Dr Sandra Roper

Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Sciences (BA Childhood and Youth Studies)

Sandra Roper

I have been teaching in higher education in the social sciences for many years including several years as an Associate Lecturer within Applied Social Studies at the 亚色视频. I joined the department on a permanent basis in July 2017.

My doctoral research, undertaken at the Open University, was a feminist informed narrative-discursive exploration of step-mothering and identity.

I am, myself, a biological mother, a stepmother and have also been a foster carer and these experiences have informed my interest in children, families, and parenting in all their many forms.

I am the Course Co-ordinator for the BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies.

Qualifications

  • PhD Psychology 鈥 Open University
  • MBA 鈥 University of Durham
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology (First Class) 鈥 University of Northampton

Teaching Expertise

I have taught on many units across both the Undergraduate and Post Graduate portfolios particularly focused on the following areas:

  • Child Welfare
  • Sociology of childhood
  • The diversity of childhoods and families
  • Child Development
  • Qualitative research methods
  • Participative research with children and young people
  • Q Methodology

Research Interests

  • Families
  • Parenting
  • Identity (including digital identities)
  • Looked-after children

Projects

  • I am part of the Networking Families Research Group. We are currently working on a Journal Special Issue and a paper on Mothering during Covid. We have recently been awarded funding for a project researching 鈥楽upporting children鈥檚 mental health through familial online relationships鈥. Work on this began in June 2021.

Publications

  • Roper, S., and Capdevila, R. (2020). Hapless, helpless, hopeless: An analysis of stepmothers鈥 talk about their (male) partners.听Feminism & Psychology.
  • Lazard, L., Capdevila, R., Dann, C., Locke, A. and Roper, S., (2019) Sharenting: Pride, affect and the day鈥恡o鈥恉ay politics of digital mothering.听Social and Personality Psychology Compass,听13(4), p.e12443.
  • Roper, S. (2017). Different childhoods: Re-imagining development through the lifecourse in conversation with Lindsay O鈥橠ell.听Psychology of Women Section Review,听19 (1). 63-68.
  • Roper, S.,听., Lazard, L. & Roberts, A. (2015). How is this feminist again? Q as a feminist methodology.听Psychology of Women Section Review, 17. 3鈥12.
  • Book review of Stephanie Taylor and Karen Littleton,听Contemporary identities of creativity and creative work.听Feminism & Psychology February 2016 26: 116-118, first published on July 3, 2015 doi:10.1177/0959353515591912
  • Roper, S. (2011) Seminar Review: Studying the Psychosocial.听Qualitative Methods in Psychology Section Bulletin. 12. 39-40.
  • Roper, S. & Capdevila, R. (2010). 鈥榃e are a real family鈥: A Q methodological study on the experiences of stepmothers.听Radical Psychology,听9 (2).听

Contact Details

T: 01582 743214

E: sandra.roper@beds.ac.uk

telephone

University switchboard
During office hours
(Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00)
+44 (0)1234 400 400

Outside office hours
(Campus Watch)
+44 (0)1582 74 39 89

email

Admissions
admission@beds.ac.uk

International office
international@beds.ac.uk

Student support
sid@beds.ac.uk

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