- Baker, S.A., McLaughlin, E. and Rojek, C. (2024). Simple solutions to wicked problems: Cultivating true believers of anti-vaccine conspiracies during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 27(4), pp. 577–596. doi:10.1177/13675494231173536.
- Wade, M., Baker, S.A. and Walsh, M.J. (2024). Crowdfunding platforms as conduits for ideological struggle and extremism: On the need for greater regulation and digital constitutionalism. Policy & Internet, 16(1), pp. 149–172. doi:10.1002/poi3.369.
- Baker, S.A. and Walsh, M.J. (2024). “Memes Save Lives”: Stigma and the Production of Antivaccination Memes During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social Media + Society, 10(1). doi:10.1177/20563051231224729.
- Walsh, M.J., Baker, S.A. and Wade, M. (2023). Evaluating the elevation of authoritative health content online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online Information Review, 47(4), pp. 782–800. doi:10.1108/oir-12-2021-0655.
- Baker, S.A. and Walsh, M.J. (2023). ‘A mother’s intuition: it’s real and we have to believe in it’: how the maternal is used to promote vaccine refusal on Instagram. Information, Communication & Society, 26(8), pp. 1675–1692. doi:10.1080/1369118x.2021.2021269.
- Walsh, M.J. and Baker, S.A. (2022). Avoiding conflict and minimising exposure: Face-work on Twitter. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 28(3), pp. 664–680. doi:10.1177/13548565211036797.
- Smith, N., Maddox, A., Southerton, C. and Baker, S.A. (2022). Conspiracy. M/C Journal, 25(1). doi:10.5204/mcj.2892.
- Baker, S.A. and Maddox, A. (2022). From COVID-19 Treatment to Miracle Cure. M/C Journal, 25(1). doi:10.5204/mcj.2872.
- Baker, S.A. (2022). Alt. Health Influencers: how wellness culture and web culture have been weaponised to promote conspiracy theories and far-right extremism during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 25(1), pp. 3–24. doi:10.1177/13675494211062623.
- Baker, S.A. (2021). Alt. Health Influencers: how wellness culture and web culture have been weaponised to promote COVID-19 conspiracy theories and far-right extremism. . doi:10.31235/osf.io/jt2ha.
- Baker, S.A. (2020). Influencing the ‘infodemic’: how wellness became weaponised during the pandemic. Lockdown: Mental Illness, Wellness, and COVID-19 – Keynote Presentation.
- Baker, S.A., Wade, M. and Walsh, M.J. (2020). The challenges of responding to misinformation during a pandemic: content moderation and the limitations of the concept of harm. Media International Australia, 177(1), pp. 103–107. doi:10.1177/1329878x20951301.
- Walsh, M.J. and Baker, S.A. (2020). Clean eating and Instagram: purity, defilement, and the idealization of food. Food, Culture & Society, 23(5), pp. 570–588. doi:10.1080/15528014.2020.1806636.
- Baker, S.A., Wade, M. and Walsh, M.J. (2020). Misinformation: tech companies are removing ‘harmful’ coronavirus content – but who decides what that means? The Conversation.
- Baker, S.A. (2020). Tackling Misinformation and Disinformation in the Context of COVID-19. Cabinet Office C19 Seminar.
- Baker, S.A. and Rojek, C. (2020). The online wellness industry: why it’s so difficult to regulate. .
- Baker, S.A. and Rojek, C. (2019). The scandal that should force us to reconsider wellness advice from influencers. .
- Baker, S.A. and Rojek, C. (2019). The Belle Gibson scandal: The rise of lifestyle gurus as micro-celebrities in low-trust societies. Journal of Sociology pp. 1–17. doi:10.1177/1440783319846188.
- Baker, S.A. and Walsh, M.J. (2018). ‘Good Morning Fitfam’: Top posts, hashtags and gender display on Instagram. New Media & Society, 20(12), pp. 4553–4570. doi:10.1177/1461444818777514.
- Baker, S.A. and Walsh, M.J. (2018). How men are embracing ‘clean eating’ posts on Instagram. .
- Walsh, M.J. and Baker, S.A. (2017). The selfie and the transformation of the public–private distinction. Information, Communication & Society, 20(8), pp. 1185–1203. doi:10.1080/1369118x.2016.1220969.
- Baker, S.A. and Rowe, D. (2014). Mediating mega events and manufacturing multiculturalism: The cultural politics of the world game in Australia. Journal of Sociology, 50(3), pp. 299–314. doi:10.1177/1440783312451782.
- Baker, S.A. (2014). From Causality to Emergence: re-evaluating social media’s role in the 2011 English riots. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs [Special Issue on Social Media & Social Activism], 15(1).
- Baker, S.A. and Rowe, D. (2013). The Power of Popular Publicity: new social media and the affective dynamics of the Sepp Blatter racism scandal. Journal of Political Power [Special Issue on Emotions & Power], 6(3), pp. 441–460.
