Membership Benefits

Benefits include:

  • BSA Community - The BSA provides opportunities to meet and collaborate with others who share your interest in establishing invaluable networking and career opportunities.  Through conferences and events, a wide range of specialist and study groups, publications and a postgraduate network, the Association enables scholarship and contact between sociologists to flourish.

  • Members Area of the BSA website. This area includes:
    • Free access to BSA Member SAGE Sociology Journal Collection - free access to the full searchable text of over 60 journals published by SAGE and participating societies, encompassing over 45,900 articles and up to 55 years of backfiles.
    • Exclusive access to full-text electronic archives of all BSA journals, Sociology and Work, Employment & Society, Cultural Sociology and Sociological Research Online via SAGE Journals Online.
    • Free member access to the recently launched Cases module of the SAGE Research Methods database, enabling access to over 500 cases, over 300 of which are related to sociology.
    • Free member access to over 1,000 sociology e-books within the SAGE Knowledge e-book platform.
    • Sociology Funding/Grant Opportunities - a comprehensive listing of funding available within the social sciences arena.
    • CV Noticeboard - a forum to advertise your CV to prospective employers.
    • Three issues per year of the BSA's informative magazine, Network.

  • The BSA, in conjunction with SAGE Publications, publishes two internationally renowned journals, Sociology and Work, Employment & Society. Until January 2023, a print-copy subscription to either Sociology or Work, Employment and Society is optional. Members can choose not to receive print-copy journals (online access only) or, alternatively, to receive both journals in print-copy at an additional cost of £42. From January 2023, all BSA members will make the transition to online only journals as the BSA takes action for climate care.

  • BSA members receive a discounted individual print subscription to Cultural Sociology journal.

  • Journal discounts - receive 30% discount on all SAGE books and journals, and 50% discount on selected related journals.

  • BSA members are entitled to discounted registration rates at BSA events, including the BSA Annual Conference, which attracts approximately 700 delegates each year.

  • The BSA Support Fund - low-income members can benefit from financial assistance towards research related expenses and attendance at conferences and study group events.  The BSA Support Fund allocates a number of places for UK Concessionary members to cover the cost of registration for the Annual Conference.

  • Only BSA members are eligible to be nominated for the annual Philip Abrams Memorial Book Prize for the best first and sole authored book within the discipline of Sociology. The winner is presented with a cash prize of £1,000.

  • The BSA operates a network of over 40 Special Interest and Study Groups.  Study Groups focus on major fields of research within the discipline, like Medical Sociology, Religion and Media and Special Interest Groups, such as the Applied Sociology Group, Early Career Forum and the Postgraduate Forum, bring together people who share common experiences and challenges in their academic and professional lives.  Each group provides a professional and social network in which individuals with specialised research, teaching and professional interests can connect and develop their own events to supplement the Annual Conference.

  • Discounted rates on Policy Press journals such as Families, Relationships and Societies, Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, and many more.

  • 4 Elsevier journal discounts for BSA members.  BSA members can now receive a 50%+ discounted rate on subscriptions to the following Elsevier journals:

To purchase a discounted subscription, contact the regional sales office and cite your membership.