.
Byrne, D. and Uprichard, E. (2012) 'Useful Complex Causality', in H. Kinkard (ed),Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Social Science, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 109-129.
Uprichard, E. (2011) 'Narratives of the Future: Complexity, Time and Temporality',Link opens in a new window in Vogt, W. Paul and Williams, Malcolm, (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Innovation in Social Research Methods, London: Sage, pp. 103-119.
Uprichard E. (2009) 'Introducing Cluster Analysis - what can it teach us about the case?' In D. Byrne and C.C. Ragin (eds)The SAGE Handbook of Case-Based Methods, London: Sage, pp.132-143.
Mayhew, E., Uprichard, E., Beresford, B., Ridge, T., & Bradshaw, J. (2004) 'Children and childhood in the United Kingdom', In A. Jensen (ed), Children's welfare in ageing Europe, Trondheim: Norwegian Centre for Child Research, pp. 403鈥�457.

Encyclopedia Entries/Blogs/Policy Reports

Uprichard, E. and Jackson, C. (2017) 'Classification' in George Ritzer (ed) Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, 2nd Edition. Blackwell.
Uprichard, E. and Jackson, C. (2017) 'Data' in B. S. Turner (Ed.) Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory, doi:
Uprichard, E. (2017) Complexity, in B. S. Turner (Ed.) Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory, doi:.
Uprichard, E., Penn, A., Barons, M., Liddon, A. Byrne, D.; Befani, B.; Wilkinson, H.; Smith, J.Q. (2016) Dependency Models. CECAN Evaluation and Policy Practice Note (EPPN) No. 4 for policy analysts and evaluators. https://www.cecan.ac.uk/eppn-no-04-dependency-models/.
Uprichard E (2015) Discover Society. Policy & Politics, 23.
Uprichard, E. (2015) , Philosophy of Data Science. Impact of Social Science blog. London School of Economics.
Uprichard, E. (2014) '', The Chronicle of Higher Education, October 2013.
Uprichard, E. (2013) , Discover Society, Focus, 1.
Hackett, S. and Uprichard, E. (2007) , NSPCC report. https://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/NSPCC-Review.pdf.
Pain, R. Uprichard, E., Warren, J. (2004) Lifemapping: Trajectories of exclusion and young people鈥檚 views on Identification, Referral and Tracking(IRT), Report to County Durham Identification Referral and Tracking Initiative, The University of Durham.
Uprichard E (2002) Class, Space and Community: A Workshop Conference. International Labor and Working-Class History 61. Cambridge University Press: 161鈥�164. DOI: 10.1017/S014754790200011X.

Projects and Grants

NB. *** denotes external awards.
***2021-22: Alan Turing Fellowship. Intergenerational Tempos: Methods for Complex Policy and Data Futures.

