Julia Coffey

Julia Coffey is a senior lecturer in sociology in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at University of Newcastle, Australia. Her research is in the field of gender and youth sociology, with a focus on the body. Her most recent book 'Everyday Embodiment: Rethinking Youth Body Image' was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2021. Previous works include 'Youth Sociology' (2020, Red Globe Press), and 'Body work: youth, health and gender' (2016, Routledge).

Julia's research focuses on areas related to young people’s body work practices and gendered identities, health and the body. She is especially interested in the ways body work practices are shaped by health and gender ideals and theories of the body. Related research interests include gendered embodiments in labour practices, the body and identity in digital and social media, and digital feminist activism.

Julia is currently working on youth-related projects including 'Young People in the Service Economy', and 'Youth and Debt in the Hunter Region'. Recent research projects have investigated body image and health in young people’s transitions from education to employment in rural and urban contexts.