Dr Melania Calestani

About

I am an anthropologist with postdoctoral experience in health services research and social sciences. My main teaching and research interests are in qualitative/ethnographic research methods and medical anthropology. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the department lead for research. 

I teach on undergraduate/postgraduate degrees in Midwifery and on the Doctor of Education Programme. I am module leader for Social and Political Context of Birth 2 (2nd year Midwifery) and Knowledge and Practice in Educational Settings (Doctor of Education programme). I also lead the Ways of Knowing thread, which is integrated into all modules to ensure the assimilation of research knowledge and its application to clinical practice. I have been supervising PhD students and Master students (mainly MRes in Clin Research and MSc in Global Health at St George's University) researching different topics. I am also an active member of the Midwifery Tackling Racism Working Group, acting as the chair of the Group in the academic year 2023-2024.  

I have experience of carrying out research in Europe, the UK, Bolivia and Mexico. My main research interests include critical understandings of race and ethnicity, health inequalities and perspectives from critical medical anthropology. Throughout my studies and professional work, I have had a personal and passionate engagement with biosocial research concerning health, disease and well-being and, theoretically, I have engaged with perspectives form critical medical anthropology and epidemiology, linking the macro with the micro level. I am interested in perspectives from the margins, critical theory and social justice. 

Academic responsibilities

Senior Lecturer (Department Lead for Research) Medical Anthropologist

Qualifications

  • PgCert, Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 重口味SM
  • PhD, Anthropology, Goldsmiths (University of London)
  • MRes, Anthropology, Goldsmiths (University of London)
  • MSc, Anthropology and Ecology of Development, UCL (University of London)
  • MSc (3 years + 1) , Geography, University of Genoa (Italy)

Teaching and learning

I teach on undergraduate/postgraduate degrees in Midwifery and on the EdD (Doctor of Education) programme. 

Teaching

Module leader:

-Social and Political Context of Birth 2 (2nd year Midwifery).

-Ways of Knowing Threat (1st, 2nd and 3rd year Midwifery). 

-Knowledge and Practice in Educational Settings (Doctor of Education Programme).

Contribute to:

-Social and Political Context of Birth 1 (1st year Midwifery). 

-Social and Political Context of Birth 3 (3rd year Midwifery).

-Policy Transfer and Analysis (Doctor of Education Programme). 

Qualifications and expertise

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • PgCert, Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 重口味SM

Undergraduate courses taught

Postgraduate courses taught

Research

My work in Bolivia for my PhD (2009) in anthropology has focused on individual and collective definitions of 'the good life', exploring religious and medical pluralism among Aymara people. In the UK, I carried out research on processes of decision-making and person-centred care in the NHS. Most recently, I have conducted critical ethnographic research on spiritual care in hospitals, examining how practices of prayer can be transgressive, affecting power relations and experiences of inclusion/exclusion. My research interests also include critical understandings of race and ethnicity, health inequalities and perspectives from critical medical anthropology. Throughout my studies and professional work, I have had a personal and passionate engagement with biosocial research concerning health, disease and well-being and, theoretically, I have engaged with perspectives form critical medical anthropology and epidemiology, linking the macro with the micro level. I am interested in perspectives from the margins, critical theory and social justice. 

Recent Research Grants

2021 - present Women and birthing people's Experiences of Induction of Labour (CAHSCR First Grant Scheme, Collaborators: Dr Kirstie Coxon and Dr Chao Wang)

Awards

2017 Jim Lewis Prize for the most innovative article in the journal European Urban and Regional Studies: Gregson, N., Crang, M., Botticello, J., Calestani, M. and Krzywoszynska, A. "Doing the 'dirty work' of the green economy: Resource recovery and migrant labour in the EU" in  European Urban and Regional Studies 23.4 (2016): 541-555.

2010 Ashby Prize for the most innovative article in the journal Environment and Planning A: Gregson, N., Watkins, H. and Calestani, M. ‘Inextinguishable Fibres: Demolition and the Vital Materialism of Asbestos' in Environment and Planning A, 2010, Volume 42 (5), pages: 1065-1083.

2009 Best dissertation award granted by the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS)  https://isqols.org/dissertationaward PhD Thesis with fieldwork in Bolivia 

Research student supervision

Main supervision

Other supervision

Publications

Number of items: 46.

