Dr Katy Wheeler
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Email
katy.wheeler@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 873061
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Location
5A.320, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
In term time: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1-2pm via zoom (https://essex-university.zoom.us/j/93046940208) or in my office, or email for an alternative Out of term: Please email me for an appointment
Profile
Biography
Senior Lecturer in Sociology of Consumption Katy's work deals with the ways ordinary consumers respond to the normative pressures placed upon them to act in sustainable or responsible ways. Katy has researched the Fairtrade movement and recycling in comparative contexts, exploring how these different consumer practices generate distinctive moral economies. There has been a growing interest in the concept of moral economy along with the growing interest in sustainable consumption and markets. Her recent work develops a holistic moral economy framework that explores the interactions and interdependencies between individuals, communities and political-economic structures. She is also exploring the ways young people are educated about sustainability through a British Academy Small Grant, entitled 'Educating young people as sustainable citizen-consumers'. Katy has been an instructor at the Essex Summer School since 2013, offering a course in qualitative interviewing and analysis. She is a Professional Trainer for the qualitative software, MAXQDA. Katy is on the editorial board for the Journal of Cultural Economy and is a convenor for the BSA Climate Change Study Group. Twitter: @KatyMWheeler.
Qualifications
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Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (2016)
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PhD, Sociology (2010)
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MA Sociological Research Methods (2006)
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BA Sociology & Criminology (2004)
Appointments
University of Essex
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Sustainability Officer, Sociology, University of Essex (1/9/2022 - present)
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Undergraduate Director, Sociology, University of Essex (11/1/2021 - 31/8/2022)
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Senior Personal Tutor, University of Essex (4/1/2021 - 31/8/2022)
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Sociology Blended Learning Co-ordinator, Sociology, University of Essex (17/8/2020 - 30/7/2021)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Sociology of consumption and consumer culture
Consumption Work
Ethical consumption and Fairtrade
Recycling and waste management
Moral economy and political economy
Food provisioning
Sustainability and climate change
Theories of practice
Qualitative interviewing and analysis
Current research
'Educating young people as sustainable citizen-consumers' (BA Small Grant)
Katy is currently developing her interests in consumption and moral economies, through exploring the growing number of ethically certified schools (Eco Schools, Fairtrade Schools, MSC Schools) and environmental education programmes. She was awarded a British Academy Small grant in 2017 entitled 'Educating young people as sustainable citizen-consumers'.
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Researching Social Life I (SC101)
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Researching Social Life II (SC203)
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The Current Issues in Social Science (SC340)
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Consumption, political economy and sustainability (SC507)
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Quantitative Research on Social Stratification: Inequalities from Cradle to Grave (SC208)
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Media, Culture and Society (SC106)
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Digital Economy (SC508)
Current supervision
Publications
Journal articles (16)
Wheeler, K., (2022). Applying a Systems of Provision approach: moral economies and consumption work. Consumption and Society. 1 (1), 207-210
Wheeler, K., (2022). Differences between thematic analysis and content analysis: Exploring Environmental and Sustainability Education resources. Sage Research Methods: Cases
Wheeler, K., (2021). Education for Sustainability and Consumer Citizenship. Journal for the Association of Citizenship Teaching (54), 39-42
Hobson, K., Holmes, H., Welch, D., Wheeler, K. and Wieser, H., (2021). Consumption Work in the Circular Economy: a research agenda. Journal of Cleaner Production. 321, 128969-128969
Wheeler, K., (2020). Can Fairtrade Reduce Global Inequality. Sociology Review. 29 (4), 10-14
Wheeler, K., (2019). Moral economies of consumption. Journal of Consumer Culture. 19 (2), 271-288
Wheeler, K., (2018). The Moral Economy of Ready-Made Food. British Journal of Sociology. 69 (4), 1271-1292
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). ‘It's Kind of Saving them a Job isn't it?’ The Consumption Work of Household Recycling. The Sociological Review. 63 (3), 551-569
