Social Theory and Health Education

Social Theory and Health Education brings together health education scholarship with a diverse range of social theories to demonstrate the value and impact of their application to associated health and education contexts.

For the first time, this book draws together cutting-edge research that demonstrates the productive and impactful ways social theory can be applied to the diversity of research in this field. Topics covered include digital health, health education in sexuality, gender and health, food and nutrition, mental health and wellbeing, environment, and alcohol and drug use. In exploring these topics, each author utilises different theorists and concepts to compellingly demonstrate their application to a range of health education research contexts.

This collection provides examples for both students, early career and established scholars that showcase ways that social theory can be utilised in empirical and theoretical research. The collection also highlights how health education scholarship can be enhanced by engaging with social theory. It also explores the viability of various theories for work in this field, and their potential to generate new approaches for research.

Author Biography

Deana Leahy is a Senior Lecturer in Health Education in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Her research draws from interdisciplinary perspectives to critically engage with questions related to the politics and practices of health education, in schools and beyond.

Katie Fitzpatrick is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. Her research and teaching are focused on health education and physical education, as well as critical ethnographic and poetic research methods.

Jan Wright is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Wollongong. Her research draws on feminist and poststructuralist theory to critically engage issues associated with the relationship between embodiment, culture and health.