
Dr Emily Setty
Biography
I graduated with a PhD in 2018 entitled 'Sexting ethics in youth digital culture: Risk, shame and the negotiation of privacy and consent' - a qualitative exploration of young people's experiences of risk and harm in their sexting cultures. I also have an MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice and a BSc in Psychology.
Before being appointed a lecturer at the University of Study, I commenced an ethnographic study of young people's digital, sexual and relational cultures in a co-educational independent boarding school. I subsequently worked with a team of young people and experts from the School of Sexuality Education and Fumble to co-create resources for schools about how Relationships and Sex Education can transform school and peer cultures, and received funding via the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account to undertake this work (https://transformingschoolculture.wordpress.com/).
I am also currently working on the following projects investigating:
- the impact of lockdown on digital intimacies among young people, along with Dr Emma Dobson at the University of Durham (funded via the BA/Leverhulme Small Grants Scheme);
- young people's use of digital media over lockdown and experiences of online harms, in a partnership project with Digital Awareness UK (funded via a University of Surrey Innovation Voucher);
- young people's conceptualizations and experiences of 'online transgressions', along with collaborators from the Institute for Criminal Policy Research, Birkbeck, the Open University, and Young Minds (funded via eNurture's UKRI funding scheme);
- an evaluation and product development with Life Lessons pilot Relationships and Sex Education programme in schools;
- parents’ perspectives on sex and relationships education in the home in partnership with Outspoken Sex Ed;
- perspectives on RSE among young people involved in harmful online sexual behaviours, in partnership with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation; and models for schools in dealing with sexual harassment and abuse following #EveryonesInvited, also with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (funded by KPMG).
I have also recently led a Department for Education review on Harmful Sexual Behaviours among young people in schools and colleges.
I previously worked as a researcher for Institute for Criminal Policy Research, Birkbeck, on a project exploring vulnerability and accessible justice in the courts; a researcher for Catch22 exploring gang crime and youth violence; and a Fast-Stream Researcher for the Ministry of Justice.
My primary research interests concern young people's behaviours and experiences within their youth sexual and relational cultures. I am a member of the following research groups at the University of Surrey: 'Digital Societies', 'Sex, Gender and Sexualities', Families and the Lifecourse’ and 'Criminology'.
Areas of specialism
University roles and responsibilities
- Programme Director for Criminology
- MSc Dissertation Lead for the Department of Sociology
- Disability Liaison Officer for the Department of Sociology
Affiliations and memberships
News
In the media
Research
Research interests
My primary research interests relate to young people's behaviours and experiences in their youth sexual and relational cultures. I'm interested in:
- Risky and harmful sexual and relational practices;
- Victim-blaming, social shaming and bullying;
- Digitally-mediated sexual and relational culture (e.g. 'sexting', 'online pornography');
- Young people's perspectives on sexual consent, particularly in contemporary contexts;
- Legal and educational policy responses to young people's sexual practices.
I take a youth-led, critical, qualitative approach to the research I do. I am currently working on a project to produce guidance for schools for transforming school and pupil cultures through Sex and Relationships Education.
Impact is at the core of the research I do. I work closely with a range of local and national stakeholders and organisations to support their work. Examples of organisations I have and currently work with include School of Sexuality Education, Digital Awareness UK, Fumble, Life Lessons Education Ltd, Outspoken Sex Ed, Habyts, The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, The Lucy Faithfull Foundation and The Revenge Porn Helpline.
Supervision
Postgraduate research supervision
Currently, I am principle supervisor for Ellen Harris who is conducting a qualitative study of young people's perspectives on online pornography. I also co-supervisor Faris Haddadin, who is investigating gender, representation and climate change policy from a critical feminist perspective.
Postgraduate research supervision
I welcome contact from prospective PhD students looking to undertake projects in my areas of interest (young people's sexual and relational cultures; sex and consent; criminal justice and educational responses to young people's sexual and relational practices; digital sexual practices and cultures) or related areas.
My teaching
I teach across criminology, sociology and research methods modules. Current and recent modules include:
As module convener:
- Crime Power and Justice (undergraduate)
- Crime and Technology (undergraduate)
- Quantitative Methods (undergraduate)
- Qualitative Methods (undergraduate)
- Youth Culture (undergraduate)
- Crime and Offending (postgraduate)
- Criminological Theories (postgraduate).
I am also preparing to deliver a new module on Victims and Victimology. I guest lecture for Birkbeck University on the Victims and Youth Crime modules (postgraduate).
I have acted as seminar tutor for the following:
- Criminological Theories (undergraduate)
- Youth Culture (undergraduate)
- Crime and Media (undergraduate)
- Hate Crime (undergraduate)
- Youth Crime and Control (undergraduate)
- Quantitative Methods (undergraduate).
My publications
Publications
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