Professor Jude Robinson
- Professor in Health & Wellbeing (Sociological & Cultural Studies)
- Associate (School of Health & Wellbeing)
email:
Jude.Robinson@glasgow.ac.uk
Room 5105, Advanced Research Centre, 11, Chapel Lane, Glasgow, Gll 6EW
Biography
I am a social anthropologist teaching and researching in the field of critical public health and sustainability. I am currently Deputy Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences (SPS) and Research and Knowledge Exchange Director for SPS.I am also an Associate of the School of Health and Wellbeing.
Current research
My research centres on developing understandings of how people can develop and sustain their health and wellbeing outside conventional health care settings in the context of climate change. I have expertise in gendered inequalities and the health of women and their families living in resource limited settings, with a focus on water, sanitation, hygiene and waste. My current, collaborative interdisciplinary research, Everyday Plastics examines the role of plastics and water insecurity to prevent communicable diseases in Kenya. I am also part of a team looking at the use of biofilms to remove microplastics from drinking water in the UK.
Recently completed research
I recently completed a project with Consumer Scotland looking at household water use and water insecurity in Scotland. Other completed interdisciplinary research include UKRI GCRF projects: BBSRC HORN (One Health Network for the Horn of Africa); ESRC COSTAR (Community- based Sociotherapy Adapted for Refugees); EPSRC Participatory Futures, exploring equitable partnership working; and, AHRC Whose Crisis? to include experiences of the COVID 19 pandemic from the Global South.
Methological expertise
I have expertise in the use of qualitative research methodologies in institutional and community settings, with an interest in participatory and visual methodologies and the potential for different forms of writing to support interdisciplinary research collaborations. I am committed to equitable partnership working and sustainable models of research design and practice. Using visual methods (film and photograhy), I am committed to the development of non-traditional research outputs to engage with stakeholders and diverse publics.
https://www.youtube.com/@juderobinson657
I lead the Global Sustainable Development group in the Advanced Research Hub (ARC) at the University of Glasgow, and have teaching interests in complex research methodologies, water insecurity and global health.
I welcome expressions of interest from postgraduate students who want to explore issues of health and wellbeing and health inequalities in the UK and internationally.
Research interests
- Mental health and wellbeing of women with young children;
- One Health;
- Health and gendered inequalities;
- Water, Sanitation and Health (WaSH);
- Water insecurity and plastics
- Feminist and participatory research methods,
- Photography, film and wider visual methods.
- Non-traditional research outputs
Research Contribution
Jude Robinson has led and collaborated on research projects funded by:
- Growing Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Engineering and Physics Research Council (EPSRC)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Justice
- Thomas Pocklington Trust
- Royal National Institute for the Blind
Research groups
Grants
McCarthy R, Harkova L. Smith C, and Robinson, J. Bio-Capture: Harnessing Engineered ‘Trap and Degrade’ Biofilms for Microplastic Removal from Drinking Water – An Integrated Science and Society Approach. UKRI Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre (EBIC) Mission Hub Flexible Fund. £250,000. From January 2026.
Robinson, J. Designing for Sustainable Water Transportation and Storage in Water Insecure Settings. NERC Discovery Science Award
Robinson J. Provision of Sustainable Water Use: A review of household water consumption in the UK. Consumer Scotland
Robinson J. Everyday Plastics and Water Insecurity in Kenya. UKRI ODA Block Award, £74,550
Robinson J. The plastic paradox: Towards a circular economy of plastics in low-resource settings. NERC Discipline Hopping Award. £8,186
Supervision
Asma Ul Husna Exploring the Lived experiences of Young Girls Affected by Salinity Intrusion in Coastal Bangladesh.
Ashutosh Singh Menstrual Health and Hygiene in the Face of Climate Adversities: A Qualitative Study in Flood-Prone Communities in Bihar, India.
Alya Harding ‘Home as an archive’: Beyond the lens of survival, African Women’s Resistance across generations.
Xu Wang Stay-at-home fathers: An Intersectional Exploration of Changing Family Relationships in Contemporary China.
Chuqiao Li Aspiration: A Visual Ethnography of Chinese Transnational Marriage with Migrant Women in the UK.
Afnan Alaql Exploring the experiences of Divorced Saudi Women after Long-Term Marriage.
Tsion Afework Exploring gendered metal health issues in a one health context with a pastoralist community in the Afar region of Ethiopia.
Ahmed Nur Muse Social Determinants of Health: Understanding Factors Affecting Access to Maternal and Child Healthcare Services by Nomads in Somaliland.
Nichelle Santagata Black female mental health in the US.
