Overview
Background
Rebecca Olson is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Queensland, cutting-edge translational qualitative researcher, mentor and award-winning educator with expertise in the sociologies of health and emotions. As Director of SocioHealthLab, she leads an interdisciplinary collective of researchers, health professional educators and practitioners interested in doing health and healthcare differently: more socially aware, more relational, more inclusive and more just. As Director of Teaching and Learning in the School of Social Science, she prioritises collaborative, reflexive, creative and emotions-centred practices in higher education. With over 75 scholarly publications – as well as news media and creative video productions – Rebecca is a prolific contributor to public debate. With research interests spanning medicinal cannabis and health professions education to climate anxiety, Olson is internationally renowned for bringing sociological insight to complex challenges related to emotions, wellbeing, healthcare and caregiving.
Availability
- Associate Professor Rebecca Olson is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Australian National University
Research interests
-
Emotions, Methodology, Healthcare and Education
Emotions play a key role in how we experience and interact with the everyday world. Olson’s research intersects the sociology of emotions and the sociology of health & illness. Her work seeks to understand emotions and their importance to health and healthcare, with topics ranging from parents management of climate anxiety, to medicinal cannabis and wellbeing in advanced cancer contexts, Interprofessional practice, and higher education teaching and learning, including health professional education. Olson has a specific interest in innovative, participatory qualitative methodologies, such as video-reflexive ethnography and critical reflexive ethnography. This allows her to work collaboratively with health specialists and educators in ways that encourage greater insight into the minutiae of everyday healthcare and education practices. Recently, she has used these approaches to investigate: • Emotionally reflexive labour in palliative care and interprofessional practice • Socio-emotional aspects of cigarette smoking and lung cancer screening • Patient perspectives toward medicinal cannabis policy and it’s efficacy • Discourses of emotion and feedback in health professional education • Biopsychosocial approaches to physiotherapy and the work-readiness of graduate physiotherapists
Research impacts
With over a decade of experience as a teaching and research academic, Olson has a strong track record of higher degree research supervision, innovative teaching and learning scholarship and high impact research published in a range of top academic outlets such as Social Science & Medicine, Medical Education and Qualitative Health Research.
With competitive funding from NHMRC, ARC, Arthritis Australia, and Cancer Australia, Olson uses innovative sociological theory in the study of interprofessional and informal palliative care, biopsychosocial approaches in physiotherapy, medicinal cannabis treatment and policy, and emotions and reflexivity in higher education teaching and learning. Her research innovatively applies participatory methods such as video reflexive methodology, to enable collaborative, theory-informed research that invites health professionals – established and pre-licensure – to reflect upon and refine their practice.
Across all domains of her research, Olson advocates for the democratisation of research practices through participatory and reflexive approaches to knowledge production that promote social justice in healthcare.
Works
Search Professor Rebecca Olson’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Affecting the future: a multi-method qualitative text and discourse analysis of emotions in Australian news reporting on climate change and climate anxiety
Olson, Rebecca E., Smith, Alexandra, McKenzie, Jordan, Patulny, Roger and Bellocchi, Alberto (2024). Affecting the future: a multi-method qualitative text and discourse analysis of emotions in Australian news reporting on climate change and climate anxiety. Journal of Sociology, 61 (1), 62-87. doi: 10.1177/14407833241248774
2024
Journal Article
Unravelling epistemic injustice in medical education: the case of the underperforming learner
Luong, Victoria, Ajjawi, Rola, Burm, Sarah, Olson, Rebecca and MacLeod, Anna (2024). Unravelling epistemic injustice in medical education: the case of the underperforming learner. Medical Education, 58 (11), 1286-1295. doi: 10.1111/medu.15410
2024
Journal Article
Editorial: Sociologies of health and emotions
Cottingham, Marci, Olson, Rebecca E. and Bendelow, Gillian (2024). Editorial: Sociologies of health and emotions. Frontiers in Sociology, 9 1388509, 1-2. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2024.1388509
2024
Journal Article
Navigating whiteness: affective relational intensities of non-clinical psychosocial support by and for culturally and linguistically diverse people
Mescouto, Karime, Olson, Rebecca E., Plage, Stefanie, Zulfiqar, Asma, Setchell, Jenny, Dune, Tinashe, Suleman, Sameera, Cummins, Drew, Prasad-Ildes, Rita and Costa, Nathalia (2024). Navigating whiteness: affective relational intensities of non-clinical psychosocial support by and for culturally and linguistically diverse people. Frontiers in Sociology, 9 1282938. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2024.1282938
2024
Other Outputs
Submission to the Mental Health Community Support Services - Psychosocial Supports Consultation
Plage, Stefanie, Olson, Rebecca, Suleman, Sameera, Setchell, Jenny, Costa, Nathalia, Mescouto, Karime and Dune, Tinashe (2024). Submission to the Mental Health Community Support Services - Psychosocial Supports Consultation. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Queensland Government.
