Sara Arber

Professor BSc (LSE), MSc (London), PhD (Surrey), AcSS, FBA
Department of Sociology, University of Surrey,
Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK

Tel: 01483 686973
Fax: 01483 689551
email: s.arber@surrey.ac.uk
Room: 34 AD 03

SARA ARBER has been Professor of Sociology since 1994 and is Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender (CRAG). She was Head of the School of Human Sciences (2001-2004) and Head of the Sociology Department (1996-2002). She joined the Sociology Department in 1974, following postgraduate work at the Population Studies Center, University of Michigan. Sara has remained at Surrey throughout her career apart from spending a year on study leave (1979-80) in India and Australia. She was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Australian National University (January to March 2005), during which she gave 12 invited presentations in Australia and New Zealand.

Teaching
Sara's recent teaching has been in the area of gender and ageing, and on survey research methodology to undergraduates and M.Sc in Social Research Methods students. She previously taught final year options in Gender and Society and in Sociology of Health and Illness. She supervises twelve doctoral students in the fields of health, ageing, gender and sociology of sleep, including some students conducting secondary analysis of national datasets.

Research
Sara's research focuses on gender and class inequalities in health, ageing and later life and on sociology of sleep. She is currently PI on SomnIA, Sleep in Ageing, a multi-disciplinary New Dynamics of Ageing collaborative research programme (2006-2010), and is joint PI (with Debra Skene, SBMS) on an EU funded Marie Curie Research Training Network to train European doctoral and post-doctoral researchers in the Sociology of Sleep (2005-2009).

Sara has recently completed research for the ESRC on 'Negotiating Sleep among Couples' and on 'Older Men'; for the Nuffield Foundation on late life decision-making about life prolongation techniques; for the Health Development Agency on social support, social capital and health, and on older people and falls; for the US National Institute of Aging on a comparative US/UK study of clinical decision-making for older patients; for the EU on a comparative study of 'Sleep in Ageing Women' and a cross-national study of 'Gender, food and later life'; and for Anchor Homes to evaluate their refurbishment and rebuild programme in residential homes.

Much of Sara's research uses secondary analysis of government datasets, including the General Household Survey, and the Health Survey of England. She has conducted comparative research on inequalities in health, comparing Britain with Scandinavia in collaboration with Professor Eero Lahelma from Helsinki. She recently edited a special issue of Social Science and Medicine on 'Social and economic patterning of women's health in a changing world' (2002, vol. 4, no. 5) with Myriam Khlat, INID, Paris, a Monograph of Current Sociology on 'Gender, Ageing and Power: Changing Dynamics across Western Societies' (2007, vol.55, no.2), and a special issue of Sociological Research Online (12,5) on 'Sleep Across the Lifecourse'.

Professor Arber is frequently invited to speak at international meetings, including Canada, USA, Latvia, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Brazil and Belgium since 2005. Her book Connecting Gender and Ageing (co-authored with Jay Ginn) won the 1996 Age Concern prize for the best book on ageing.

Research Groups: Age, Generations and Everyday Life and Sociology of Sleep

Professional Activities
Sara Arber was President of the British Sociological Association (1999-2001) and is currently a Vice President. She is President of the International Sociological Association Research Committee on Sociology of Aging (RC-11) (2006-2010) and was organiser of the ISA RC-11 Inter-Congress Conference on 'Ageing Societies and Ageing Sociology', 7-9 September 2004. She was Vice President of the European Sociological Association (2005-2007) and played a key role in organising the ESA conference in Glasgow, 3-6 September 2007. Sara is an elected Academician of the Social Sciences, and a Fellow of the British Academy.. Sara was a consultant on the ONS/ESRC Review of Social Classifications and sits on various advisory committees. She chaired the Sociology Editorial Board (1992-95) and was Treasurer of the British Sociological Association (1988-90). She is a member of the ESRC Research Grants Board (2008-), and was a member of the Social Affairs Committee of ESRC (1984-87), and the S W Surrey District Health Authority (1981-90). She acted as Consultant to the US National Institutes of Health on Inequalities in Health (1993-95), and Adviser to the WHO on gender and ageing (1999-2001).

Sara is currently External Examiner for the MA in Research Methods, University of Nottingham (2005- ).

Selected Publications

Books
S. Arber, K. Davidson, J. Ginn (eds) (2003), Gender and Ageing: Changing Roles and Relationships, Buckingham: Open University Press.

L. Easterbrook, K Horton, S Arber and K Davidson (2001) International Review of Interventions in Falls among Older People, London: Department of Trade and Industry, pp 86.

S. Arber and C Attias-Donfut (2000) The Myth of Generational Conflict: State and Family in Ageing Societies, London: Routledge.

H. Cooper, J. Ginn, and S. Arber (1999) Health-related Behaviour and Attitudes of Older People: A secondary analysis of National Data Sets, London: Health Education Authority.

H. Cooper, S. Arber, L. Fee, J. Ginn (1999) The Influences of Social Capital and Social Support on Health, London: Health Education Authority.

J. Ginn, S. Arber and H. Cooper (1997) Researching Older Peoples Health Needs and Health Promotion Issues, London: Health Education Authority.

S. Arber and J. Ginn (eds) (1995) Connecting Gender and Ageing: A Sociological Approach, Buckingham: Open University Press.

S. Arber and M. Evandrou (eds) (1993) Ageing, Independence and the Life Course, London: Jessica Kingsley.

C. Marsh and S. Arber (eds) (1992) Families and Households: Divisions and Change, London: Macmillan.

S. Arber and G. N. Gilbert (eds) (1992) Women and Working Lives: Divisions and Change, London:Macmillan.

S. Arber and J. Ginn (1991) Gender and Later Life: A Sociological Analysis of Resources and Constraints, London: Sage.

A. Dale, S. Arber, M. Procter (1988) Doing Secondary Analysis, Unwin Hyman.

Editor of Special Issues of Journals
S. Arber, L. Anderssen and A. Hoff (editors) (2007), Special Issue of Current Sociology, on 'Gender, Ageing and Power: Changing Dynamics across Western Societies', 55(2): 147-312, Monograph 1.

S. Arber, J. Hislop and S. Williams (editors) (2007) Special Issue of Sociological Research Online on 'Gender, Sleep and the Life Course: A Sociological Approach', 12(5), http://www.socresonline.org.uk/12/5/19.html.

S. Arber and M Khlat (Editors) (2002) Special Issue of Social Science and Medicine, 'Social and economic patterning of women's health in a changing world'. Vol 54, No. 5, pp 643-848.

Selected Journal Articles
S. Arber, M. Bote and R. Meadows (Forthcoming 2008) 'Gender and socio-economic patterning of self-reported sleep problems in Britain', Social Science and Medicine.

S. Arber,T. Vandrevala, T. Daly and S. Hampson (2008), 'Understanding gender differences in older people's attitudes towards life-prolonging medical technologies', Journal of Aging Studies, 22(4), pp 366-375.

S. Venn, S. Arber, R. Meadows and J. Hislop (2008) 'The fourth Shift: Exploring the gendered nature of sleep disruption in couples with children', British Journal of Sociology, 59(1): 79-90.

R. Meadows, S. Arber, S.Venn, and J. Hislop (2008) Unruly bodies and couples' sleep Body & Society 14:4

R. Meadows, J. Hislop, S. Venn, and S. Arber (2008) 'Engaging with sleep: male definitions, understandings and attitudes', Sociology of Health and Illness, 30(5): 696-710.

D. Garnett, T. Vandrevala, S. Hampson, T. Daly and S. Arber (2008) 'Family members’ perspectives on potential discussions about life prolongation for their older relatives' Mortality, 13(1), pp 65-81.

A. Adams, C.D. Buckingham, A. Lindenmeyer, J.B. McKinlay, C. Link, L. Marceau, L. and S. Arber, (2008) 'The influence of patient and doctor gender on diagnosing coronary heart disease', Sociology of Health and Illness, 30(1), pp 1-18.

S. Arber, M. Bote, J. Hislop and R. Meadows (2007) 'Family roles and women's sleep in mid and later life: A quantitative approach', Sociological Research Online, 12(5) http://www.socresonline.org.uk/12/5/3.html.

E. Bianchera and S. Arber (2007) 'Caring and sleep disruption among women in Italy', Sociological Research Online, 12(5), http://www.socresonline.org.uk/12/5/4.html .

A. Adams, C.D. Buckingham, S. Arber, J.B. McKinlay, L. Marceau and C. Link (2006) 'The influence of patient's age on clinical decision-making about coronary heart disease in the USA and the UK', Ageing and Society, 26, 303-321.

T. Vandrevala, S.E. Hampson, T. Daly, S. Arber and H. Thomas (2006) 'Dilemmas in decision-making about resuscitation - a focus group study of older people', Social Science and Medicine, 62, 1579-1593.

J.B. McKinlay, C. Link, S. Arber, L. Marceau, A. O’Donnell, and A. Adams. (2006) ‘How do different countries manage the same patient? Results of a factorial experiment’, Health Services Research, 41(6), 2182-2200.

S. Arber, J. McKinlay, A. Adams, L. Marceau, C. Link and A. O'Donnell (2006) 'Patient characteristics and inequalities in doctors' diagnostic and management strategies relating to CHD: A video-simulation experiment', Social Science and Medicine, 62(1), 103-115.

J. Hislop, S. Arber, R. Meadows and S. Venn (2005) 'Narratives of the Night: the Use of Audio Diaries in Researching Sleep', Sociological Research Online, 10(4), http://www.socresonline.org.uk/10/4/hislop.html

R. Meadows, S. Venn, J. Hislop, N. Stanley and S. Arber (2005) 'Investigating couples' sleep: an evaluation of actigraphic analysis techniques', Journal of Sleep Research, 14(4), 377-386.

K. Perren, S. Arber and K. Davidson (2004) 'Neighbouring in later life: The influence of socio-economic resources, gender and household composition on neighbourly relaitonships', Sociology 38(5), 965-984.

S Arber, J McKinlay, A Adams, L Marceau, C Link and A O'Donnell (2004) ‘How patient characteristics influence doctors' questioning and lifestyle advice: A UK/US video experiment', British Journal of General Practice , Vol 54, 673-8.

S. Arber (2004) 'Gender, marital status and ageing: Linking material, health and social resources'. Journal of Aging Studies 18(1):91-108.

K. Davidson, T. Daly and S. Arber (2003) ‘Older men, social integration and organisational activities' Social Policy and Society . 2(2): 81-89 .

J. Hislop and S. Arber (2003) Understanding Women's Sleep management: Beyond Medicalisation-Healthisation?, Sociology of Health and Illness, 25(7): 815-837.

J Hislop and S.Arber (2003) ‘Sleepers wake! The gendered nature of sleep disruption among mid-life women'' Sociology, 37 (4): 695-711.

K. Horton and S. Arber (2004) 'Gender and the negotiation between older people and their carers in the prevention of falls', Ageing and Society, 24(1): 75-94.

J Ginn and S Arber (2002) 'Degrees of freedom: Can graduate women avoid the motherhood gap in pensions?' Sociological Research Online, 7(2). http://www.socresonline.org.uk/7/2/ginn_arber.html.

E Lahelma, S Arber, K Kivela and E Roos (2002) 'Multiple roles and health among British and Finnish women: the bearing of socio-economic circumstances' Social Science and Medicine. 54(5): 727-740.

M Phillips, S Arber and J Ginn (2001) 'Physical activity among men and women in midlife: Variations by class and employment status', Education and Ageing.16(2): 135-16.

J Ginn and S Arber (2001) 'Pension prospects of minority ethnic groups: Inequalities by gender and ethnicity' British Journal of Sociology, 52(3): 519-539.S.

Arber and H. Cooper (1999) Gender Differences in Health in Later Life: the new paradox? Social Sciences and Medicine, 48(1):61-76.

S Arber (1997) Comparing inequalities in womens and mens health: Britain in the 1990s, Social Science and Medicine, 44(6): 773-787.

S Arber (1996) Integrating nonemployment into research on health inequalities, International Journal of Health Services, 26(3): 445-481.

S Arber and J Ginn (1995) 'Gender differences in informal care, Health and Social Care in the Community, 3: 19-31.

S Arber and J Ginn (1995) 'Women and Ageing'. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 4(4): 93-102

S Arber and J Ginn (1995) 'The Mirage of Gender Equality: Occupational Success in the Labour Market and within Marriage', British Journal of Sociology, 46(1): 21-43

S Arber and E Lahelma (1993) Inequalities in Womens and Men's Ill-Health: Britain and Finland Compared', Social Science and Medicine, 37 (8): 1055-68

S. Arber and J Ginn (1993) Gender and inequalities in health in later life, Social Science and Medicine, 36(1): 33-46.

Selected Book Chapters
J. Hislop and S. Arber (2006) ‘Sleep, gender and ageing: Temporal perspectives in the mid-to-later life transition’. In T Calasanti and K Slevin (eds) Age Matters: Realigning Feminist Thinking, London: Routledge, p225-246.

S. Arber (2006) 'Gender and Later Life: Change, choice and constraints' in J.A. Vincent, C. Phillipson and M. Downs (eds) The Futures of Old Age, London: Sage.

S. Arber (2005) 'Inequalities in later life: Gender, marital status and health behaviours'. In S. Svallfors (ed.) Analyzing Inequality: Life Chances and Social Mobility in Comparative Perspective, Stanford: Stanford University Press, pp 129-164.

S. Arber (2004) 'Integrating Nonemployment into Research on Health Inequalities'. In N. Krieger (ed.) Embodying Inequality: Epidemiologic Perspective, Amityville, New York: Baywood Publishing Company Inc., 355-391.

S. Arber (2004) 'Gender trajectories: How age and marital status influence patterns of gender inequality in later life'. In S. Olav Daatland and S. Biggs (eds) Ageing and Diversity: Multiple pathways and cultural migrations. Bristol: The Policy Press, 61-76.

S Arber and J Ginn (2004) ‘Ageing and Gender: Diversity and Change. Social Trends 2004 Edition, No. 34 . Edited by C Summerfield and P Baab, Office for National Statistics, London : The Stationery Office, 1-14.

S Arber (2003) 'Gender and generation: Changing pension inequalities over time'. In G Allan and G Jones (eds) Social Relations and the Life Course, Basingstoke, Hants: Macmillan Palgrave, pp 13-30.

H Cooper and S. Arber (2003) 'Ethnicity and inequalities in older women's health'. In F. Poland and G. Boswell (eds) Womens' Minds/Womens' Bodies: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, London: Macmillan

S Arber, K Perren and K Davidson (2002) 'Involvement in social organisations in later life: Variations by Gender and Class' In Lars Andersson (ed) Cultural Gerontology, Westport, Connecticut, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, pp 77-93.

S. Arber and H. Cooper (2000) 'Gender and inequalities in women's health across the life course'. In E. Annandale and K. Hunt (eds) Gender Inequalities in Health, Buckingham: Open University Press.

S. Arber and J. Ginn (1998) Health and illness in later life, in D. Field and S. Taylor (eds) Sociological Perspectives on Health and Illness, Blackwell Scientific.

S Arber (1998) Health, ageing and older women. In L Doyal, L Harrison and P. Charlwood (eds) Women and the National Health Service: A Case for Change?, Buckingham: Open University Press.