Research Projects

Prof David S. Byrne, Director of Postgraduate Studies

Contact Prof David S. Byrne

Biography

Attended University of Newcastle and LSE before teaching at Durham 1970-74. Research Director North Tyneside Community Development Project 1974-77. Reader in Sociology Ulster Polytechnic 1977-80. Since at University of Durham. National positions have included Treasurer Social Policy Association, Treasurer Joint Universities' Council for Social and Public Administration, Chief Examiner for Sociology studentships ESRC. Editor of Sociology. Member ESRC College of Assessors, Member ESRC Research Training Board, Academician - Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences.

Research Groups

• Sociology and Social Policy

Research Projects

• Comparative analysis of local strategies to tackle health inequalities.

Research Interests

• Case based methods
• Complexity theory
• Postindustrial social structures
• Privatization of welfare systems
• Quantitative methods
• Urban systems

Selected Publications

Books: authored

• Byrne, D. (2011). Applying Social Science: The role of Social research in politics, policy and practice. The Policy Press.
• Byrne, D. (2005). Social Exclusion. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
• Byrne, D. (2002). Interpreting Quantitative Data. London: Sage.
• Byrne, D. (2001). Understanding the Urban. Palgrave (Macmillan).
• Byrne.D. (1998). Complexity Theory and the Social Sciences. Routledge.
• Byrne, D. (1989). Beyond the Inner City. Open University Press.

Books: edited

• Byrne, D, & Uprichard, E. (2012). Cluster Analysis. Four-Volume Set. Sage.
• Byrne, D. & Ragin, Charles C. (2009). The SAGE handbook of case-based methods. London: Sage.
• Byrne, D. (2008). Social Exclusion - Critical Concepts in Sociology. Four-Volume Set. London: Routledge.

Books: sections

• Byrne, D. (2011). What is an effect? Coming at Causality Backwards. In The SAGE Handbook of Innovation in Social Research Methods. Williams, M., & Vogt, W.P. London: Sage. 80-94.
• Byrne, D. (2010). Comparison, Diversity and Complexity. In Complexity, Difference and Identity. Cilliers, P. & Preiser, R. Springer. 61-78.
• Byrne, D. (2009). Complex Realist and Configurational Approaches to Cases: A Radical Synthesis. In The SAGE Handbook of Case-Based Methods. Byrne, D. & Ragin, C. Sage.
• Byrne, D. (2009). INTRODUCTION: Case-Based Methods: Why We Need Them; What They Are; How to Do Them. In The SAGE Handbook of Case-Based Methods. Byrne, D. & Ragin, C. Sage. 1-10.
• Byrne, D. (2009). Using Cluster Analysis, Qualitative Comparative Analysis and NVivo in Relation to the Establishment of Causal Configurations with Pre-existing Large N Datasets: Machining Hermeneutics. In The SAGE Handbook of Case-Based Methods. Byrne, D. & Ragin, C. Sage. 260-268.
• Byrne, D. (2006). Exploring Organizational Effectiveness: The Value of Complex Realism as a Frame of Reference and Systematic Comparison as a Method. In Complexity and Management. Maguire, S., Allen, P., & McKelvey, B. Sage Publication Ltd. London.
• Byrne, D. (2004). Complex and Contingent Causation - The Implications of Complex Realism for Quantitive Modelling The Case of Housing and Health. In Making Realism Work: Realist Social Theory and Empirical Research. Carter, B. & New, C. London: Routledge. 50-66.
• Byrne, D. (2004). Evidence based? What constitutes valid evidence?. In Governing medicine: theory and practice. Gray, A. & Harrison, S. Buckingham: Open University Press. 81-92.
• Byrne, D. (1995). Complex and Contingent Causation - the implications of complex realism for quantitative modelling - the case of housing and health. In Doing Research. Carter, B. & New, C. Routledge.

Journal papers: academic

• Byrne, D. (2012). Getting up - Staying Up? - Exploring Trajectories in Household Incomes Between 1992 and 2006. Sociological Research Online 17(2): 8.
• Byrne, D. (2012). UK Sociology and Quantitative Methods: Are We as Weak as They Think? Or Are They Barking up the Wrong Tree?. Sociology 46(1): 13-24.
• Blackman, T., Wistow, J. & Byrne, D. (2011). A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Factors Associated with Narrowing Health Inequalities in England. Social Science & Medicine 72(12): 1965–1974.
• Griffiths, F., Borkan, J., Byrne, D., Crabtree, B.F., Dowrick, C., Gunn, J., Kokanovic, R., Lamb, S., Lindenmeyer, A., Parchman, M., Reis, S. & Sturt, J. (2010). Developing Evidence for How to Tailor Medical Interventions for the Individual Patient. Qualitative Health Research 20(12): 1629-1641.
• Byrne, D. & Yang, K. (2008). Conceptual & statistical problems in exploring the relationship among volume, outcome & context in relation to the organisation of secondary & tertiary health provision: An issue of causal inference in non-experimental research. Radical Statistics 96.
• Uprichard, E., Burrows, R. & Byrne, D. (2008). SPSS as an inscription device: From causality to description. Sociological Review 56(4): 606-622.
• Byrne, D. (2008). The oversubsidized periphery - who benefits?. Radical Statistics 97(2): 1-11.
• Byrne, D. (2006). Class, Culture and Identity: A reflection on absences against presences. Sociology 39: 807-816.
• Uprichard, E. & Byrne, D. (2006). Representing Complex Places: A Narrative Approach. Environment and Planning A 38(4): 665-676.
• Byrne, D. (2006). Theory, Role of (in measurement). Encyclopedia of Social Measurement III.
• Byrne, D.S. (2005). Complexity, Configuration and Cases. Theory, Culture & Society 22(5): 95-111.
• Byrne, D., ed, Sykes R & et al (2002). Devolution in England - coping with postindustrial industrial regions - issues of territorial inquality. Social Policy Review 37-58.
• Byrne D (2002). Platonic Forehand versus Aristotelian Smash - the use of computers as macroscopes in knowing the social world. International Journal of Social Research Methodology 5(1): 61-69.
• Byrne, D. (2001). What is Complexity Science? Thinking as a realist about measurement and cities and arguing for natural history. Emergence (US) 3(1): 61-76.

Reports: technical

• Blackman, T., Wistow, J. & Byrne, D. (2011). Towards a new understanding of how local action can effectively address health inequalities. National Institute for Health Research.
• Blackman, T., Byrne, D. & Wistow, J (2010). Variations between Spearhead areas in progress with tackling health inequalities in England. Durham University, Wolfson Research Institute.

Show all publications

Related Links

• ‘Crossing levels: The potential for numerical taxonomy and fuzzy set approaches to study multi-level longitudinal change’ (with Uprichard) Methodological Innovations Online 2 1 2007
• David Byrne and Sally Ruane The Rich Pay Less : Compass Thinkpiece 22
• Sally Ruane and David Byrne: THe Case for Hospital Reconfiguration - NOT PROVEN

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

• Health & welfare services: health & social class
• Health & welfare services: social change
• Health & welfare services: poverty
• Museums: regional heritage
• Social Policy: Family, youth, race & gender issues: family, youth, race & gender issues
• Social Policy: Employment & development issues: urban & regional development
• Social Policy: Employment & development issues: North-East region
• Social Policy: Employment & development issues: economic & social change
• Social Policy: Employment & development issues: urban regeneration
• Social Policy: Employment & development issues: single regeneration budget
• Social Policy: Employment & development issues: quangos
• Regional Economy: regional economy
• Regional Heritage: regional heritage

Grants Awarded

• 2004: Focusing on the Case in Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Supervises

• Ms Anne Jenkins
• Miss Lynn Anderson
• Mr Jon-Fernando Carey
• Miss Maeve Blackman
• Miss Janet Lawrence
• Mrs Rawan Nuseibeh