Dr Ron Roberts
Faculties, departments and locations
- Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
- Penrhyn Road
Honorary Lecturer
- Email:
- [email protected]
About
I am Honorary Lecturer in Psychology at Kingston University, a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. I studied at the universities of Sheffield, London and Leicester, and held previous posts at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of Westminster, King's College Medical School, University College London, St Bartholomew's Medical School, Queen Mary College and the Tavistock Institute. I am the author of over 60 refereed articles as well as writing and editing fourteen books, including Just War: Psychology & Terrorism (2007), Reel to Real: Psychiatry at the Cinema (2011), The New Politics of Experience and The Bitter Herbs (2014) (all with PCCS) and Psychology and Capitalism (2015), The Off-Modern: Psychology estranged (2017), Capitalism on Campus (2018) (with Zero Books), Francis Huxley and the Human Condition: Anthropology, ancestry and knowledge (2020) (Routledge). Svetlana Boym (2022) The Origins of Nostalgia: memories and reflections (Bloomsbury). Huxley in Haiti (2022) (CIDIHCA). I am currently a member of the Psychologists for Social Change group and during the 1980s-1990s wrote for and edited Science for People magazine in the UK. I have been a frequent media commentator on both national and international media on student sex work (BBC1, Channel 4, BBC World Service, BBC local radio, FDZ (Germany), Rai Uno (Italy). As well as pioneering work on student mental health and student participation in the sex industry, I contributed to Antarctic Resolutions which won the 2021 DAM Architectural Book Award and the 2022 Grand Prize of the European Commission honouring Innovation in Technology, Industry and Society stimulated by the Arts.
Qualifications
- B.Sc (Hons)
- M.Sc (dist)
- Ph.D
- Cert Tesol.
Domains
My research interests lie in social memory, student mental health, student sex work, political psychology and the politics of psychology. In addition I have written on parapsychology, social anthropology and nostalgia. Together with Theodor Itten I co-authored a biography of Francis Huxley, a member of the illustrious Huxley family.
My published books include;
Roberts, R., Towell, A. and Golding, J. (2001) Foundations of Health Psychology. Palgrave (Macmillan).
Roberts, R. and Groome, D. (Eds.) (2001) Parapsychology: The science of unusual experience. London. Arnold & Oxford University Press.
Roberts, R. and Groome, D. (Eds.) (2003) Parapsychology. Moscow. Olma Press. (Russian Edition)
Roberts, R. (Ed.) (2007) Just war: Psychology and terrorism. Ross On-Wye. PCCS Books
Roberts, R. (2011) Real to Reel. Psychiatry at the cinema. Ross-On-Wye. PCCS Books.
Itten, T. & Roberts, R. (2014) The new politics of experience & The bitter herbs. Monmouth. PCCS Books.
Roberts, R. (2015) Psychology & Capitalism. Winchester. Zero Books.
Roberts, T & Itten, T. (2015) Nova Politika Doživ Ljaja. Publikacija Neke Organizajica Sarajevo.
Itten, T. & Roberts, R. (2016) Politik der Erhfarung. Gießen. Psychosozial-Verlag.
Groome, D. & Roberts, R. (Eds.) (2016) Parapsychology: The science of unusual experience. London (2nd Edition). London. Routledge.
Roberts, R. (2017) The Off-Modern. Psychology Estranged. Winchester. Zero Books.
Roberts, R. (2018) Capitalism on Campus: Sex Work, Academic Freedom and the Market. Winchester. Zero Books.
Vos, J., Roberts, R. & Davies, J. (2019) Mental health in crisis. London. Sage Swift.
Roberts, R. & Itten. T. (2020) Francis Huxley and the human condition: Anthropology, ancestry and knowledge. London Routledge.
Roberts, R. (Ed.) Svetlana Boym (2022) The Origins of Nostalgia: Memories and Reflections. London. Bloomsbury.
Itten, T., Roberts, R. & Davis, P. (2022) Huxley in Haiti: An Album. Montreal. CIDIHCA.
Itten, T. & Roberts, R. (2023) Francis Huxley: Ein Leben für die Sozialanthropologie. Springer VS.