Wheeler, K., (2015). Review of David Evans 'Food Waste: Home Consumption, Material Culture and Everyday Life'. Cultural Sociology. 9 (4), 586-587
Wheeler, K., (2015). Book Review: Christell Lane, The Cultivation of Taste: Chefs and the Organisation of Fine Dining. Sociology. 49 (3), 600-601
Wheeler, K., (2014). Nice Save: The Moral Economies of Recycling in England and Sweden. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space. 32 (4), 704-720
Goodwin, DM., Cummins, S., Sautkina, E., Ogilvie, D., Petticrew, M., Jones, A., Wheeler, K. and White, M., (2013). The role and status of evidence and innovation in the healthy towns programme in England: a qualitative stakeholder interview study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 67 (1), 106-112
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2013). Economies of Recycling, ‘Consumption Work’ and Divisions of Labour in Sweden and England. Sociological Research Online. 18 (1), 1-14
Wheeler, K., (2012). ‘Change Today, Choose Fairtrade’ Fairtrade Fortnight and the citizen-consumer. Cultural Studies. 26 (4), 492-515
Wheeler, K., (2012). The Practice of Fairtrade Support. Sociology. 46 (1), 126-141
OGILVIE, D., CUMMINS, S., PETTICREW, M., WHITE, M., JONES, A. and WHEELER, K., (2011). Assessing the Evaluability of Complex Public Health Interventions: Five Questions for Researchers, Funders, and Policymakers. The Milbank Quarterly. 89 (2), 206-225
Books (6)
Morgan Brett, B. and Wheeler, K., (2021). How to do Qualitative Interviewing. Sage Publications. 9781526497345
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). Household Recycling and Consumption Work - Social and Moral Economies. Palgrave MacMillan. 9781137440433
Drake, D., Morris, A., Shipman, A. and Wheeler, K., (2015). Investigating the Social World 2. The Open University. 978-1-7800-7956-1
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). Household Recycling and Consumption Work. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 9781349562886
Wheeler, K., (2012). Fair Trade and the Citizen-Consumer: Shopping for Justice?. Palgrave Macmillan. 978-1-137-28367-2
Wheeler, K., (2012). Fair Trade and the Citizen-Consumer. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 9781349337057
Book chapters (9)
Wheeler, K., (2015). Fair trade: Bridging Boundaries?. In: Investigating the Social World 2. Editors: Drake, D., Morris, A., Shipman, A. and Wheeler, K., . The Open University. 978-1-7800-7956-1
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). Comparing Recycling Consumption Work. In: Household Recycling and Consumption Work. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 132- 142. 9781349562886
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). Living Off Tips: Waste and Recycling in Brazil and India. In: Household Recycling and Consumption Work. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 166- 193. 9781349562886
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). The Three Stages of Recycling Consumption Work. In: Household Recycling and Consumption Work. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 104- 131. 9781349562886
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). Environmentally Regimented Rubbish: Recycling Systems in Sweden. In: Household Recycling and Consumption Work. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 56- 78. 9781349562886
Wheeler, K. and Glucksmann, M., (2015). Market and State Heterogeneity: Recycling Systems in England. In: Household Recycling and Consumption Work. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 79- 103. 9781349562886
Wheeler, K., (2012). Conclusion: The Ideology of the Citizen-Consumer. In: Fair Trade and the Citizen-Consumer. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 178- 189. 9781349337057
Wheeler, K., (2012). Introduction: The Rise of the Fair-Trade Citizen-Consumer. In: Fair Trade and the Citizen-Consumer. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 1- 13. 9781349337057
Wheeler, K., (2012). Promoting Fair-Trade. In: Fair Trade and the Citizen-Consumer. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 55- 84. 9781349337057
Reports and Papers (2)
Wheeler, K., (2013). The Largest Environmental Movement: Recycling and Consumption Work in Sweden
Wheeler, K., (2013). The dirty man of Europe? Rubbish, recycling and consumption work in England
Thesis dissertation (1)
Wheeler, K., (2010). 'We're all Fairtrade consumers now!? An exploration of the meanings, moralities and politics of Fairtrade consumption
Other (2)
Wheeler, K., (2021).Education as if People and Planet matter (https://se-ed.co.uk/education-as-if-people-and-planet-matter/)
Wheeler, K., (2019).Is there any point in recycling? (https://theconversation.com/is-there-any-point-in-recycling-109550)
Grants and funding
2021
Embedding Education for Sustainable Development within the Sociology Curriculum and department
University of Essex
2017
Educating young people as sustainable citizen-consumers
The British Academy
Contact
Academic support hours:
In term time: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1-2pm via zoom (https://essex-university.zoom.us/j/93046940208) or in my office, or email for an alternative Out of term: Please email me for an appointment