Christine McCourt

Professor of Maternal and Child Health

Career summary

Chris initially worked and studied at the London School of Economics where her degree and PhD were in anthropology. Her key interest at doctoral level was in applying anthropological theory and methodology to studying 'western' healthcare. After working at Brunel University and then as a senior researcher for Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, she moved to Thames Valley University where was Professor of Anthropology and Health and Head of the Centre for Research in Midwifery and Childbirth. Her main area of work has been on maternity and women's health, with particular interests in institutions and service change and reform, on women's experiences of childbirth and maternity care and in the culture and organisation of maternity care.

Qualifications

BA, 1st Class, LSE 1983

PhD, LSE, 1990

Current Research

Birthplace in England Research Programme. Co-investigator. £1.5 million DoH /SDO programme, commenced Autumn 2006, in collaboration with NPEU Oxford (lead institution), Kings College London, RCM, RCOG and NCT. Lead investigator for the case study component, with Professor Jane Sandall of Kings College London.

Evaluation of the KCND initiative. Funded by Chief Scientist's Office Scotland. Project advisor.

MIRAS (Mothers in Research Agenda Setting) Project, with NMAHP Research Unit, University of Stirling. Core funded by CSO Scotland.

Areas of Interests

Application of anthropological theory and methodology to studying 'western' healthcare; maternal and child health; health policy, institutions and service change and reform; women's experiences of childbirth and maternity care; culture and organisation of maternity care; concepts of quality and safety, cultural safety and experiences of minority ethnic groups.

Publications

Youll P. & McCourt-Perring C. 1993 Raising Voices. Changing Practices in Residential Care:  An Evaluation of the Caring in Homes Initiative. HMSO, London.

McCourt-Perring C. 1993 The Experience of Hospital Closure:  an anthropological study. Avebury, Aldershot.

McCourt C. 2009. (Ed) Childbirth, Midwifery and Concepts of Time. Oxford: Berghahn. 2009.

Professional Memberships

Association of Social Anthropologists
Royal Anthropological Institute