Dr Sara James
Lecturer, Interdisciplinary Studies
College of Arts, Social Sciences and Commerce
Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of Social Inquiry
SS 403a, Melbourne (Bundoora)
Qualifications
BWC (Hons – La Trobe), PhD (La Trobe)
Role
Academic
Membership of professional associations
The Australian Sociological Association (TASA)
Area of study
Sociology
Brief profile
Sara is a cultural sociologist; she is particularly interested in the ways in which people find meaning in a secular society. Her research is concerned with identity, narrative, disenchantment and authenticity. Her recent book Making a Living, Making a Life draws on in-depth interviews to investigage the significance of work in the lives of individuals, with a focus on vocation and the work ethic. Sara also undertakes research in higher education pedagogy, with a particular focus on the first year experience and student engagement.
Research interests
Religion and Society
- Secularisation and the search for meaning
Urban Sociology and Community Studies
- Sociology of Culture
Teaching units
- HUS1FAS - Rethinking Our Humanity
- HUS1TEN - Ideas that Shook the World
Recent publications
- James, S. forthcoming 2018, ‘Modern metaphysical romance’ in S James (ed) Metaphysical sociology: On the work of John Carroll, Abingdon, Routledge.
- James, S. forthcoming 2018, ‘Editor’s introduction’ in in S James (ed) Metaphysical sociology: On the work of John Carroll, Abingdon, Routledge.
- Midford, S., James, S., and Hutchinson G. forthcoming 2018, Key concepts in the Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University Press.
- James, S. 2017, Making a Living, Making a Life: Work, Meaning and Self Identity, Abingdon, Routledge.
- Midford, S. and James, S. 2017 ‘The art of seduction: Designing innovative curriculum that engages and retains reluctant Bachelor of Arts students’, in J. Branch, P. Bartholomew, A. Hørsted and Claus Nygaard (eds), The handbook of new innovations in teaching and learning in higher education, Libri Publishing.
- Brook, A., Eley, M., James, S., Johal, P., Midford, S. and Pather, M. 2017, ‘Engaging students through practice’, in J. Branch, P. Bartholomew, A. Hørsted and Claus Nygaard (eds), The handbook of new innovations in teaching and learning in higher education, Libri Publishing.
- James, S. 2016, 'An urban workshop? Why office workers want to make 'real' things.' The Conversation, 18 May 2016.
- James, S. 2015, 'Finding your passion: Work and the authentic self', M/C Journal, 18(1).
- Hookway, N. and James, S. 2015, 'Authentic lives, authentic times: A cultural and media analysis', M/C Journal, 18(1).
- Schurholz, H., Midford, S., Roemhild, J. and James, S. 2015, ‘Lifting the Learning Curve: Personal Academic Training in La Trobe University Arts Foundation Subjects’ STARS 2015 Conference Proceedings, 1-4 July 2015.
- Furze, B., Savy, P., Webb, R., James, S., Petray, T., Brym, R., and Lie, J. 2014, Sociology in today's world, 3rd edn, South Melbourne, Cengage.
- James, S. 2014 ‘Kathi Weeks: The Problem with Work: Feminism, Marxism, Antiwork Politics and Postwork Imaginaries’ (book review), Thesis Eleven, 120(1), pp. 127 – 130.
- James, S. 2013, 'Bauman's "sensation gatherers' and the significance of work today: Three Australian case studies', TASA 2013 Conference Proceedings, 25-28 November 2013 1 , pp. 1-10.
- James, S. 2012, 'Hard yakka: what's the work ethic really worth?' The Conversation, 26 September 2012.