Solihull College & University Centre lecturer Michelle Kempson has become the co-editor of a new research book. Michelle, who works as a university-level lecturer at the College, teaches on the Social Studies course and also within the Level 3 Access to Higher Education programme.
Michelle has previously obtained her Masters in Culture and Media Analysis before moving on to complete a doctorate, which focused on the Study of Women and Gender. Michelle has taught across a variety of modules within the Sociology department at the University of Warwick as well working as an Early Career Fellow within the Institute of Advanced Study. Now, Michelle concentrates on inspiring and teaching students at Solihull College & University Centre who wish to pursue a career in the Social Studies industry. Michelle has worked at the College for the 3 years, and still has a passion for research; this has led to her new venture of becoming the co-editor of a book.
Michelle’s most recent publication is within the areas of Youth Studies and Feminist Theory, with the book being titled ‘The Subcultural Imagination: theory, research and reflexivity in contemporary youth cultures’.
The publication discusses young adults in subcultures and examines how sociologists use research methods to study them. The book analyses the experiences of young people in different subcultural settings, as well as reflecting on how young people in subcultures interact in the wider context of society, biography and history. In three parts, the book explores: history, biography and subculture; practising reflexivity in the field; and epistemologies, pedagogies and the subcultural subject.
The book has been described as offering cutting edge theory and rich empirical research on social class, gender and ethnicities from both established and new researchers across diverse disciplinary backgrounds. This innovative edited collection will appeal to scholars and students in the areas of sociology, youth studies, media and cultural studies/communication, research methods and ethnography, popular music studies, criminology, politics, social and cultural theory, and gender studies.
Co-editor, Michelle also co-convenes the Solihull Research Forum, and is currently working on a research project in collaboration with several local universities looking at students’ transitions from Further Education to Higher Education.
Solihull College & University Centre prides itself on having staff that have a high level of academic knowledge as well as industry experience within the sector in which they teach. The College encourages its staff to follow their passions within research to produce publications such as Michelle’s. This allows students in both further and higher education, to be taught by lecturers who have knowledge and experience within careers which students may want to pursue.
For more information on the courses available please visit the courses page or call 0121 678 7000.
