Professor Lisa Adkins, the current head of the School of Social and Political Sciences and Deputy Dean of Strategy, has been appointed Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
Adkins will commence the role on 11 October as an “international recruitment” process begins to replace controversial Dean Annamarie Jagose, who will take up the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost.
The appointment comes at a critical time for the future of FASS, with a recent Draft Change Proposal foreshadowing amalgamations, cuts to subjects with fewer than 24 enrolments, and mergers for ‘underperforming’ Honours coursework subjects. As Deputy Dean of Strategy, it is likely that Adkins worked closely on the development of the DCP. Much like her predecessor, Adkins will likely face opposition from staff, students and unions as she tries to bring the DCP to fruition.
Adkins’ academic background is in sociology, and her research interests include “economic sociology, social theory and feminist theory.” She is the author of The Asset Economy and editor of Germaine Greer: Essays on a Feminist Figure.
Before taking up the role as Head of SSPS in 2018, Adkins was the Chair of Sociology at the University of Newcastle, and has previously held positions at Goldsmiths, the University of London, the University of Manchester and the Australian National University.
A spokesperson for the University described Adkins as “an outstanding researcher and an inspirational educator.”