2024
Journal Article
Belonging as flickering and in flux in academic work: a collective biography
Gravett, Karen, Ajjawi, Rola, Bearman, Margaret, Holloway, Jessica, Olson, Rebecca and Winstone, Naomi (2024). Belonging as flickering and in flux in academic work: a collective biography. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 37 (7), 1971-1985. doi: 10.1080/09518398.2023.2258095
2024
Book Chapter
Cancer Survivorship Heroism
Plage, Stefanie and Olson, Rebecca E. (2024). Cancer Survivorship Heroism. Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies. (pp. 174-179) Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-48129-1_185
2023
Book Chapter
Death and dying
Olson, Rebecca E. and Zheng, Zhaoxi (2023). Death and dying. Encyclopedia of health research in the social sciences. (pp. 77-81) edited by Kevin Dew and Sarah Donovan. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781800885691.ch14
2023
Journal Article
“Their happiness, not neurotypical success”: autistic adults reflect on the parenting of autistic children
Lee, Jia Ying Sarah, Whittingham, Koa, Olson, Rebecca and Mitchell, Amy E. (2023). “Their happiness, not neurotypical success”: autistic adults reflect on the parenting of autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55 (1), 339-352. doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-06188-z
2023
Book Chapter
How are normative deaths celebrated, reinforced, or disrupted in children’s media? A critical discourse analysis of Coco and Soul
Zheng, Zhaoxi and Olson, Rebecca E. (2023). How are normative deaths celebrated, reinforced, or disrupted in children’s media? A critical discourse analysis of Coco and Soul. Difficult death, dying and the dead in media and culture. (pp. 115-131) edited by Sharon Coleclough, Bethan Michael-Fox and Renske Visser. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-40732-1_8
2023
Journal Article
Distress in the care of people with chronic low back pain: insights from an ethnographic study
Dillon, Miriam, Olson, Rebecca E., Plage, Stefanie, Miciak, Maxi, Window, Peter, Stewart, Matthew, Christoffersen, Anja, Kilner, Simon, Barthel, Natalie and Setchell, Jenny (2023). Distress in the care of people with chronic low back pain: insights from an ethnographic study. Frontiers in Sociology, 8 1281912, 1-13. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2023.1281912
2023
Journal Article
Quality of life beyond measure: Advanced cancer patients, wellbeing and medicinal cannabis
Smith, Alexandra, Olson, Rebecca E., da Costa, Nathalia Cordeiro, Cuerton, Maddison, Hardy, Janet and Good, Philip (2023). Quality of life beyond measure: Advanced cancer patients, wellbeing and medicinal cannabis. Sociology of Health and Illness, 45 (8), 1709-1729. doi: 10.1111/1467-9566.13684
2023
Journal Article
Fostering equitable change in health services: Using critical reflexivity to challenge dominant discourses in low back pain care in Australia
Mescouto, Karime, Olson, Rebecca E., Costa, Nathalia, Evans, Kerrie, Dillon, Miriam, Walsh, Kelly, Jensen, Niamh, Hodges, Paul W., Lonergan, Kathryn, Weier, Megan and Setchell, Jenny (2023). Fostering equitable change in health services: Using critical reflexivity to challenge dominant discourses in low back pain care in Australia. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 29 (1), 1-10. doi: 10.1177/13558196231193862
2023
Journal Article
"I felt uncertain about my whole future"-a qualitative investigation of people's experiences of navigating uncertainty when seeking care for their low back pain
Costa, Nathalia, Butler, Prudenc, Dillon, Miriam, Mescouto, Karime, Olson, Rebecca, Forbes, Roma and Setchell, Jenny (2023). "I felt uncertain about my whole future"-a qualitative investigation of people's experiences of navigating uncertainty when seeking care for their low back pain. Pain, 164 (12), 2749-2758. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002975
2023
Conference Publication
Holding and harnessing distress: a critical discourse analysis of emotions in Australian news reporting on climate change and climate anxiety
Olson, Rebecca, Bellocchi, Alberto and McKenzie, Jordan (2023). Holding and harnessing distress: a critical discourse analysis of emotions in Australian news reporting on climate change and climate anxiety. International Sociological Association World Congress, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 25 June -1 July 2023.