Article

Montesi, Laura, and Ortega Zavala, Nadia (2023) Regi贸n y sociedad, 35, e1785. ISSN (online) 2448-4849

Clark, Teresa, and (2023) Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, ISSN (print) 0959-3985 (Epub Ahead of Print)

, Roderick, Paul, Tonkin-Crine, Sarah, Pruthi, Rishi, Ravanan, Rommel and Leydon, Geraldine M. (2023) Health, Risk & Society, ISSN (print) 1369-8575 (Epub Ahead of Print)

(2023) Medicine Anthropology Theory, 10(2), ISSN (online) 2405-691X

Robinson, Anna, , and (2022) International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, ISSN (print) 1368-2822 (Epub Ahead of Print)

Goodman, Anthony and (2022) Safer Communities, 21(1), pp. 1-18. ISSN (print) 1757-8043

Artaraz, Kepa, and Trueba, Mei (2021) Latin American Perspectives, 48(3), pp. 4-16. ISSN (print) 0094-582X

, , , and (2020) JRSM Open, 11(10), ISSN (online) 2054-2704

, , and (2020) Health Policy, 124(5), pp. 525-530. ISSN (print) 0168-8510

[Reviewer] (2019) The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology, 20(1), pp. 105-107. ISSN (print) 1444-2213

Jax, Kurt, , Chan, Kai M.A., Eser, Uta, Keune, Hans, Muraca, Barbara, O'Brien, Liz, Potthast, Thomas, Voget-Kleschin, Lieske and Wittmer, Heidi (2018) Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 35, pp. 22-29. ISSN (print) 1877-3435

, , , Saunders, Mary and West, Peter (2018) Primary Health Care, 28(6), pp. 23-25. ISSN (print) 0264-5033

Pruthi, Rishi, Tonkin-Crine, Sarah, , Leydon, Geraldine, Eyles, Caroline, Oniscu, Gabriel C., Tomson, Charles, Bradley, Andrew, Forsythe, John L., Bradley, Clare, Cairns, John, Dudley, Christopher, Watson, Christopher, Draper, Heather, Johnson, Rachel, Metcalfe, Wendy, Fogarty, Damian, Ravanan, Rommel and Roderick, Paul J. (2018) Transplantation, 102(6), pp. 961-968. ISSN (print) 0041-1337

, , , Saunders, Mary and West, Peter (2018) BMJ Open, 8(6), e021931. ISSN (online) 2044-6055

Tonkin-Crine, Sarah, Pruthi, Rishi, Taylor, Dominic M., Leydon, Geraldine M., , Oniscu, Gabriel C., Bradley, J. Andrew, Tomson, Charles R., Bradley, Claire, Dudley, Christopher, Watson, Christopher J.E., Draper, Heather, Johnson, Rachel J., Metcalfe, Wendy, Fogarty, Damian G., Ravanan, Rommel and Roderick, Paul (2018) Transplantation Direct, 4(5), e343. ISSN (online) 2373-8731

[Reviewer] (2017) Bulletin of Latin American Research, 36(2), pp. 266-267. ISSN (print) 0261-3050

Gregson, Nicky, Crang, Mike, Botticello, Julie, and Krzywoszynska, Anna (2016) European Urban and Regional Studies, 23(4), pp. 541-555. ISSN (print) 0969-7764

Artaraz, Kepa and (2015) Latin American Perspectives, 42(5), pp. 216-233. ISSN (print) 0094-582X

, Tonkin-Crine, Sarah, Pruthi, Rishi, Leydon, Geraldine, Ravanan, Rommel, Bradley, J. Andrew, Tomson, Charles R., Forsythe, John L., Oniscu, Gabriel C., Bradley, Clare, Cairns, John, Dudley, Christopher, Watson, Christopher, Draper, Heather, Johnson, Rachel J., Metcalfe, Wendy, Fogarty, Damian G. and Roderick, Paul (2014) Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 29(11), pp. 2144-2150. ISSN (print) 0931-0509

(2013) Bulletin of Latin American Research, 32(4), pp. 512-513. ISSN (print) 0261-3050

Artaraz, Kepa and (2013) Tabula Rasa, 18, pp. 105-123. ISSN (online) 1794-2489

Pope, Catherine, Halford, Susan, Turnbull, Joanne, Prichard, Jane S., and May, Carl (2013) BMC Health Services Research, 13(111), pp. 1-13. ISSN (online) 1472-6963

Gregson, Nicky, Watkins, Helen and (2013) Economy and Society, 42(1), pp. 1-25. ISSN (print) 0308-5147

