• BA (Hons) Marketing and Advertising (University of the Arts, London)
  • MA Consumer and Promotional Culture (University of East London)
  • PhD Cultural Studies (University of East London)
  • Consumer culture and design, particularly in relation to gender and class.
  • Value and the cultural economy.
  • Domestic space and family life.
  • Feminist methodologies and ethnographic methods.

Promotional and consumer culture; media and cultural industries; gender, class and sexual cultures; research methods.

Forthcoming Publications:

Baker, S.E. (Forthcoming, April 2013) Retro Style: Class Gender and Design in the Home. Berg, Oxford.

Baker, S.E. (Under review) 'Retailing retro: class, cultural capital and the material practices of the (re)valuation of style' European Journal of Cultural Studies. Special Issue: ‘Cultural Intermediaries in Context’. Sage, London.

Baker, S.E. (Submitted) 'Accessing retro knowledge: reflections on ethnographic approaches to social class’. Qualitative Research. Sage,London.

Baker, S.E. (Submitted) ‘Visions of the housewife: retro femininities and domestic labour’ Thirdspace: a journal of feminist theory and culture. Online: http://www.thirdspace.ca

Publications:

Baker, S. (2010) ‘Always overdrawn: reflections on debt and consumerism’ in A Radical Future: Politic for the Next Generation. Lawrence and Wishart. Available at http://www.lwbooks.co.uk/ebooks/radicalfuture.html

Baker, S. (2010) ‘Retro’ in Southerton, D (ed.) Encyclopedia of Consumer Culture, CQ Press, A Division of Sage Publications, Washington DC

Baker, S. (2010) ‘Pierre Bourdieu’ in Southerton, D (ed.) Encyclopedia of Consumer Culture, CQ Press, A Division of Sage Publications, Washington DC

Baker, S. (2010) ‘Are they bothered? Children and young people’s hopes for their parents’ futures’. Findings Report. Available at http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/families/yourspace/

Baker, S. (2010) ‘Reflections on secondary analysis of Your Space data’ Findings Report. Available at http://www.timescapes.leeds.ac.uk/research/projects/siblings-friends.php

Baker, S. (2007) ‘Flying ducks: class and the consumption of the ‘authentic’’, in Deasey, S., Forrest, C., Maslen, J., Smith, N. and Taylor, E. (eds.) Authentic Artifice: Cultures of the Real. European Studies Research Institute, University of Salford Press.

Recent conferences:

Invited speaker, ‘Retro femininities and domestic labour’ Social and Historical Studies Open Seminar. Westminster University. 22nd March 2011.

‘Retro homes and the value of authentic iconicity’ Crossroads 2010. Association for Cultural Studies. Lingnan University, Hong Kong. 17th – 21st June 2010.

‘Retro homes and the anti-consumerist potential of renovation’ The Politics of Consumption. Day symposium. University of East London. 18th May 2010.

With Bramall, R. ‘Digging for victory: sustainability, lifestyle TV, and the use of the past’ The Big Reveal II. Lifestyle Television Conference. University of Brighton, UK. 29-31 May 2009.

‘Practice and field; a discussion of the internal and external distinctions of retro enthusiasts’. Working Conference: Putting Pierre Bourdieu to Work IV. CRESC, University of Manchester. 29th - 30th May 2008.

‘Distinctive and Effortless? The value of retro style on lifestyle television’ Cultural Borrowings: A Study Day on Appropriation, Reworking and Transformation. MeCCSA Postgraduate Network. University of Nottingham.19th March 2008.