Articles
Richardson. T, Yeebo, M, Jansen, M., Elliot, P. & Roberts, R. (2022) The Relationship between Mental and Physical Health: A Longitudinal Analysis with British Students. Journal of Public Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-11-2021-0147
Book Chapter
Roberts, R. (2022). Student Sex Work: Economics, Education, and Ethics. In: D. Jones, & T. Sanders, (Eds) Student Sex Work. Palgrave Advances in Sex Work Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07777-7_3
Publications
The psychology of people, power and politics: through the looking glass
Roberts, Ron (2023). Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.: (Cambridge Scholars Publishing)
The Origins of Nostalgia : Memories and Reflections
Boym, Svetlana and Roberts, Ron (2022). New York, U.S.: (Bloomsbury Publishing)
Francis Huxley : Ein Leben für die Sozialanthropologie [Francis Huxley : A Life for Social Anthropology]
Itten, Theodor and Roberts, Ron (2022). Wiesbaden, Germany: (Springer Nature)
Francis Huxley and the human condition : anthropology, ancestry and knowledge
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor (2021). Abingdon, U.K.: (Routledge)
Mental health in crisis
Vos, Joel, Roberts, Ron and Davies, James (2019). London, U.K.: (Sage Publications Limited)
Capitalism on campus : sex work, academic freedom and the market
Roberts, Ron (2018). Winchester, U.K.: (Zero Books)
Parapsychology : the science of unusual experience
Groome, David and Roberts, Ron (2017). Abingdon, U.K.: (Routledge)
The off-modern : psychology estranged
Roberts, Ron (2017). Alresford, U.K.: (Zero Books)
Psychology and capitalism : the manipulation of mind
Roberts, Ron (2015). Winchester, U.K.: (Zero Books)
The new politics of experience and the bitter herbs
Itten, Theodor and Roberts, Ron (2014). Monmouth, UK: (PCCS Books)
Real to reel : psychiatry at the cinema
Roberts, Ron (2011). Ross-on-Wye, UK: (PCCS Books)
Just war : psychology and terrorism
(2007). Ross-on-Wye, UK: (PCCS Books)
Foundations of health psychology
Roberts, Ron, Towell, Tony and Golding, John F. (2001). Basingstoke, UK: (Palgrave)
Parapsychology : the science of unusual experience
(2001). London: (Arnold (Hodder Headline))
Psychology in the Covid-19 dreamland. Book Review of: 'The psychology of COVID-19' by Joel Vos Sage
Roberts, Ron, 2022, Journal of Constructivist Psychology (35), 3, pp 1121-1123
Francis Huxley and the human condition
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor, 2021, The Psychologist (34), pp 68-71
An obsession with theory?
Roberts, Ron, 2020, The Psychologist (33), pp 6
Hopeful possibilities of resistance
Roberts, Ron, 2018, The Psychologist (31), pp 7
Financial difficulties and psychosis risk in British undergraduate students : a longitudinal analysis
Richardson, Thomas, Yeebo, Mma, Jansen, Megan, Elliott, Peter and Roberts, Ron, 2018, Journal of Public Mental Health (17), 2, pp 61-68
A longitudinal study of financial difficulties and mental health in a national sample of British undergraduate students
Richardson, Thomas, Elliott, Peter, Roberts, Ron and Jansen, Megan, 2017, Community Mental Health Journal (53), 3, pp 344-352
Relationship between loneliness and mental health in students
Richardson, Thomas, Elliott, Peter and Roberts, Ron, 2017, Journal of Public Mental Health (16), 2, pp 48-54
Student involvement in the UK sex industry : motivations and experiences.
Sagar, Tracey, Jones, Debbie, Symons, Katrien, Tyrie, Jacky and Roberts, Ron, 2016, The British Journal Of Sociology (67), 4, pp 697-718
A time for much thought and new action?
Roberts, Ron, 2016, The Psychologist
Off the beaten track
Roberts, Ron, 2016, The Psychologist (29), pp 620-623
The impact of tuition fees amount on mental health over time in British students
Richardson, T., Elliott, P. and Roberts, R., 2015, Journal of Public Health (37), 3, pp 412-418
Student participation in the sex industry : higher education responses and staff experiences and perceptions
Sagar, Tracey, Jones, Deborah, Symons, Katrien, Bowring, Joanne and Roberts, Ron, 2015, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management (37), 4, pp 400-412
Ron Roberts reflects on psychology's ambivalent relationship to conflict
Roberts, Ron, 2015, Psychology Cultures
Memory, madness and conflict: a Laingian perspective
Roberts, R. and Hewer, C.J., 2015, Memory Studies (8), 2, pp 169-182
Exploring attitudes to NATO in Republika Srpska
Roberts, Ron, Halilovic, Majda, Becirevic, Edina and Hewer, Christopher J., 2015, Global Discourse (5), 4, pp 579-599
A rough guide to higher education (part one)
Roberts, Ron, 2014, Left Unity
The psychodynamics of film. Book review of: 'Visible mind : movies, modernity and the unconscious' by Christopher Hauke
Roberts, Ron, 2014, The Psychologist (27), 1, pp 52
The relationship between personal unsecured debt and mental and physical health : a systematic review and meta-analysis
Richardson, Thomas, Elliott, Peter and Roberts, Ronald, 2013, Clinical Psychology Review (33), 8, pp 1148-1162
Letter: Methodological shortcomings of biological research
Roberts, Ron, 2013, The Psychologist (26), 7, pp 468
Guest blog : Dr. Ron Roberts - Kingston University, London
Roberts, Ron, 2013, Student Sex Work Project
Students and sex work in the UK : providers and purchasers
Roberts, Ron, Jones, Amy and Sanders, Teela, 2013, Sex Education: sexuality, society and learning (13), 3, pp 349-363
Roberts, Ron, 2013, Asylum : the magazine for democratic psychiatry (20), 1, pp 11-12
Thomas Szasz (1920 - 2012) Life, liberty and politics
Roberts, Ron, 2012, Asylum : the magazine for democratic psychiatry (19), 4, pp 3-4
A moral abyss?