- Ahn, SunHa
Young Women’s Personal Care Lives through Social and Digital Relationships in the Context of HIV in South Africa - Alaql, Afnan Mohammed A
Exploration of the social and psychological challenges faced - Habte, Tsion Afework
Exploring gendered mental health issues in a One Health context with a pastoralist community in the Afar region of Ethiopia. - Husna, Asma Ul
Understanding Differential Climate Change Impacts on Mental Health among Impoverished and Disadvantaged Households in Coastal Bangladesh - Mwale, Ackson Tyson
Developing a one health approach to the management of trypanosomiasis across communities and the vet, conservation and medical sectors in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia. - Nur Muse, Ahmed
Social Determinants of Health: Understanding Factors Affecting Access to Maternal and Child Healthcare Services by Nomads in Somaliland - Santagata, Nichelle
Black Women's Mental Health and Healing Through Autoethnography and Arts-Based Methods - Singh, Ashutosh
Public Policies and Socio-cultural Environment: A Case of Menstrual Health and Hygiene in Peri-urban Area of Delhi, India - Wang, Xu
Stay-at-home fathers: An Intersectional Exploration of Changing Family Relationships in Contemporary China
Ackson Mwale. Developing a one health approach to the management of trypanosomiasis across communities and the vet, conservation and medical sectors in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia. University of Glasgow, 2026
Tamsin McGlinchey Serious Illness Care Programme UK: A qualitative Analysis of patient experiences of Serious Illness Conversations, in cancer and renal settings. University of Liverpool, 2025
Kenneth Collins. Dr Hetty Ockrim and her Medical Practice: An oral history study conducted with patients and staff in the Midlock Medical Centre, Ibrox, Glasgow 1989-1992. MVLS University of Glasgow, 2024
Nicola Tune Digitizing Social Control? Technologies of Surveillance, Social Media and Sexual Violence. University of Liverpool, 2024
Eleanor Balchin Farming in East Africa: Financial Risk taking and Agricultural Intensification. University of Liverpool, 2023
Simon Leigh The role of uncertainty in the management of paediatric febrile illness. A mixed-methods economic evaluation of the value of diagnostic innovation. University of Liverpool, 2021
Michelle McGachie Re-evaluating Consent in Genetic Population Biobanks in the UK. University of Glasgow, 2021
Susannah Brockbank Creating a framework for the remediation of unprofessional behaviour in medical students. University of Liverpool, 2021
Jignasa Mehta Impact of visual impairment on falls and fear of falling. University of Liverpool, 2020
Julie Hanna. The dance artist as social physicist – a reflexive study. University of Liverpool, 2020
Yayun Wang The reproduction of gender stereotyping in High Schools in mainland China. University of Liverpool, 2019
Rachel Heah. Children’s Right to Sexuality Education. University of Liverpool, 2019
Mona Killey Growing up with complex congenital cardiac disease: A qualitative study of the experiences of adolescent patients. University of Liverpool, 2018.
Kanokporn Nasomtrug (Self-)documentation of Thai communities: does the Western ‘community archive’ movement provide a model? University of Liverpool, 2017.
Frances Sherratt Lung Cancer risk awareness and smoking future behaviour. University of Liverpool, 2016
Louise Laverty Social and cultural influences on teenage “risky” health behaviour in Liverpool: longitudinal qualitative research exploring the influence of home, schools and neighbourhoods. University of Glasgow, 2016
Sharon Spooner An exploration of the narrated experience of doctors in a changing NHS. University of Liverpool, 2014
Katherine Forbes Understanding of the use of alcohol in pregnancy amongst women in Scotland. University of Liverpool, 2013
Aimei Mao Exploring children’s exposure to secondhand smoke in China. Supervisors University of Liverpool, 2012
Jennifer Lane Lee An economic investigation of modern foraging in the UK. University of Liverpool, 2012
June Jones. The prevalence and experience of emotional distress in patients with chronic venous ulcers. University of Liverpool, 2007
Helen Prosser. Knowledge and its Interpretation and Application in New Drug Prescribing. University of Liverpool, 2007
Lisa Whitehead. The lived experience of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): sufferers' and families' perspectives. University of Liverpool, 2004
James Williams. The assessment and management of clinical risk in learning disability services: coping with increased accountability. NHS Fellowship Award. University of Liverpool, 2003
Professional activities & recognition
Grant committees & research advisory boards
- 2024 - 2024: UKRI, Tackling Epidemic Threats Phase 1
- 2020 - 2021: UKRI, COVID-19 Urgent Call
- 2020 - 2021: NIHR, Long-COVID in non-hospitalised individuals call Call
- 2025 - 2025: UKRI, Tackling Epidemics Phase 2
Editorial boards
- 2026: Critical Public Health
- 2012 - 2018: Sociology of Health and Illness
Professional & learned societies
- 2018: Member, Association of Social Anthropologists
- 2018 - 2022: Ethical Officer, Association of Social Anthropologists
- 1989: Fellow, Royal Anthropological Association
