DR. SABRI BIN SULAIMAN

Dr. Sabri Sulaiman is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Administration and Justice with a minor in Anthropology and Sociology, a Master’s in Social Intervention, and a PhD in Social Services, all from UM. His Master’s thesis examined Social Deprivation and the Social Well-being of Malaysian Children.  His doctoral research contributed to the development of a Community-Based Social Care Model to protect the rights and improve the social well-being of street-connected children. Dr Sabri has collaborated with and consulted for ministries, government agencies, and international partners. Apart from research and teaching, he's also now a consultant for the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN). His applied research and advisory roles extend to civil society and international organisations, reflecting his commitment to linking research with advocacy and policy reform.

Dr Sabri Sulaiman is a sociologist whose scholarship is grounded in analysing how social structures, institutions, and power relations shape human experiences, inequalities, well-being, and life trajectories across the life course and across world regions. His work spans the sociology of children and families, global and comparative sociology with a strong Global South–Global North orientation, alongside the sociology of disability, sociology of ageing, sociology of labour, sociology of population health and well-being, sociology of violence, sociology of care, and the sociology of governance. His research is deeply informed by national and global sociological perspectives, examining how globalisation, transnational policies, international norms, and cross-national institutions shape national systems, local realities, human behaviour, social and human development, and population health and well-being. Drawing on sociological theory and applied, comparative, and empirical approaches, Dr Sabri investigates the social construction of childhood and family life; demographic and structural transformations; disability rights and inclusion; ageing and long-term care; labour stratification; and the social determinants of health and well-being. He also analyses interpersonal, structural, and institutional violence across the life course—including child maltreatment, gender-based violence, and elder abuse situating these issues within broader global, political, and socio-economic systems. A key feature of his sociological contribution is the development of sociological indicators, measurement tools, and analytical frameworks that capture well-being, quality of life, inequality, deprivation, and social protection across diverse cultural and national contexts. Through his commitment to applied sociology and sociology of governance, Dr Sabri translates sociological evidence into actionable, evidence-based interventions and policy recommendations, supporting governments, organisations, and institutions to strengthen social protection, improve governance systems, social and human development, and enhance population health and well-being. He is actively engaged in national and international research, consultancy, and supervision (Master's & PhD) in the following areas:

• Sociology of Children and Families: Social construction of childhood; family transformations; intergenerational relations; caregiving systems; child and family health and well-being, inequality, deprivation, and protection; institutional influences on children; Global South–Global North comparisons.
• Global and Comparative Sociology: Globalisation, global society, social well-being and health, global violence, international institutions, global inequalities, transnational policy diffusion, welfare system, migration, digital and cultural transformations, labour market, and the impact of global forces on social structures and lived experiences across society 
• Applied Sociology: Application of sociological theory and methods to real-world issues; programme and policy design; evaluation of social systems; development of sociological indicators, measurement tools, and analytical frameworks across education, health, labour, disability, and community sectors.
• Sociology of Population Health and Well-Being: Social determinants of health; structural and behavioural risks; mental health; health inequalities; socio-cultural socioeconomic status, labour conditions, family dynamics, education, social support networks,  cultural context and policy influences affect health and well-being across the life course—from childhood to ageing, social class, gender, and race 
• Sociology of Disability: Rights and inclusion; structural barriers; stigma; inclusive education; disability and labour markets; social protection; comparative disability policy.
• Sociology of Ageing: Demographic transitions; long-term care; active ageing; ageing-in-place; comparative ageing policy in East Asia, Europe, and ASEAN; governance of ageing societies.
• Sociology of Governance: Institutional and policy systems shaping vulnerability, social rights, protection, and accountability; analysis of national action plans, legislative systems, and multi-level governance.
• Sociology of Violence: Interpersonal, structural, institutional, and political violence; violence against children; gender-based violence; elder abuse; state violence; comparative violence governance and resilience.
• Sociology of Labour: Labour markets; employment structures; forced labour; precarity; workplace inequalities; global socio-economic transformations shaping identity, stratification, and well-being.
• Life Course Sociology: Adverse and positive childhood experiences (ACEs); trajectories of health, behaviour, and social outcomes across the life course.
• Sociology of Inclusive and Special Education: Education inequalities; social mobility; structural barriers to equitable learning; inclusion policies.
• Sociology of Care: Care economy; long-term care systems; community-based care for children, youth, older adults, and persons with disabilities; social class, race, and demographic change.

He is currently leading several major research initiatives, including A Study on Risk Behaviours in At-Risk Adolescents in Malaysia and Creating Inclusive Digital Education for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia. He is also the author of forthcoming books, namely the Community-Based Social Care Model in Protecting Street-Connected Children in Malaysia. He has also published a book titled "Deprivasi Sosial Kanak-kanak Malaysia", which examines the status of social deprivation and the social well-being of Malaysian children from their own perspectives, as well as intervention and policy strategies to reduce social deprivation and enhance their overall well-being. Dr. Sabri’s work is internationally recognised. He is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the United Kingdom (ASEASUK), the Social Policy Association, the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), the Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW), and the International Sociological Association (ISA). He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, contributed to edited volumes, and presented at numerous international conferences. Dr. Sabri welcomes collaborative opportunities with scholars, practitioners, and institutions committed to advancing justice, equity, and social care systems that leave no one behind.