Researching Contemporary Wellness Cultures

Wellness has become a mainstream concept, yet we have limited sociological understanding of how wellness functions in contemporary Western culture. Researching Contemporary Wellness Cultures is the first collection to bring together scholars examining wellness practices within various sociological sub-disciplines across and in related fields including anthropology, cultural studies, and internet studies.

Investigating the growing field of wellness practices and practitioners, in order to understand the role of wellness practice in negotiations of the Western medical system. Researching Contemporary Wellness Cultures explores the various ways and spaces in which wellness is constructed, produced, circulated and contested, with contributing authors exploring everything from the intersections of wellness movements and far-right conspiracy spaces to the competing discourses at work in popular “What I Eat in a Day” videos on YouTube.

Naomi Smith is a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia. Her research explores emerging technology, place, and bodies.

Clare Southerton is a Lecturer in Digital Technology and Pedagogy at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. She researches how social media platforms and other digital technologies are used for learning and sharing knowledge.

Marianne Clark is an Assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada. Her research explores the intersections between digital and physical cultures as well as socio-cultural perspectives of gender and health.