- Baker, S.A. (2013). Performing the postcolonial: the 'migrant' body as a site of veneration, repugnance and blame. International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion, 5(3), pp. 213–213. doi:10.1504/ijwoe.2013.055902.
- Baker, S.A. (2012). From the criminal crowd to the “mediated crowd”: the impact of social media on the 2011 English riots. Safer Communities, 11(1), pp. 40–49. doi:10.1108/17578041211200100.
- Baker, S.A. and Rowe, D. (2012). The “Fall” of What? FIFA’s public viewing areas and their contribution to the quality of public life. Space and Culture, 15(3), pp. 395–407.
- Baker, S.A. and Rowe, D. (2012). Live Sites in an Age of Media Reproduction: mega events and transcontinental experience in public space. Global Media Journal, 6(1).
- Baker, S.A. and Rowe, D. (2012). Mediating Mega Events and Manufacturing Multiculturalism: the cultural politics of the World Game in Australia. Journal of Sociology, 48(3).
- Baker, S.A. (2011). The Mediated Crowd: New Social Media and New Forms of Rioting. Sociological Research Online, 16(4), pp. 195–204. doi:10.5153/sro.2553.
- Baker, S.A. (2010). Imitating Life or Art: the tragic hero’s emergence on France’s postcolonial stage. Diversity and Recognition, 117, pp. 93–104.
- Baker, S.A. (2010). Hoping to Fear: the cathartic transformation of the civic community: critique and counter critique. The Resilience of Hope, 68, pp. 97–122.
Contact details
Address
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom
About
Overview
Dr Stephanie Alice Baker currently serves as Deputy Head of the Department of Sociology and Criminology. She received a B.A. (Hons. 1st Class) from the University of Sydney in 2006 and a Ph.D. (awarded without revision) in 2010. She has held research and teaching positions at the Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay, the University of Sydney, the University of Western Sydney, the University of Greenwich and Goldsmiths, University of London.
Dr Baker’s research explores health and wellness cultures, with a focus on how influencers establish trust, intimacy and authority online. Much of her research has focused on the self-help and wellness industry. She has published several articles and books on these topics including, Lifestyle Gurus: constructing authority and influence online (Polity, 2019) and Wellness Culture: how the wellness movement has been used to empower, profit and misinform (Emerald, 2022).
Dr Baker’s current research explores the role of new media technologies in amplifying false, misleading and harmful content online. In 2021, she was invited by the UK Parliament to provide oral and written evidence on influencer culture in relation to online radicalisation, terrorism and extremism. She continues to work with the government and policymakers in their efforts to reduce and respond to mis/disinformation.
Consultancy Work
Dr Baker has worked with organisations across the public and private sector. Past collaborators include the BBC, ITV, Flamingo, the Discovery Channel, Weber Shandwick, Tapestry Research, Sense Worldwide and TECNO mobile.
She is a guest speaker, together with public health experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO), on the University of Toronto's health policy module, 'Health Communication in the Age of Infodemics.'
Media Appearances
Dr Baker is committed to public facing research. She has a strong media presence having featured in the BBC, the Guardian, PBS and the New York Times and as a frequent podcast guest. In 2024, she will work with several colleagues to develop their forthcoming book on Cults (Rutledge, 2024) into a podcast series.
Qualifications
- PhD, University of Western Sydney, Australia, 2010
- BA (Hons 1st Class), University of Sydney, Australia, 2006
Employment
- Senior Lecturer, City, University of London, Jun 2020 – present
- Lecturer, City, University of London, Nov 2014 – May 2020
- Researcher, Goldsmiths University of London, 2013 – 2014
- Visiting Lecturer, University of Greenwich, London, 2010 – 2012
- Research Assistant, Institute for Culture and Society, 2010 – 2012
- Research Assistant, Centre for Citizenship and Public Policy, 2010
- Research Fellow, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, 2010
- Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of Leicester, 2007 – 2008
- Academic Tutor, University of Sydney, 2006 – 2007
Memberships of professional organisations
- The Royal Society of Arts (RSA), 2017 – present
- Inducted Member, Golden Key International Honour Society, 2003 – present
Awards
- Emerald Literati Network Award for Excellence (2013) Outstanding Paper Award Winner
- European Association for Sociology of Sport (2011) Young Researcher’s Award
- Australian Federal Government (2010) Endeavour Research Award
- University of Western Sydney (2008) Postgraduate Research Award (full PhD scholarship)
- University of Sydney (2007) Wentworth Travelling Scholarship
- University of Sydney (2006) University Postgraduate Award (full PhD scholarship)
- University of Sydney Postgraduate Research Support Scheme
2006, 2007, 2008
Publications
Publications by category
Books (4)
- Baker, S.A. (2022). Wellness Culture: How the Wellness Movement has been used to Empower, Profit and Misinform.
