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Dr Amy Chandler

Chancellor's Fellow

  • School of Health in Social Science

Contact details

Address

Street

Doorway 6
Old Medical School
Teviot Place

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH8 9AG

Biography

Background

Appointed as Chancellor's Fellow in Health, through Arts, Design and Humanities in October 2016.

Previously I was Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Lincoln (2015-16), and Research Fellow in the Centre for Population Health Sciences/Centre for Research on Families and Relationships at the University of Edinburgh (2010-15).

Qualifications

PhD Sociology, University of Edinburgh, 2010

MSc Research, University of Edinburgh, 2006

MA (Hons) Sociology, University of Edinburgh, 2003

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Areas of interest for supervision

I am interested in supervising students on any of the following topics: sociology of (mental) health and illness, self-harm and suicide, drug use and addictions.

Current PhD students supervised

Liliana Arias Urueña, Usher Institute: Cultural perspectives towards Cleft  Lip and Palate in children and impact on mental health

Annie Taylor, Edinburgh Napier University: Alcohol use in pregnancy

Research summary

I am a sociologist, specialising in the sociology of health and illness, with a particular focus on mental health and addictions. Much of my work has addressed self-harm and suicide. 

Current research interests

Currently, I am developing research in the following areas: Supporting people who self-harm using creative and online approaches Ethnographic, cross-cultural research on the governance of parental substance use Investigating the role of built and 'natural' environments on improving (mental) health inequalities

Past research interests

Previous research has included: - Life-story research with men in mid-life, exploring relationships between alcohol use, self-harm and suicide (funded by Alcohol Research UK). - Exploring the risks and realities of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Parent and professional accounts (funded by Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation), in collaboration with colleagues at Edinburgh Napier University, and NHS Lothian. - Qualitative research with young people addressing understandings of self-harm, drug and alcohol use (funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust) - Research with General Practitioners, exploring understandings of self-harm and suicide (funded by Chief Scientists' Office, in collaboration with Chris Burton (University of Aberdeen), Steve Platt (Edinburgh), and Caroline King (Glasgow Caledonian University).

Knowledge exchange

Further details of previous research projects can be found here:

https://alcoholstories.wordpress.com/

https://sashresearchproject.wordpress.com/what-is-the-sash-research-project/

http://www.samaritans.org/about-us/our-research/research-report-men-suicide-and-society

 

Affiliated research centres

Past project grants

2015: Alcohol Research UK. ‘Alcohol Stories: Using the life grid to explore how men in mid-life talk about the relationship between alcohol, mental health, self-harm and suicide’. Principal Investigator.
2014: Edinburgh & Lothian Health Foundation. ‘Risks and realities of neonatal abstinence syndrome’. Co-investigator.
2014: Innovation Initiative Grant, University of Edinburgh. ‘Animating Harm: A Public Engagement Grant – self-harm, drug and alcohol use among young people’. Principal Investigator.
2013: Sir Halley Stewart Trust Fund Grant Award. ‘Exploring understandings about self-harm, drug and alcohol use among young people in diverse socioeconomic contexts’ Principal Investigator.
2013: Chief Scientist’s Office of the Scottish Government. ‘General Practitioner understandings and management of self-harm: a qualitative study’. Co-Investigator.
2013: Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of Edinburgh. ‘Self-harm: Ethical Considerations of an Embodied Practice. Principal Investigator.

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