Personal profile
Overview
Holly Smith is a Research Fellow at the Work and Equalities Institute. Her research interests are in the sociology of work and industrial relations. She has conducted research on independent unions and different forms of worker representation, workplace equalities and inclusion, trade unions and working class education, and trade unions and the foundational economy. Current research includes projects on municipal socialism and trade union activism in local government, and collective action in the creative industries.
Holly is a member of the Work and Equalities Institute, the British Universities Industrial Relations Association, and the Critical Labour Studies network.
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Manchester
Award Date: 24 Jan 2022
Master of Arts, International Labour, Ruskin College Oxford
Award Date: 1 Oct 2014
Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms
- Global inequalities
- Work and Equalities Institute
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Plebs, pedagogy, and praxis: Reflections on research at Ruskin College
Smith, H. & Manborde, I., 26 May 2025, In: Capital & Class. 49, 4Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Radical research perspectives, network and collective: 20 years of CLS
Smith, H., 1 Dec 2025, In: Capital & Class. 49, 4, p. 529 - 535Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial
Open Access -
Research note: Mind the gaps – The problems and politics of bibliographic analysis for comparative industrial relations research on workplace equalities
Smith, H., Connolly, H., Marino, S., Martinez Lucio, M. & Schmid, C., 25 Nov 2025, In: European Journal of Industrial Relations.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Indie unions
Smith, H., 2023, Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management. Johnstone, S., Rodriguez, J. K. & Wilkinson, A. (eds.). Edward ElgarResearch output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary › peer-review
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The Politics of Equality at Work in the UK: Who Sets the Equality Agenda?
Smith, H., Martinez Lucio, M., Marino, S. & Connolly, H., Oct 2023, University of Manchester.Research output: Other contribution
Prizes
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Just Work Doctoral Studentship
Smith, H. (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Outstanding contribution to the MA
Smith, H. (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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The municipal lineages of equality: the new left as innovators of inclusion
Smith, H. (Speaker)
22 Jan 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › Research
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The space between? Being sensitive to the dialectical nature of collective representation in research and writing about trade unions
Smith, H. (Speaker)
3 May 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk › Research
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The Politics of Equality: The Evolving Nature of Equality Agendas at Work in the UK and Europe in a Context of Political Uncertainty – a Bibliographic Scoping Exercise
Smith, H. (Speaker)
22 Jan 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › Research
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“We are not the dirt we clean”: Worker organisation in the outsourced cleaning industry.
Smith, H. (Speaker)
2020Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › Research
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Fragmented work, fragmented unions? Worker organisation in precarious times.
Smith, H. (Speaker)
2018Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › Research
Press/Media
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Labour’s plans for BME equal pay don’t go far enough
Smith, H., Martinez Lucio, M. & Marino, S.
28/02/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
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THE CONVERSATION: Strikes: how do they work?
22/11/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert comment
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THE CONVERSATION:Rail strikes: words used to describe unions misrepresent the truth about how they work
23/06/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert comment