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Home > Social Sciences > Psychology > Academic Staff > Carla Willig

Professor Carla Willig

Carla graduated from the University of Manchester in 1986. She then embarked upon postgraduate studies at the University of Cambridge where she was awarded an MPhil in Criminology in 1987. Carla stayed at Cambridge in order to conduct her doctoral research into the 'Social Construction of AIDS Knowledge' which she completed in 1991. Carla has held teaching positions at the University of Plymouth (1991-3) Middlesex University (1993-9) and City University (1999) onwards. From 2001, Carla undertook additional training at Regents College, London, and qualified as an Existential Counselling Psychologist in 2005.

Carla's research interests include qualitative research methodology and its application to health and counselling psychology research. She is interested in the relationship between discourse and health related practices. She is also interested in phenomenological research methods and the exploration of the meanings and quality of embodied experiences. This is linked to her interest in existential approaches to psychotherapy and counselling.

A major theme in Carla's work to date has been a concern with research methodology. She has published empirical and theoretical papers and book chapters concerned with epistemological and methodological questions. She is the editor of 'Applied Discourse Analysis. Social and Psychological Interventions' (1999) published by Open University Press and the author of the best selling textbook 'Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology. Adventures in Theory and Method' (2001, Open University Press), now in its 2nd edition (McGraw Hill/ Open University Press 2008). She is the editor (with Wendy Stainton-Rogers) of the 'The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research in Psychology' (2008).

Carla is an associate editor of the Journal of Health Psychology and acts as editorial consultant for the British Journal of Social Psychology. She is a member of the British Psychological Society including full membership of the Division of Health Psychology and the Division of Counselling Psychology. She is also registered with the Health Professions Council. She is a member of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology.

Publications since 2007

Willig, C. (in press) “Unlike a Rock, a Tree, a Horse or an Angel…”: Reflections on the Struggle for Meaning Through Writing During the Process of Cancer Diagnosis, Journal of Health Psychology

Willig, C. and W. Stainton Rogers (eds) (2008) Handbook of Qualitative Research in Psychology. London: Sage

Willig, C. (2008) Introducing Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology. Second Edition. Maidenhead: McGare Hill/Open University Press.

Paulson, S. and Willig, C. (2008) Older Women and Everyday Talk About the Ageing Body, Journal of Health Psychology, 13(1): 690-702.

Willig, C. (2008) A Phenomenological Investigation of the Experience of Taking Part in Extreme Sport, Journal of Health Psychology, 13(5):690-702.

Willig, C. (2008) Discourse Analysis, in J.Smith (ed) Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods, London: Sage, Second Edition

Sims-Schouten, W., Riley, S.C.E. and Willig, C. (2007) Critical Realism in Discourse Analysis, Theory & Psychology, 17(1): 127-150.

Willig, C. (2007) Reflections on the Use of a Phenomenological Method, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 4: 1-17.

Mielewczyk, F. and Willig, C. (2007) Old Clothes and an Older Look: The Case for a Radical Makeover in Health Behaviour Research, Theory & Psychology 17(6):811-837.

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