Karen Rowlingson
Professor Karen Rowlingson is the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Responsibilities
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences:
- provides strategic leadership for the Faculty and oversees planning relating to research and teaching developments across its departments and institutes
- delivers the Faculty’s contribution to the University’s strategic ambitions
- provides leadership and support for the academic mission of the University
- plays a key role in University-level strategy and planning through the University Executive Board.
Contact us
Karen Rowlingson
karen.rowlingson@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 325801
Jo Spaven
Personal assistant
Making a difference
Karen says: “Higher education has been subject to increasing marketisation and individualisation over the last couple of decades and so it is particularly timely for us to re-focus on the broader purpose of higher education which is to serve the public good.
“Our social science education and research benefits the public in many ways. We make a positive difference to policy, practice and public understanding through our rigorous research. And our students leave us with a critical understanding of societal challenges and then go on to make a positive difference in their lives and careers, whether they work for the public, private or third sectors.”
About Karen Rowlingson
Karen joined York in 2022 from the University of Birmingham, where she was Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Impact and, previously, Deputy Head of the College of Social Sciences.
Social Sciences at York seek to understand societal challenges to achieve social change for public good. That is our core mission.
Professor Karen Rowlingson, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Karen is a social policy researcher focusing on social security and taxation policy within the context of growing poverty, wealth and economic inequality.
Her work is strongly applied and from 2016-2017 she was the Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords Select Committee on financial exclusion. She was Founding Director of CHASM (the Research Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management) in 2010 and remains an Honorary Professor with the Centre.
She has also played a prominent role in supporting social policy as an academic field, both as Chair of the Social Policy Association (2019-2022), and as member of the REF 2021 sub-panel for Social Work and Social Policy (Unit of Assessment 20).
Karen has also played important roles within the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), including as Vice Chair of its Research Committee and Chair of its Grants Delivery Group from 2010 to 2012. She has been a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences since 2013.
In her spare time Karen enjoys playing in the outfield for a women’s all-age Sunday league football team.
View Karen's department profile
Expenses
Below are the travel costs and expenses for Professor Stuart Bell, the previous Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, for the period August 2021 until July 2022.
Stuart Bell Aug 21 - Jul 22 (PDF 
, 518kb)
Below are the travel costs and expenses for Professor Karen Rowlingson, the current Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, for the period August 2022 until July 2023.
K Rowlingson Aug 2022 - Jul 2023 (PDF , 212kb)
Below are the travel costs and expenses for Professor Karen Rowlingson, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, for the period August 2023 until July 2024.
Find out more
Contact us
Karen Rowlingson
karen.rowlingson@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 325801
Jo Spaven
Personal assistant