On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are delighted to announce that BSA members have elected Professor Les Back as our next Vice President.

Les is Head of Sociology in the School of Social & Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow having previously been the Director of the Centre for Urban and Community Research at Goldsmiths, University of London.

On hearing he’d been elected, Les said:

“This is a wonderful surprise. I have always wanted to support the BSA and feel grateful to sociology for providing me with an intellectual home in the wintery 1980s. I am really humbled by this.”

We look forward to welcoming Les to his new position within the Association.  Beginning his term as Vice President in January 2025, he will spend the year working alongside Rachel Brooks, before stepping into the role of President in 2026.  He will serve as an Honorary Adviser to the Board of Trustees, play a central part in the Annual Conference, and, alongside the President, represent the Association on matters affecting the discipline of sociology.

During this period of significant change in UK Higher Education, Les’s expertise, dedication, and passion will be crucial in supporting the BSA’s mission to promote and defend our discipline.