Dharmi Kapadia is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Manchester and Director of the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE). Her research sits at the intersection of ethnicity, racism, health, mental health and ageing, with a particular focus on how structural and institutional racism shape lived experience, use of healthcare and health inequalities across the life course.

Dharmi’s work combines quantitative and mixed-methods approaches, drawing on large-scale surveys, longitudinal data and participatory research. She has played a leading role in the design, delivery and governance of major national datasets, including the creation of the Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS)—a landmark survey documenting the lives of ethnic and religious minority people in Britain during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also Co-Investigator of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). These data resources are widely used by researchers, policymakers and practitioners, and are deposited with the UK Data Service. Her research has been funded by ESRC, The Nuffield Foundation, NHS Race & Health Observatory, NIHR and Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Dharmi has made significant contributions to understanding ethnic inequalities in mental health, stigma, access to mental healthcare, and racial inequalities in later life. Her research consistently centres racism—rather than ‘race’ alone—as a fundamental cause of inequality, and has informed policy, academic and practice debates. Her research has been published extensively in leading international journals such as Social Science & Medicine, Sociology of Health & Illness, BMJ, Ethnic & Racial Studies. PLoS One and British Journal of Psychiatry.

Dharmi has a strong record of knowledge exchange, policy engagement and public scholarship. She has delivered invited lectures and masterclasses for organisations including the NHS Race & Health Observatory, Manchester City Council, Stuart Hall Foundation and the Race Equality Foundation, and has advised government departments, charities and research funders on ethnic inequalities in health, employment and data practices.

Her work regularly reaches public audiences through national media, podcasts and public commentary, including contributions to BBC Radio, Sky News, Channel 4 News, The Guardian, and practitioner-focused blogs and briefings. She is committed to ensuring that research evidence is accessible, accountable and impactful, particularly for communities most affected by inequality.

Racism and its impact on mental illness and mental healthcare

Racism, stigma and mental illness

Ethnic inequalities for older people