Dr Catherine Coveney

PhD in Science and Technology Studies, MA in Social Research Methods, BSc in Genetics

  • Senior Lecturer in Sociology

Catherine is a medical sociologist with expertise in social and ethical aspects of medicine and health care. She has particular research interests medical technology and women’s health. Catherine is a co-convener of the British Sociological Association Medical Sociology Group (2019 – 2021) and a member of the School’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee.

Catherine has been a lecturer in Sociology at Loughborough since 2018. Before this she worked as a research fellow in the Centre for Reproduction Research at De Montfort University (2017-8), the Centre for Global Health Policy at the University of Sussex (2014-7), the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick (2010-2014) and the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy at the University of Nottingham (2009 -2010).

Catherine's research interests fall at the intersection between medical sociology, Science and Technology Studies (STS) and bioethics, focusing on the sociological and ethical aspects of health and biomedicine. In particular, her research explores the meanings and uses of biomedical technologies in different realms of social life. She has expertise in qualitative research with health service providers and patients/ users and experience of conducting research in partnership with third sector organisations.
 
Her current research focuses on women’s health and wellbeing, and she has developing research interests in the sociology of feeding and disability. Catherine is an honorary research fellow at the Centre for Reproduction Research at De Montfort University affiliated to the ESRC funded project “Egg-donation in the UK, Belgium and Spain: An interdisciplinary study” (ES/N010604/1, value £429,324).
 
Her previous research has focused on a range of different health/care technologies, looking at the moral meanings of medicines in everyday life, the sociology of human enhancement, the medicalization and pharmaceuticalisation of sleep, the domestication of digital self-tracking technologies in health practices, the use of telephone helplines in the delivery of emotional support, the ethics of using novel experimental biological therapies in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in the world of elite sport, the uses of alternative medicine and the commodification and commercialization of biological material in the emerging bioeconomy.
  • SSC022 Health, the Body and Culture
  • SSC024 Gender, Sex and Society
  • SSB010 Social Theories
  • SSA001 Identities and Inequalities
  • SSA002 Global, Social and Cultural Change

Catherine welcomes PhD students, particularly in sociology of health and medicine.

Current postgraduate research students:

  • Moreton, Christie (2019-) "Digital media use among women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Intersections of health, gender identity and new technology" (ESRC 1+3 funded). With P. Saukko
  • Taylor, Chantelle (2020 -) “Sharing the Narrative: Exploring how women’s past experiences of mental health problems following childbirth can help those currently suffering with perinatal mental health issues. (ESRC 1 +3 funded). With L. Nyhagen.