Dr Katy Pilcher

Academic qualifications

PhD Sociology, University of Warwick (ESRC funded, currently awaiting VIVA)

MA Social Research (with Distinction), University of Warwick, 2008 (ESRC funded).

BA Sociology (First Class Honours), University of Warwick, 2007.

Profile

I am currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on an ESRC-funded project ‘Photographing Everyday Life – an Exploration of Ageing, Lived Experiences, Space and Time’ with Dr Wendy Martin. This project uses photo diaries to explore the everyday routines of people aged from 50 years and above, and will be completed in June 2013. My background is in Sociology, and my PhD research at the University of Warwick enabled an exploration of my research interests in gender, sexualities, embodiment and visual methods, through an ethnographic exploration of the work practices of erotic dancers and the experiences of women customers who watch their performances. This work is detailed in recent and forthcoming publications including articles in Sexualities, Sociological Research Online, Leisure Studies, and Journal of International Women's Studies. I spent the final year of my doctorate working part-time as a Research Associate in the Department of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Birmingham. I am working with Dr Nicola Smith on a Leverhulme-funded project on the Political Economy of Male and Transgender Sex Work in the UK and The Netherlands. The fieldwork for this research is near completion and we will be publishing the findings in due course.

Research interests

Gender, Sexualities, Visual Methods, Leisure Spaces, Social Geographies, Work and Employment relations, Feminist International Political Economy, Sexual Politics, The Body and Embodiment, Sex Work, Ethnography, Ageing Bodies.

Other external activities

Feminist and Women's Studies Association (FWSA) Executive Committee Member – responsible for the Small Grants Scheme - http://fwsa.wordpress.com/

British Sociological Association member (and member of the ‘Ageing, Body and Society’ Study Group)- http://www.britsoc.co.uk/

Centre for Sex Work Research and Policy UK member - http://cswrpuk.blogspot.co.uk/

Publications

Journal Papers

(2012) Pilcher, K., Performing in a Night-Time Leisure Venue: A Visual Analysis of Erotic Dance, Sociological Research Online: an electronic journal 17 (2) : 19

(2012) Pilcher, K., Dancing for Women: Subverting Heteronormativity in a Lesbian Erotic Dance Space?, Sexualities: Studies in Culture and Society

(2011) Pilcher, K., A 'Sexy Space' for Women? Heterosexual Women's Experiences of a Male Strip Show Venue, Leisure Studies 30 (2) : 217- 235

(2009) Pilcher, K., Empowering, degrading or a 'mutually exploitative' exchange for women?: Characterising the power relations of the strip club, Journal of International Women's Studies 10 (3) : 73- 82

Book Chapters

(2012) Pilcher, K., A 'Sexy Space' for Women? Heterosexual Women's Experiences of a Male Strip Show Venue. In: Caudwell, J. and Browne, K. eds. Sexualities, Spaces and Leisure Studies. London : Routledge