Sivamohan Valluvan
Valluvan joined Warwick Sociology in 2018, having previously worked at the University of Manchester. His MSc and ESRC funded PhD study, the latter awarded in June 2014, was also based at Manchester Sociology. Previously, he attained a BA in Political Science from the University of Stockholm.
Drawing upon postcolonial, cultural studies, and Marxist traditions, Valluvan has written widely on debates as pertaining to racism, nationalism, convivial multiculture and sociality.
Valluvan's ongoing writing focuses on the rejuvenated role of nationalism in global politics, addressing these themes through an emphasis on ideology, class formation, reconstituted economic geographies, and wider debates on communitarianism, populism and the political culture of late capitalism. Many of these concerns culminated in the widely-reviewed 2019 monograph, The Clamour of Nationalism Link opens in a new window(Manchester University Press). This was complemented by a British Academy funded research project aimed at critically unpacking and challenging recent invocations of a ‘Left Behind’ in much public analysis. His follow-up book, written with Amit Singh, explores via the public culture of pubs the enduring sociality that serves as a meaningful escape from nationalist closure.
Valluvan has also served on the editorial boards for the journals Citizenship Studies, Ethnic and Racial Studies, and Sociological Review, as well as the Board of Directors for Commonword, a Manchester (UK) based organisation aimed at cultivating the talents and profile of creative writers from underrepresented backgrounds.
Select Publications
- Book: Valluvan, S. and Singh, A. (2026) Pubs for the People, Manchester University Press
- Book: Valluvan, S. (2019) The Clamour of NationalismLink opens in a new window, Manchester University Press
- Book: Valluvan, S. and Kalra, V. (eds.) (2020) Racial Nationalisms, Routledge
- Valluvan, S., Altinors, G., Chacko, P., Davidson, M., Kazharski, A. and Chenchen Zhang (2026) 'The Uses and Abuses of the Anti-Colonial in Global Reactionary Politics', International Political Sociology.
- Valluvan, S., Singh, A. and Kneale, J. (2024) 'A Pub for England: Race and Class in the Time of the NationLink opens in a new window', European Journal of Cultural Studies.
- Valluvan, S. (2024) 'Fighting Identity and Enchanting Culture: Reflections on Working-Class ConvivialityLink opens in a new window', Identities
- Valluvan, S. and Kapoor, N.(2023) 'Sociology after the PostcolonialLink opens in a new window', British Journal of Sociology.
- Valluvan, S. (2022) 'Cosmopolitanism in the 'provinces'', Soundings.
- Valluvan, S. and James, M. (2020) 'Coronavirus Conjuncture: Nationalism and Pandemic StatesLink opens in a new window', Sociology.
- Valluvan, S. (2021) 'Racist Apologism and the Refuge of NationLink opens in a new window', Ethnic and Racial Studies.
- Valluvan, S. and Kalra, V. (2019) 'Racial Nationalisms: Brexit, Borders and Little Englander ContradictionsLink opens in a new window', Ethnic and Racial Studies.
- Valluvan, S. (2019) ‘The Uses and Abuses of Class: Left nationalism and the denial of working class multiculture’Link opens in a new window, Sociological Review.
- Valluvan, S., Ashe, S. and Rhodes, J. (2019) Reframing the 'Left Behind': Race and Class in Post-Brexit Oldham, British Academy Report.
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Valluvan, S. and James, M. (2018) ‘Left Problems, Nationalism and the Crisis’, Salvage, 6.
- Valluvan, S. (2017) ‘Racial Entanglements and Sociological Confusions: Repudiating the Rehabilitation of Integration’, British Journal of Sociology.
- Valluvan, S. (2017) ‘Defining and Challenging New Nationalism’, Progressive Review.
- Valluvan, S. (2016) ‘What is Post-Race and What does it Reveal about Contemporary Racisms?’, Ethnic and Racial Studies.
- Valluvan, S. (2016) ‘Conviviality and Multiculture: A Post-Integration Sociology of Multi-ethnic Life’, YOUNG.
- Valluvan, S., and Kapoor, N. (2016), ‘Notes on Theorizing Racism and Other Things’, Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Media Publications
- Valluvan, S. and Singh, A. (2025) 'The man doesn't actually like beerLink opens in a new window', RenewalLink opens in a new window, September 18
- Valluvan, S., Balani, S. and James, M. (2023) Exit, Consoled by a Bear, Sociological Review Magazine, April 4
- Valluvan, S. and Sealey-Huggins, L. (2022) The Rise of Nationalism: Lessons from EuropeLink opens in a new window, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies Report.
- Valluvan, S. (2021) 'Nationalist Discontents and the Husk of BritainLink opens in a new window', Discover Society New Series, 1:2.
- Valluvan, S. (2020) 'Nationalism after Coronavirus', Salvage, 8.
- Valluvan, S. and James, M. (2019) 'Nationalism, the Mob and Left Dreams', Renewal, 27:4.
- Valluvan, S. and Penny, E. (2018) 'The New Undesirables', Red Pepper, October 20
- Valluvan, S. and James, M. (2018) 'Coming Home', Red Pepper, July 16
- Valluvan, S. (2017) ‘Defining New Nationalism’, Sociological Review Blog Series, June 7
- Valluvan, S. (2017) ‘New Nationalism and Old Ideologies’, Bath Institute of Policy Research (IPR) Policy Briefing, April 7
- James, M. and Valluvan. S. (2014) ‘Higher Education: A Market for Racism?’, [online] darkmatter, April 25
- Valluvan, S. (2011) ‘Behind the Manchester Riots: ‘They are Saying We Have Nothing’’, [online] The Guardian, September 6
Recordings
- Interview on Clamour of Nationalism with 'Surviving Society', 2020 – Podcast
- Interview on Clamour of Nationalism with 'Politics Theory Other', 2019 – Podcast
- Interview on Clamour of Nationalism with 'Aston UniversityLink opens in a new window', 2022 - Podcast
- Interview on Clamour of Nationalism with 'Cultural Studies', 2024 - Podcast
- Clamour of Nationalism seminars, 2020-2021: University of Leeds, University of GlasgowLink opens in a new window, GoldsmithsLink opens in a new window, University of Cambridge, Loughborough UniversityLink opens in a new window – YouTube
- The Stuart Hall Naples Lectures, with Biz, Bill Schwarz and Anna Minton, on Thatcherism and English Culture/the City, 2026 - Resonance FM
- 'Resisting Nationalism' conversation series at Housmans Bookshop (London) with Gargi Bhattacharyya, Kojo KoramLink opens in a new window and Richard SeymourLink opens in a new window, 2024 - YouTube
- Conversation with Sita Balani and Lisa Tilley, 'Race and myth-making', The World Transformed (TWT)Link opens in a new window, 2023 - YouTube
- 'The Queen, Class and Conservatism' with Jason Arday and Jo Littler, Surviving Society, 2023 - Podcast
- Debate with Tariq Modood, Nationalism and Multiculturalism, Keynote for Association of the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism (ASEN), Loughborough, 2023 - YouTube
- 'Social Scientists Against the Hostile Environment Webinar', 2021 'Racism, Nationalism and Patriotism in Brexit BritainLink opens in a new window' – YouTube
- 'Holberg Award Symposium' (Bergen, Norway), 2019 'The long march of racial nationalism: Left complicities and convivial marginsLink opens in a new window' – YouTube
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‘Undisciplining’ Conference (Sociological Review), 2018: ‘Response’ to Annual Lecture – YouTube
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‘After Multiculturalism’ Conference (Birkbeck, University of London), 2018, ‘The Denial of Working-class Multiculture’ – Podcast