(2012) Journal of Youth Studies, 15(4), pp. 541-555. ISSN (print) 1367-6261

Gregson, Nicky, Watkins, Helen and (2010) Environment and Planning A, 42(5), pp. 1065-1083. ISSN (print) 0308-518X

(2009) Applied Research in Quality of Life, 4(1), pp. 47-75. ISSN (print) 1871-2584

(2009) Social Indicators Research, 90(1), pp. 141-153. ISSN (print) 0303-8300

(2009) Critique of Anthropology, 29(4), pp. 471-472. ISSN (print) 0308-275X

(2009) Critique of Anthropology, 29(1), pp. 125-126. ISSN (print) 0308-275X

, Kyriakakis, Ioannis and Tassi, Nico (2007) Anthropology Matters, 9(2), ISSN (print) 1758-6453

Book

Montesi, Laura and Calestani, Melania, eds. (2021) London, U.K. : UCL Press. 275p. (Embodying Inequalities: Perspectives from Medical Anthropology) ISBN 9781800080287

Artaraz, Kepa , Calestani, Melania and Trueba, Mei, eds. (2021) SAGE Publications. (Latin American Perspectives, 48(3)) ISSN (print) 0094-582X

Reimer-Kirkham, Sheryl, , Brown, Rachel and (2020) Montreal, Quebec : McGill-Queen's University Press. 240p. (Advancing Studies in Religion, 9) ISBN 9780228001645

, Hemming, Peter J., Stenson, Kevin, Allum, Nick [Contributor], [Contributor], Goodman, Anthony [Contributor], King, Katherine [Contributor], Kingston, Sarah [Contributor] and Webster, Colin [Contributor] (2013) London, U.K. : Routledge. 240p. ISBN 9780415696708

(2013) Dordrecht, Netherlands : Springer Netherlands. 96p. (SpringerBriefs in Well-Being and Quality of Life Research) ISSN (print) 2211-7644 ISBN 9789400756687

Book Section

Gamlin, Jennie, Gibbon, Sahra and (2021) In: Manderson, Lenore , Burke, Nancy J. and Wahlberg, Ayo, (eds.) Viral Loads : anthropologies of urgency in the time of COVID-19. London, U.K. : UCL Press. pp. 108-127. ISBN 9781800080256

and Montesi, Laura (2020) In: Gamlin, Jennie , Gibbon, Sahra , Sesia, Paola and Berrio, Lina, (eds.) Critical medical anthropology : perspectives in and from Latin America. London, U.K. : UCL Press. pp. 170-192. (Embodying inequalities : perspectives from medical anthropology) ISBN 9781787355828

(2018) In: Paganopoulos, Michelangelo, (ed.) In-between fiction and non-fiction: reflections on the poetics of ethnography in literature and film. Newcastle, U.K. : Cambridge Scholars. pp. 130-143. ISBN 9781527508330

(2014) In: Michalos, Alex C., (ed.) Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research. Dordrecht, Netherlands : Springer Reference. pp. 6285-6289. ISBN 9789400707528

(2012) In: Atkinson, Sarah , Fuller, Sarah and Painter, Joe, (eds.) Wellbeing and place. Farnham, U.K. : Ashgate. pp. 171-183. ISSN (print) 9781409420606

, White, Nereda, Hendricks, Auntie Joan and Scemons, Donna (2012) In: Fowler, Marsha D. , Reimer-Kirkham, Sheryl , Sawatzky, Richard and Johnston-Taylor, Elizabeth, (eds.) Religion, religious ethics, and nursing. New York, U.S.A. : Springer. pp. 267-294. ISBN 9780826106636

Conference or Workshop Item

, and (2023) In: JSWEC 2023: Social Work Education, Research and Practice in Turbulent Times; 15-16 Jun 2023, Glasgow, U.K..

Monograph

, and Littlejohns, P (2017) (Project Report) London, U.K. : Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston Universityand St George's, University of London. 12 p. ISBN 9780995741300 (Unpublished)

Pope, Catherine, Turnbull, Joanne, Halford, Susan, Prichard, Jane, , Salisbury, Chris, May, Carl, Barrett, Christine and Lattimer, Valerie (2011) (Project Report) London, U.K. : National Institute for Health Research. 188 p.

Sound Recording

Scott, Alex [Interviewer], Artaraz, Kepa [Interviewee] and [Interviewee] (2021) (podcast). SAGE Publications. (60 min) (Sage Political Science & International Relations)

Thesis

(2009) (PhD thesis), Goldsmiths College, University of London, .

This list was generated on Sun May 19 06:48:18 2024 BST.

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