2023
Conference Publication
Distress in physiotherapy low back PAIN care: a socio-relational exploration
Dillon, Miriam, Setchell, Jenny, Miciak, Maxi, Window, Peter and Olson, Rebecca (2023). Distress in physiotherapy low back PAIN care: a socio-relational exploration. International Sociology Association World Congress, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 25 June-1 July 2023.
2023
Other Outputs
Program evaluation on the characteristics of specialist psychosocial mental health support programs for people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds in Queensland Final Report
Olson, Rebecca, Cordeiro da Costa, Nathalia, Plage, Stefanie, Dune, Tinashe and Setchell, Jenny (2023). Program evaluation on the characteristics of specialist psychosocial mental health support programs for people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds in Queensland Final Report. Brisbane, QLD Australia: SocioHealthLab and Queensland Health.
2023
Journal Article
How physiotherapists attend to the human aspects of care when working with people with low back pain: a thematic analysis
Dillon, M., Olson, R., Mescouto, K., Costa, N. and Setchell, J. (2023). How physiotherapists attend to the human aspects of care when working with people with low back pain: a thematic analysis. Health Sociology Review, 32 (3), 277-293. doi: 10.1080/14461242.2022.2161927
2023
Book Chapter
Cancer survivorship heroism
Plage, Stefanie and Olson, Rebecca E. (2023). Cancer survivorship heroism. Encyclopedia of heroism studies. (pp. 1-7) edited by Scott T. Allison, James K. Beggan and George R. Goethals. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-17125-3_185-1
2023
Book Chapter
Emotions
Olson, Rebecca, Bellocchi, Alberto and Dadich, Ann (2023). Emotions. The sociology of health and illness: critical perspectives for 21st century. (pp. 95-126) edited by Alphia L. Possamai-Inesedy and Peta Cook. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Pearson.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Rebecca Olson is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding obstetric violence in Australia: prevalence, experiences and maternity carers perspectives
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nigel Lee
-
Doctor Philosophy
Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage
-
Doctor Philosophy
Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding children's constructions and experiences of death, dying and loss
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton
-
Doctor Philosophy
Towards a Critical Post-humanist Symphony of Children-Deaths
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton
-
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring how physiotherapists navigate distress in low back pain care
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stefanie Plage
-
Doctor Philosophy
Towards a Critical Post-humanist Symphony of Children-Deaths
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton
-
Doctor Philosophy
Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage
-
Doctor Philosophy
Discursive Renderings of Medicinal Cannabis Patients: Policy, Practice, Priorities
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jenny Munro
-
Doctor Philosophy
Beyond pathology: (re)conceptualising distress in physiotherapy and chronic low back pain care
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stefanie Plage
-
Doctor Philosophy
Examination of constructions of health information exchange, as a specific action of person-centred care, occurring for and between professionals and patients.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Christy Noble
-
Doctor Philosophy
Online Dating Experiences of Cancer Survivors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mair Underwood, Dr Stefanie Plage
-
Doctor Philosophy
Acceptance of digital mental health interventions: Sociodemographic aspects of user engagement with digital psychological interventions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Henman
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evidence based use of oral medicinal cannabinoids in the palliative management of patients with advanced cancer
Associate Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Acceptance of digital mental health interventions: Sociodemographic aspects of user engagement with digital psychological interventions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Henman
-
Doctor Philosophy
Collaborative clinical practice in healthcare
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nadine Foster, Dr Lisa Anemaat
Completed supervision
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Melanotanning: A Sociological investigation of user experiences of the injectable tanning peptide (melanotan) in the context of identity, health and risk.
Principal Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Navigating a diagnosis, navigating an identity: Adults diagnosed Asperger's Disorder/Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
A study of the meanings of spirituality in the context of depression
Principal Advisor
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing low back pain care: Thinking and practising critically beyond the biopsychosocial model
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Hodges
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Gendered views on parole: Exploring how emotion and emotion management help to explain gender differences in the Australian public's views on parole
Associate Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Psychosis and Self-Transformation: Addressing Relationship Negotiation with the Unruly Self
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Rebecca Olson directly for media enquiries about:
- allied health training
- cancer
- carers
- interprofessional education
- social support
- sociology
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: