Dr Elizabeth Peel is a critical social psychologist with extensive experience in qualitative health research (particularly chronic illness), sexualities and gender. Her research has explored diabetes self-management, same sex relationships and families, and diversity training. She predominantly uses post-positivist qualitative methods, such as discourse analysis. She was an inaugural British Academy Mid-Career Fellow (2011-12), and her current research centres on communication and conversation in dementia care. She has produced over 100 publications including three books, the latest of which is LGBTQ Psychology (Cambridge University Press, 2010). She has peer-reviewed for 50 academic journals and for funding bodies including: ESRC, MRC, NIHR, CSO, Canadian Diabetes Association, EDDA Iceland.
Selected Publications (since 2007)
Peel E (submitted) 'The living death of Alzheimer's' versus 'Take a walk to keep dementia at bay': Representation of dementia in print media and carer discourse. Sociology of Health & Illness.
Peel E & Harding R (in press, 2013) “It’s a huge maze, the system, it’s a terrible maze”: Dementia carers’ constructions of navigating health and social care services. Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice.
Grove J, Peel E & Owen-Pugh V (2013) Client discourses on the process of seeking same-sex couple counselling. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling. Advance access.
Harding R & Peel E (2013) “He was like a zombie”: Off-label prescription of antipsychotic drugs in dementia. Medical Law Review, 21(2), 243-277.
Peel E (2012) Moving beyond heterosexism? The good, the bad and the indifferent in accounts of others’ reactions to important life events. Psychology of Sexualities Review, 3(1), 34-46.
Peel E & Cain R (2012) Silent miscarriage and deafening heteronormativity: A British experiential and critical feminist account. In S Earle, C Komaromy & LL Layne (Eds) Understanding Reproductive Loss: Perspectives on life, death and fertility. (pp. 79-92) Farnham: Ashgate.
Jowett A, Peel E & Shaw RL (2012) Sex and diabetes: A thematic analysis of gay and bisexual men’s accounts. Journal of Health Psychology, 17(3), 409-418.
Jowett A & Peel E (2012) Physical health. In R das Nair & C Butler (Eds) Intersectionality, Sexuality and Psychological Therapies: Working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual diversity. (pp. 163-184) Chichester: Wiley-BPS Blackwell.
Rolfe A & Peel E (2011) ‘It’s a double-edged thing’: The paradox of civil partnership and why some couples are choosing not to have one. Feminism & Psychology, 21(3), 317-335.
Jowett A, Peel E & Shaw R (2011) Online interviewing in psychology: Reflections on the process. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 8(4), 354-369.
Peel E, Douglas M, Parry O & Lawton J (2010) Type 2 diabetes and dog walking: Patients’ longitudinal perspectives about implementing and sustaining physical activity. British Journal of General Practice, 60(577), 570-577.
Peel E (2010) Pregnancy loss in lesbian and bisexual women: An online survey of experiences. Human Reproduction, 25(3), 721-727.
Clarke V, Ellis SJ, Peel E & Riggs DW (2010) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Psychology: An introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Peel E (2010) Chipping away at the taken-for-granted: Reflection in a Sexualities course. Feminism & Psychology, 20(2), 225-231.
Jowett A & Peel E (2010) “Seismic cultural change?”: Media representation of same-sex ‘marriage’. Women’s Studies International Forum, 33(3), 206-214.
Peel E (2009) Intergroup relations in action: Questions asked about lesbian, gay and bisexual issues in diversity training. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 19, 271-285.
Jowett A & Peel E (2009) Chronic illness in non-heterosexual contexts: An online survey of experiences. Feminism & Psychology, 19(4), 454-474.
Lawton J, Rankin I, Peel E & Douglas M (2009) Patients’ perceptions and experiences of transitions in diabetes care: A longitudinal qualitative study. Health Expectations, 12, 138-148.
Lawton J, Peel E, Douglas M & Parry O (2008) Shifting accountability: A longitudinal qualitative study of diabetes causation accounts. Social Science & Medicine, 67(1), 47-56.
Lawton J, Peel E, Parry O & Douglas M (2008) Patients’ perceptions and experiences of taking oral glucose lowering agents: A longitudinal qualitative study. Diabetic Medicine, 25(4), 491-495.
Peel E, Douglas M & Lawton J (2007) Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: Longitudinal qualitative study of patients’ perspectives. BMJ, 335, 493-498.
Lawton J, Ahmad N, Peel E & Hallowell N (2007) Contextualising accounts of illness: Notions of responsibility and blame in white and South Asian respondents’ accounts of diabetes causation. Sociology of Health and Illness, 29(6), 891-906.
Clarke V & Peel E (2007) (Eds) Out in Psychology: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer perspectives. Chichester: Wiley.
Harding R & Peel E (2007) Heterosexism at work: Diversity training, discrimination law and the limits of liberalism. In V Clarke & E Peel (Eds) Out in Psychology. (pp. 247-272) Chichester: Wiley.
Peel E, Clarke V & Drescher J (2007) (Eds) British Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Psychologies: Theory, research and practice. New York: The Haworth Medical Press.
Harding R & Peel E (2007) Surveying sexualities: Internet research with non-heterosexuals. Feminism & Psychology, 17(2), 277-285.
Research Grants
Young People Living with Liver Disease: A qualitative study of experiences of transitions.Children’s Liver Disease Foundation PhD Fellowship. £61,000, with P Lowe. 2013-2016.
Dementia Talking: Care, conversation and communication. British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship Scheme. 2011-2012. £110,450. Principal Investigator
Duties to Care: A socio-legal exploration of caring for people with dementia. British Academy. 2010-2012. £7,390, with R Harding. See Dementia Project Website
Impact of Sexual Identity on Mental Health Inequalities - Risk and Resilience Explored. Big Lottery Fund Research Grants Programme. 2010-2015. £496,850. See RaRE Project Website
Evaluation of the Cardiovascular Screening Programme. Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT. 2010- 2011. £85,764, with R Cooke, C Holland, H Pattison, R Shaw
Interactive and Non‑Interactive Web-based Resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans People Providing Support, Information and Advice. Department of Health.2009-2010, £24,925, with PACE Health
Civil Partnership: Exploring the meanings of commitment, ritual and recognition for same-sex couples. British Academy. 2006–2009. £7,420, with V Clarke. Co-Principal Investigator
Diabetes Service Provision: A follow-up study of user experiences. Chief Scientist Office. 2006-2007. £8,054, with J Lawton, M Douglas
Neuroimaging: Understanding the perceptions and experiences of participants. British Academy. 2005- 2006. £7,005, with R Shaw, R Cooke, Aston University. Principal Investigator
Research Students
Adam Jowett – Chronic illness in non-heterosexual contexts. (completed)
Amy Burton - Quality of life in older patients with age-related macular degeneration. (completed)
Jan Grove – Same-sex couple counselling.
Shahreen Bashir - Young people living with liver disease.
Ellis SJ, Peel E (Eds) (2011) Re-evaluating Lesbian Feminisms: Past, present and future. Feminism & Psychology, 21(2).
Peel E, Thomson M (Eds) (2009) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Health Psychology: Charting the terrain. Feminism & Psychology, 19(4).
Peel E, Harding R (Eds) (2008) Regulating Sexuality: Contemporary perspectives on lesbian and gay relationship recognition. Sexualities, 11(6).
Peel E, Clarke V, Drescher J (Eds) (2007) British LGB Psychologies: Theory, research and practice. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Psychotherapy, 11(1-2).
Clarke V, Peel E (Eds) (2005) Sexualities. Psychology of Women Section Review, 7(2).
Peel E, Clarke V (Eds) (2005) Critiquing Psychology: A reappraisal of The Social Construction of Lesbianism. Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review, 6(2).
Clarke V, Peel E (Eds) (2004) The Social Construction of Lesbianism: A reappraisal. Feminism & Psychology, 14(4).
Hodges I, Peel E (Eds) (2004) Challenging Homophobia and Sexual Prejudice. Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review, 5(3).
Peel E, Coyle A (Eds) (2004) Heterosexual people working in lesbian and gay psychology. Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review,5(2).
2012: BPS Sexualities Section Outstanding Academic Writing Award.
2007: APA Division 44 Distinguished Book Award for Out in Psychology.
2000: Highly Commended BPS Lesbian and Gay Psychology Section Postgraduate Prize.
1998: Feminism & Psychology Undergraduate Prize.
Editorial Board Member, Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science
Editorial Board Member, Feminism & Psychology
Editorial Board Member, Journal of GLBT Family Studies
Editorial Board Member, Psychology & Sexuality
Advisory Board Member, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health
Advisory Group Member, Psychology of Sexualities Review
Advisory Committee Member, Gay and Lesbian Issues and Psychology Review
Member, BPS Psychology of Sexualities Section
Member, BPS Qualitative Methods in Psychology Section
Member, International Society for Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP)
Member Scholar, International Institute for Qualitative Methodology (IIQM)
Member, Dementia Communication Research Network
Member, ReValuing Care Network
Recent Conference Presentations
Peel E (2013) Social interconnection in dementia care. Revaluing Care Workshop 2: Caring about Social Interconnection,1 – 2 September 2013, University of Adelaide, Australia.
Peel E (2013) ‘Panic’ and ‘blame’ in contemporary dementia discourse: an analysis and critique. 8th Biennial Conference, International Society for Critical Health Psychology, 22-24 July, University of Bradford.
Peel E (2013) Moving beyond heterosexism? Interrogating others’ reactions to important life events. 1st International Conference LGBT Psychology and Related Fields. 20-22 June, Lisbon, Portugal.
Peel E, Nodin N, Rivers I &Tyler A (2013) Risk and Resilience: Exploring the potential of LGBT third sector and academic partnership. 1st International Conference LGBT Psychology and Related Fields. 20-22 June, Lisbon, Portugal.
Peel E & Harding R (2012) “It’s a huge maze, the system, it’s a terrible maze”: Dementia carers’ perceptions of navigating health and social care services. BPS Division of Health Psychology Conference. 5-7 September, Liverpool.
Peel E (2012) “The living death of Alzheimer’s”?:Representations of dementia in media and carer discourse. British Society of Gerontology Conference. 11-13 July, Keele University.
Peel E & Harding R (2012) “Not in our remit”: Communication challenges and opportunities in dementia care. 2nd Global Congress for Qualitative Health Research. 28-30 June, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan.
Peel E (2012) Dementia talk-in-interaction: Challenges and opportunities. Discourse-Communication-Conversation Conference. 22-23 March, Loughborough University.
Last updated May 2013
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