Doctor Emily Wolfinger

Dr Emily Wolfinger is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University. Prior to joining WSU as a sessional academic in 2015, Emily worked as Publications Director for a well-regarded social research company where she co-authored several publications, including best-selling book, The ABC of XYZ: Understanding the Global Generations (2011).  She completed her Honours degree in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, WSU, in 2014 before commencing a government-funded PhD in sociology with Southern Cross University, which she completed in 2020.   Emily’s research examines online perceptions of sole mother poverty and welfare, as well as contemporary and historical depictions of sole mothers, and interrogates neoliberal conceptions of work, productivity, and ‘good’ mothering.  In her work, Emily utilises post-structural theory, including feminist perspectives and Foucauldian ideas.  Her research has informed policy discussion and has made recommendations for welfare policy reform and feminist advocacy.  She has been called upon for media commentary, to conduct literature reviews, and to write online articles on welfare policy, sole mother issues, and social media research ethics.  She is currently co-editing a scholarly collection on policies and practices that support the work of caregiving.  Emily is passionate about quality teaching and curriculum design and brings interdisciplinary knowledge to her scholarship and teaching practice.