The Political Dynamics of the Weird World of Wellness
Weird World of Wellness Webinar
Wellness is perhaps one of the most fundamental contemporary human aspirations. In a world where there are ever more pressures on making yourself into the ideal citizen, worker or partner, a turn to personal wellness is understandable: who doesn’t want to be well? Who doesn’t want to be their best self? ‘Wellness’ is not just a big business; it is gargantuan as a 1.8 trillion dollar global industry.
Our pursuit of wellness to help deal with the anxieties of labour market precarity, cost of living crises and finding a partner, provides huge opportunities for profit, from global companies touting miracle anti-aging supplements, to micro-influencers spruiking everything from raw diets, crystals, and personal leadership courses. Most recently we have seen a rise in fascist tendencies in wellness cultures, spoken ‘out loud’ in online wellness spaces or enacted in White House public health policies. These features are not new in public health discourses: they are informed by centuries old Enlightenment philosophies founded on biological essentialist and evolutionary explanations of the social world.
This seminar features leading scholars in the fields of wellness sociology, digital media and public health to explore how contemporary discourses of wellness are aligned with the enactments and dynamics of everyday politics, and their consequences.
Speakers:
- Naomi Smith (University of Sunshine Coast)
- Natalie Ann Hendry (University of Melbourne)
- Matt Wade (La Trobe University)
Event Information
- Date: Wednesday 24 September 2025 from 3:00pm - 5:00pm
- Duration: 2 hours
- Location: Online
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.