Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2013. Disgust and Distinction: The case of the jellied eel. The Sociological Review, 61(2), pp. 227-246. ISSN 0038-0261
Dr Alex Rhys-Taylor BSc, MA, PhD, PGCert
Staff details
Goldsmiths Research Centres/Groups
Alex's research looks at processes of social change in cities, with a focus on embodied experiences and change
Alex is a Senior Lecturer, Deputy Head of Department and Exam Board Chair in the Sociology Department. His research looks at processes of social change in cities, with a focus on embodied experiences and change. His work has looked at the smell and flavour of cities and their relationship to gentrification, racism and multicultural formations. He is also also interested in urbane behaviours, etiquette and notions of civic virtue and is currently undertaking research into space, masculinity and leisure in cities.
Academic qualifications
- BSc Sociology 2001
- MA Globalisation Culture and the City 2004
- PhD 2010
- PGCert in Management and Teaching 2011
Featured publications
2017:
Rhys-Taylor, Alex, Food and Multiculture: A Sensory Ethnography of East London. London: Routledge.
In this book, Alex Rhys-Taylor offers a ground-breaking sensory ethnography of East London. Drawing on the multicultural context of London, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, he explore
2017:
Bates, Charlotte, and Alex Rhys-Taylor. Walking Through Social Research. Taylor & Francis.
As an ethnographic method walking has a long history, but it has only recently begun to attract focused attention. By walking alongside participants, researchers have been able to observe, experience,
2024:
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. ‘Representing Sensory Culture, Enacting Community’. In Handbook of Sensory Ethnography, edited by Phillip Vannini. London, New York
The Routledge International Handbook of Sensory Ethnography reviews and expands the field and scope of sensory ethnography
2024:
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. ‘How to Do Sociology with a Chilli’. In How to Do Social Research With... London: Goldsmiths Press, 2023.
This catalogue of methods draws on the wealth of cutting-edge critical and creative social research from the Goldsmiths Sociology Department to offer an engaged guide to doing research with a range of
2013:
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. ‘The Essences of Multiculture: A Sensory Exploration of an Inner-City Street Market’. Identities 20, no. 4 (11 August 2013): 393–40
This article applies methods and concepts derived from a ‘sensory turn’ within the social sciences to a street market, popular with migrants to East London, to explore the socio-sensory processes thro
Publications and research outputs
Book
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2017. Food and Multiculture: A Sensory Ethnography of East London. London: Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781472581181
Edited Book
Bates, Charlotte and Rhys-Taylor, Alex, eds. 2017. Walking Through Social Research. New York: Routledge. ISBN 9781138674042
Book Section
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2024. How to do social research with... a chilli. In: Rebecca Coleman; Kat Jungnickel and Nirmal Puwar, eds. How to do Research With... London: Goldsmiths Press, pp. 49-59. ISBN 9781913380427
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2023. Representing Sensory Culture, Enacting Community: “The Full English”. In: Phillip Vannini, ed. The Routledge International Handbook of Sensory Ethnography. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 9781032328737
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2021. Walking, Cadence and Urban Rhythms. In: Anita Strasser and Carla Duarte, eds. Walking Places - Conference Proceedings. Lisbon: DINÂMIA’CET-IUL, pp. 1-6. ISBN 9789897813092
Article
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2022. Tilley, Christopher (ed.). London's urban landscape: another way of telling. London: UCL Press, 2019 [Book Review]. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 28(3), pp. 1467-9655. ISSN 1359-0987
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2016. Food and urbanism: the convivial city and sustainable future (review). Social and Cultural Geography, 18(2), pp. 291-292. ISSN 1464-9365
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2013. The essences of multiculture: A sensory exploration of an inner-city street market. Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 20(4), pp. 393-406. ISSN 1070-289X
Broadcast
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2014. Sensory Multiculturalism in an East End Market; Thinking Allowed - BBC Radio 4.
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2013. Multicultural Prisons and Jellied Eels.
Digital
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2020. Such a gas, gas, gas.
Thesis
Rhys-Taylor, Alex. 2010. Coming to Our Senses: A Multi-sensory Ethnography of Class and Multiculture in East London. Doctoral thesis, Goldsmiths, University of London
Media engagements
2014:
BBC R4 Thinking Allowed: Sensory Multiculturalism in an East End Market;
Laurie Taylor discusses the sights and smells of a multicultural East End market with Alex Rhys-Taylor
2018:
BBC R4 Thinking Allowed: The sensory landscape of the city
Sociological discussion programme. Laurie Taylor explores the scenes, smells, sounds and tastes of urban life with Alex Rhys-Taylor
2013:
BBC R4 Thinking Allowed: Jellied Eels
Jellied Eels Thinking Allowed Laurie Taylor discusses jellied eels and 'disgust' at a seafood stall.
Sense of Place: Smell and the City
When you lose your sense of smell, you suddenly realise what an impact it has on your day to day life. It is crucial to the taste of food, reminds you of certain places and people, and it can even inf
2017: What London's Shifting Fast Food Culture Says About Immigration and Identity