- Baker, S.A. and Rojek, C. (2019). Lifestyle Gurus Constructing Authority and Influence Online. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Polity. ISBN 978-1-5095-3018-2.
- Baker, S.A. (2014). Social Tragedy. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-1-349-48150-7.
- Baker, S., McLaughlin, E. and Rojek, C. Cults. Routledge.
Chapters (15)
- Baker, S.A. and Walsh, M.J. (2020). You are what you Instagram: clean eating and the symbolic representation of food. In Lupton, D. and Feldman, Z. (Eds.), Digital Food Cultures (pp. 53–68). Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-40213-5.
- Baker, S.A. (2014). Introduction: Plato's Challenge. In Baker, S. (Ed.), Social Tragedy The Power of Myth, Ritual, and Emotion in the New Media Ecology (pp. 1–27). Springer. ISBN 978-1-137-37913-9.
- Baker, S.A. and Rowe, D. (2013). The power of popular publicity: new social media and the affective dynamics of the sport racism scandal. (pp. 441–460). Informa UK Limited.
- Baker, S.A. and Hamilton, M. (2013). France. In Emery, R.E. (Ed.), Cultural Sociology of Divorce: An Encyclopedia New York: SAGE.
- Baker, S.A. (2013). Theatre and Film. In Emery, R.E. (Ed.), Cultural Sociology of Divorce: An Encyclopedia New York: SAGE.
- Rowe, D. and Baker, S.A. (2012). Truly a Fan Experience? The Cultural Politics of the Live Site. In Krøvel, R. and Roksvold, T. (Eds.), We Love to Hate Each Other: Mediated Football Fan Culture (pp. 303–319). Gothenburg: Nordicom. ISBN 978-91-86523-35-0.
- Baker, S.-.A. (2012). Social Tragedy: Zidane’s Role in France’s Tragic Epic. From Conflict to Recognition (pp. 235–250). BRILL. ISBN 978-90-420-3535-5.
- Baker, S.A. (2011). Ancient India. In Barnett, G. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Social Networks (pp. 38–41). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Baker, S.A. (2011). Earliest Civilizations. In Barnett, G. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Social Networks (pp. 221–224). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Baker, S.A. and Peckman, A. (2011). India. In Barnett, G. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Social Networks (pp. 401–406). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Baker, S.A. (2011). Nepal. In Barnett, G. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Social Networks (pp. 586–587). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
- Baker, S.-.A. (2010). Hoping to Fear: The Cathartic Transformation of the Civic Community. The Resilience of Hope (pp. 95–119). BRILL. ISBN 978-90-420-3022-0.
- Baker, S.A. Coaches, Gurus and Influencers as Self-help and Lifestyle Experts: from Insta therapy to becoming “that girl” on TikTok. In Hanusch, F. (Ed.), The Handbook of Lifestyle Journalism Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
- Baker, S.A. ‘Link in bio’: fake cancer cures, radicalization pathways and online harms on TikTok. In Zimdars, M. (Ed.), The Impact of Misinformation and Disinformation on a Democratic Society.
- Baker, S.A. Coaches, Gurus and Influencers as Self-help & Lifestyle Experts: from Insta therapy to becoming “that girl” on TikTok. In Hanusch, F. (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Lifestyle Journalism Routledge.
Internet publications (7)
- Baker, S.A. (2024). How Nigel Farage is Strategically Using Memes to Build a People’s Army. Medium.
- Baker, S., McLaughlin, E. and Rojek, C. (2024). The ‘truther playbook’: tactics that explain vaccine conspiracy theorist RFK Jr’s presidential momentum. The Conversation.
- Baker, S.A. (2024). TikTok and Instagram are full of misleading information about birth control — and wellness influencers are helping drive these narratives. The Conversation.
- Baker, S.A. (2024). How memes transformed from pics of cute cats to health disinformation super-spreaders. The Conversation.
- Baker, S.A. (2022). Supplementary Written Evidence - Policy Recommendations: Select Inquiry into Influencer Culture (INF0040). UK Parliament (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee)..
- Walsh, M.J. and Baker, S.A. (2021). Twitter’s design stokes hostility and controversy. Here’s why, and how it might change. The Conversation.
- Baker, S.A. (2021). Written Evidence: Select Inquiry into Influencer Culture (INF0004). UK Parliament (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee).
Journal articles (32)
Reports (2)
- Ruppert, E., Harvey, P., Lury, C., Mackenzie, A., McNally, R., Baker, S.A. … Lewis, C. (2015). Socialising Big Data: From concept to practice. The University of Manchester and the Open University.
- Ruppert, E., Harvey, P., Lucy, C., Mackenzie, A., McNally, R., Baker, S.A. … Lewis, C. (2015). A Social Framework for Big Data. Project Report. CRESC Working Paper Series.
Professional activities
Keynote lecture/speech
- The Social Foundation of Decision Making. Leeds, UK (2016). http://www.itvmedia.co.uk/news/family-planning?dm_t=0,0,0,0,0