In this talk, Dr Alison Fixsen presents key arguments from her forthcoming book, The Construction of Eating Disorders, Psychiatry, Politics and Cultural Representations, which challenges the perception of disordered eating as a marginal issue. Instead, Dr Fixsen argues that disordered eating and what counts as an eating disorder (ED) reflects broader societal disruptions, regulatory mechanisms, and efforts to control non-conformity. Research often focuses on labelling more individuals as medically "deviant," reinforcing the view that disorder originates within the individual and is best addressed through psychiatric intervention. This perspective overlooks the role of larger forces—colonialism, capitalism, Western medical norms, food industries, and media—in shaping eating disorders. Moreover, it neglects how structural inequalities, including socioeconomic status, ethnicity, food access, and matters of social justice, contribute to disordered eating and partly account for the expansion of EDs among marginalized groups.
About the speaker
Dr Alison Fixsen
Dr Alison Fixsen is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster, with an extensive background in health practice and research. Her recent work spans a range of subjects related to mental health including eating disorders, psychoactive drug management and dependency, self care and professional well-being initiatives and social prescribing. She has published peer reviewed articles and book chapters in areas of psychology, sociology, complementary health and professional education, including several ethnographic and autoethnographic studies. She is a member of the expert panel for BELSPO (Belgian Federal Science Policy Office). Her upcoming book The Construction of Eating Disorders- Psychiatry, Politics and Cultural Representations of Disordered Eating, is due for release in Spring 2025.
