Dr Chris Till
Reader Leeds Beckett
- Leeds
Chris Till teaches core and specialist modules on social theory, technologies and health.
Media
Social
Biography
Chris' work has covered the political economy of self-tracking, Spotify's datafication and financialization of exercise, online mis- and dis-information and vegan social media activism. This research is unified by a theoretical interest in "technologies" of various kinds and how these frame social life, intersect with political economy and seek to influence behaviour.
Chris is interested in supervising PhD projects with a focus related to the above areas.
Prior to working at Leeds Beckett, Chris worked at the University of Sheffield and conducted postgraduate study and worked at University of Leeds.
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Education
Nottingham Trent University
BA
Sociology
2005
University of Leeds
MA
Social Research
2006
University of Leeds
PhD
Sociology
2010
Affiliations
- Editor-in-Chief of 'Health' journal from January 2025
Links
Languages
- English
Media Appearances
How academics can help ensure students’ wellbeing
The Guardian online
2014-10-01
“Try to be empathetic and approachable, and remember that a student’s front stage performance may not reflect what they are really feeling. This can be easier than you might think, as often the most important factor in whether a student will feel welcomed or not is if a staff member knows their name. You are not expected to deal with any problem a student has, but it is important that they do not become isolated or slip through the net.” (Chris Till, senior lecturer in social science, Leeds Beckett University)
Articles
CrossFit, Community, and Identity: A Gemeinschaft in a Liquid Modern World?
Sociological Research Online2024
This article applies Zygmunt Bauman’s notion of liquid modernity to understand the dynamics of temporary communities through the branded strength and conditioning programme of CrossFit (CF). By drawing on 18 semi-structured interviews across 4 different UK CF gyms, we argue that to some participants CF offers a temporary return to a modified version of the strong social bonds associated with older forms of community (described by Ferdinand Tönnies as Gemeinschaft).
Essay x-ray: using an in-house academic writing tool to scaffold academic skills support
Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education2024
This paper introduces a project to develop a digital academic writing tool at Leeds Beckett University (LBU). Essay X-ray is an interactive online tool designed to help students get to grips with the structure and style of academic writing and was developed using the Articulate Storyline 360 platform.
Spotify as a technology for integrating health, exercise and wellness practices into financialised capitalism
Big Data & Society2023
Spotify dominates the audio streaming industry and offers an almost limitless library of music and other ‘sounds’. They have recently made various interventions into health, exercise and wellness with the development of curated and personalised playlists focused on activities such as running, weightlifting and meditation and guided workouts interspersed with algorithmically generated playlists.
Propaganda through ‘reflexive control’ and the mediated construction of reality
New Media & Society2020
The nature of reality has been a central concern of philosophy and the social sciences, but since the proliferation of social media, psychological operations have taken on greater visibility and significance in political action. ‘Fake news’ and micro-targeted and deceptive advertising in elections and votes has brought the tenuous character of political reality to the fore.
Creating ‘automatic subjects’: Corporate wellness and self-tracking
Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine2019
The use of self-tracking devices has increased dramatically in recent years with enthusiasm from the public as well as public health officers, healthcare providers and workplaces seeking to instigate behaviour change in populations. Analysis of the ontological principles informing the design and implementation of the Apple Watch and corporate wellness programmes using self-tracking technologies shows that their primary focus is on the capture and control of attention rather than material health outcomes.
