Dr Aliki Karapliagkou

Biography

I have a broad range of sociological interests inclusive of social theory, contemporary global movements focusing upon intersectionality, identity and equality issues. I have researched experiences of loss and bereavement in British African Caribbean communities, especially in the South West of England. In this context, I studied historical experiences of dislocation and dispossession, emerging cultures of grief and how inter-generational conceptions and narratives of loss impact upon bereavement experiences. I examine social interactions at the end of life and how these implicate with economic and political structures to create and reinforce marginality, or alternatively resist it, and promote inclusion, social cohesion and resilience. 

Equally, there is an applied element to my approach to sociology. I research end-of-life care from a public health perspective, particularly looking at how communities organise in naturalistic settings and frameworks to look after their vulnerable members and address crises arising from end of life considerations. Within a public health understanding, end-of-life care pertains to much more than the last hours, days or weeks of life. It involves a reorientation towards empathetic relationships adaptive and accommodating of issues that arise from existential threats, care and caring, living with long-term illness, loss and bereavement, and more. A compassionate approach to end-of-life care demonstrates preparedness to deal with crises such as that arising from pandemics and major disasters, and focuses upon social cohesion as a key factor in the promotion of health and wellbeing. 

I moved to Bradford in 2016 to work in the School of Health Studies as Research Fellow. In 2019 I was appointed Lecturer in Sociology in the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences. I recently became Programme Leader of the BA(Hons) in Sociology. I teach core Sociology modules, research methods and The Sociology of Health and Illness.     

Professional activities