***2018-20: Alan Turing Fellowship. Linking and Modelling Tempos for Complex PolicyLink opens in a new window. See the short films, layers of changeLink opens in a new window and rhythmsLink opens in a new window about this work.
***2016-23: Co-I. - Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus. PI: . ESRC. Start Date: 01/03/2016. Project End Date: 01/03/19. Centre funding by ESRC renewed until 2023. 拢3.6mil
***2013-19: PI/Director. Warwick Q-Step Centre. Nuffield/ESRC/HEFCE. 拢1.34mil
***2016-17: Co-I. Understanding the Impact of Outreach on Access to Higher Education. PI: Dr Clare Crawford, funded by the Office of Fair Access (OFFA) with partnership with The Sutton Trust. 拢30,000
2016-17: Co-I. Computing for All - An Interdisciplinary Module Development. PI: Dr J. Kermode. Warwick Institute of Advanced Teaching and Learning, 拢7,103
***2016-17: PI: N of 1 in Social Science? (with Dr Wendy Dyer). NCRM/International Journal of Social Research Methodology. Seminar Competition. 拢1,500
***2015-16: IBM Faculty Award (PI): Big Data and Real Time Analytics: Ethics and Data Linkage. With Dr Maria Liakata and Dr Arne Strauss. $20,000.
***2015: UNDP-CIM: Visualizing Climate Change Adaptation: Using 'Integrated Analytics' To Learn Lessons In Cabo Verde.$70,000. See further details hereLink opens in a new window.
2015-16. PI. Big Data Network, 神马福利影片 Learning and Development Centre, 拢1,000
2015-16: PI. Big Data and Integrated Analytics, 神马福利影片 Research Development Fund. 拢5,500
2015-16 Co-I: Where, When and Why Do Accidents Happen? A Preliminary Study for the Space-time Analysis and Causality Study on Traffic Accidents. (PI: Dr Naru Shiode). 神马福利影片 Research Development Fund. 拢15,900
2015: Women in STEM subjects: Complexity, Big Data and Method (PI), 神马福利影片 ESRC Acceleration Impact Award, and Athena Swan Equality and Diversity. 拢2,250
2014-15: Talking Big Data (PI). 神马福利影片 ESRC Acceleration Impact Award. 拢10,000
***2014-17: ESRC Seminar Series (PI): Complexity and Method in the Social Sciences: An Interdisciplinary ApproachLink opens in a new window, with D. Byrne and B. Castellani, Project Start Date: 15/02/2014 Project End Date: 15/02/2017. 拢30,000.
2013-14: Complexity and Case-Based Methods Research (CCBMR), Funded by: Research Development Fund (RDF 13/14 DA). Project Start Date: 01/08/2013 Project End Date: 31/07/2014, 拢9,700
2013-14 PI: Time-Space Trajectories of Wellbeing and Place: An Interdisciplinary Approach. 神马福利影片 Research Development Fund ((RDF 13-14 SA). Start Date: 01/08/2013 Project End Date: 31/07/2014. 拢11,000.
***2009-2013: ESRC First Grants: Food Matters: A Sociological Case Study of Food and Eating Across The Life Course in York C. 1945 - 2010, 拢138,500
2009. PI. What is Sociology? (With Prof. Colin Campbell), University of York Pump Priming Fund, 拢3,000
2008 PI. Online Quantitative Pedagogy. (with Dr Abbi Hobbs), York Virtual Learning Environment, 拢3,124
2002-05. Network member. Chileren's Welfare. EU Cost A19. 1 of only 2 UK member on the Children's Access to Space and Time group.

Teaching

Modules

At CIM, I usually teach the following modules

IM903 - Complexity in the Social Sciences (currently not running)
IM926 - Research Design, Practice and Ethics
IM952 - Big Data Research: Hype or Revolution?
IM950 - Scaling Data and Societies

My office hours are 3.30pm - 4.30pm on Tuesday and Friday. Please email to book an appointment.

Supervision

Nine completed PhDs to date. In CIM, doctoral supervision is jointly held; I have been joint-lead on six of the nine. Supervision awards: Supervisor of the Year (2008) and Continued Excellence in Supervision (2010), University of York.

Current students

Anton Gumenskiy 鈥� Time as Medium: Adaptation of Russian-speaking Migrants in the UK (expected 2027)
Modupe Adeoye 鈥� Complex Trauma (expected 2027, part-time)

Completed

Andra Sonea (2025) 鈥� National Critical Infrastructure
Lisa Stoltz (2024) 鈥� Visual Research through a Complexity Lens
Han Wen (2022) 鈥� Branding and Everyday Life in China
Nathalie Mezza-Garcia (2020) 鈥� Complex Governance and SeaZones: The Floating Island Project
Paz Saavedra (2020) 鈥� Caring for the Past in Traditional Practices of Care
Jo Trowsdale (2020) 鈥� Art-making as a Site for Education: The Imagineerium Project
Samantha Martin (2017) 鈥� Coeliac Disease: Chronic Illness and Self-Care in the Digital
Ali Afshar Dodson (2014) 鈥� Schelling's Bounded Neighbourhood Model
Naile Berberoglu (2012) 鈥� Children's Childhoods through Television Advertisements in North Cyprus

Public Engagement and Impact

Policy and government. Beyond the advisory roles above, my methodological work has informed UK government evaluation practice through CECAN's Evaluation and Policy Practice Notes (lead author, EPPN No. 4: Dependency Models) and shaped international development practice through the UNDP-funded Visualising Climate Change Adaptation in Cabo Verde project.

Public communication and media

"," The Chronicle of Higher Education (2014)
Making Sense of a Fuzzy World, Special Issue on Women in Science, International Innovation (2015)
"," LSE Impact of Social Science Blog (2015)

Public events

Cheltenham Science Festival 鈥� Big Bad Data Counting and Smart Cities or Silly Cities? (2015)
William Bright Society public lecture, Big Bad Data? 鈥� Glenalmond College (2017)

Project films Two short films from the Alan Turing Fellowship project Linking and Modelling Tempos for Complex Policy: Layers of Change and Rhythms.

Contact details

Email:

E.Uprichard@warwick.ac.uk

Phone:

+44 (0)78554 99829

Mailing address:

Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies

Room B0.07

神马福利影片

CV4 7AL