Julie Parsons

Teaching interests
My teaching interests are mainly concerned with the Sociology of health and illness, particularly issues to do with health inequalities, gender, the body, motherhood, ethnicity, mental health, food, sexuality, death and dying. I also have a particular interest in qualitative research methods, feminist approaches to research and research as a reflexive and reflective practice and Auto/Biography.
 

Research interests
I am currently registered for a PhD; ‘Food Choice & Identity, exploring the role of food in everyday life histories’. The primary aim is to investigate the relationship between individuals and their food choice using an auto/biographical research approach. It is concerned with exploring changes in eating habits, especially in terms of gendered and emotional relationships with food. This incorporates my interests in feminist approaches to research, auto/biography, life history models, food, eating and the body. My early research interests included; a life history project; in depth interviews of first time mothers and a content analysis of literature on new reproductive technologies.  

Publications
Parsons, J. (2011) Chapter 4: What Constitutes ‘doing’ feminism? Reflecting upon the unpublished auto/biographical work of Peggy Barclay. In Auto/Biography Yearbook, 2010. Sparkes, C. (Ed). Russell Press, Nottingham.

Conference Papers:
Parsons, J. (2011) 'Jamie became famous and food and cooking became trendy [but] Heston is a legend': An exploration of the role of celebrity chefs in individual food auto/biographical accounts'. BSA Auto/Biography Study Group Conference, British Library, London, 16th December.

Parsons, J. (2011) ‘I love bread, but it doesn’t love me, an exploration of emotional and gendered responses to food choice. BSA Medical Sociology Conference, University of Chester 14th – 16th September.

Parsons, J. (2011) Hungry; nourishing hunger and a hunger for love in hidden food histories. XXth BSA Auto/Biography Summer Conference, University of Reading, 7th – 9th July.

Parsons, J. (2011) A Picnic in the Field; negotiating the presentation of the self in researcher/respondent relationships during asynchronous on-line interviews about food – a reflexive and auto/biographical account. Methodological Innovations Conference, Plymouth University, 19th-20th May.

Parsons, J. (2011) ‘From a piece of cake to Rhubarb and Custard’, food choice and identity; investigating food choice using an auto/biographical research approach. Made In Plymouth Event, Plymouth University, 15th April.

Parsons, J. (2010) 'What does a feminist look like? An exploration of inter-generational relationships and a reading of Peggy Barclay’s diaries’ BSA Auto/Biography Study Group One Day Conference, ‘Feminism and Lives’, the British Library, London, 14th December.

Parsons, J. (2010) Poster Presentation: ‘Food fights; a gendered relationship with food’. 2nd BSA Food Study Group Conference, The British Library, London, 5-6 July.

Sheaff, M. & Parsons, J. (2010) Poster Presentation: Equality, values and the ‘other’. ’VC’s 2010 Teaching and Learning Conference, ‘Internationalising Higher Education - Where next?’ Plymouth University, 30th June.

Parsons, J. (2010) ‘Making a Meal of It ’– the medicalisation of everyday eating habits, Joint Faculty of Health and South West Region MedSoc Postgraduate Symposium, Plymouth University, 28th April.

Sheaff, M. & Parsons, J. (2009) ‘Is Sociology Relevant for professional occupations?’ C-SAP (Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics) Conference, Birmingham, November.  

Conferences organised
British Sociological Association Postgraduate Event: Auto/Biographical Approaches to Sociological Research, Plymouth University, 18th February 2011