Roberts, Ron, 2012, Psychologist (25), 11, pp 800-801
Fourth wave feminism : protests and prospects
Wahgo, S. and Roberts, R., 2012, Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (12), 4, pp 216-220
History, culture and cognition: towards a dynamic model of social memory
Hewer, C.J. and Roberts, R., 2012, (18), 2, pp 167-183
Social inequality and young pregnancy: the causal attributions of young parents in London, UK
Smith, Debbie M. and Roberts, Ron, 2011, (17), 5, pp 1054-1060
Letter: Kanazawa strikes again
Roberts, Ron, 2011, The Psychologist (24), 7, pp 478-479
Young parents; the role of housing in understanding social inequality
Smith, Debbie and Roberts, Ron, 2011, The Journal of Family Health Care (21), 1, pp 20-22
Psychology at the end of the world
Roberts, Ronald, 2011, The Psychologist (24), 1, pp 22-25
Liberation by illusion : image and reality in the construction of security
Roberts, Ron, 2011, Democracy and Security in Southeastern Europe, 8-9, pp 46-49
Roberts, Ron, 2011, International Journal of Psychotherapy (15), 2
Madness, myth and medicine
Roberts, Ron, 2010, The Psychologist (23), 8, pp 694-695
Book Review of: 'Safer sex in the city: the experience and management of street prostitution' by David Canter, Marie Ioannou and Donna Youngs
Roberts, Ronald, 2010, The Psychologist (23), 5, pp 402-402
Martial arts and mental health
Macarie, Iulius-Cezar and Roberts, Ron, 2010, Contemporary Psychotherapy (2), 1
Participation in sex work : students' views
Roberts, R., Sanders, T., Smith, D. and Myers, E., 2010, Sex Education: sexuality, society and learning (10), 2, pp 145-156
Researching students in sex work : market values and academic freedom
Roberts, R., 2010, The Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (10), 1, pp 12-17
Social acceptance: a possible mediator in the association between socio-economic deprivation and under-18 pregnancy rates?
Smith, D. and Roberts, R., 2009, Journal of Youth Studies (12), 6, pp 669-683
Young parents’ perceptions of barriers to antenatal and postnatal care
Smith, Debbie and Roberts, Ron, 2009, British Journal of Midwifery (17), 10, pp 620-627
Higher and further education institution policies on student and staff involvement in commercial sex
Cusick, L., Roberts, R. and Paton, S., 2009, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management (31), 2, pp 185-195
Children's understanding of the war in Iraq : views from Britain and Bosnia
Roberts, Ron, Becirevic, Majda and Baker, Tracy, 2009, International Journal of Childrens Spirituality (14), 1, pp 17-30
Sex work and students : an exploratory study
Roberts, Ronald, Bergstrom, Sandra and La Rooy, David, 2007, Journal of Further and Higher Education (31), 4, pp 323-334
Commentary: UK students and sex work : current knowledge and research issues
Roberts, Ronald, Bergstom, Sandra and La Rooy, David, 2007, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology (17), 2, pp 141-146
Psiholoska objasnjenja, socijalne reprezentacije I genocid [Psychological explanation, social representations and genocide]
Roberts, Ronald, 2007, Kriminalisticke teme [Journal of Criminal Justice Issues] (6), 3-4, pp 19-36
Student parents, hardship and debt : a qualitative study
Gerrard, Eve and Roberts, Ronald, 2006, Journal of Further and Higher Education (30), 4, pp 393-403
Laing and Szasz : anti-psychiatry, capitalism, and therapy
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor, 2006, The Psychoanalytic Review (93), 5, pp 781-800
Precursors of genocide
Roberts, Ron, 2006, The Psychologist (19), 6, pp 341-341
British psychology's response to the Iraq War 2003-2004
Roberts, Ron, 2006, Clinical Psychology Forum (157), pp 24-48
Models of terrorism
Roberts, Ron, 2005, The Psychologist (18), 10, pp 599-599
Power and illusion : perspectives from Laing and Chomsky
Roberts, Ron, 2005, Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (5), 3, pp 123-131
Problems in replicating multivariate models in quantitative research
Roberts, R., 2005, Health Psychology Update (14), 3, pp 10-16
Iraq - should the BPS have a view?
Roberts, Ron, 2005, The Psychologist (18), 4, pp 198-199
The response of British psychology to the Iraq war 2003-2004
Roberts, R., 2005, Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (5), 1, pp 1-9
Don't mention the war
Roberts, Ronald and Esgate, Anthony, 2005, The Psychologist (18), 2, pp 198-198
The effects of child sexual abuse in later family life; mental health, parenting and adjustment of offspring
Roberts, Ron, O'Connor, Tom, Dunn, Judy and Golding, Jean, 2004, (28), 5, pp 525-545
Sanity madness and science : R.D.Laing and critical psychology
Roberts, Ron, 2004, Society for Langian Studies
Electroconvulsive therapy : confusion does not stem from the evidence
Roberts, Ron, 2003, BMJ (online) (327), pp 621-621
Prevention is better than the cure
Roberts, Ron, 2002, guardian.co.uk
Parapsychology and postmodernism
Roberts, Ronald, 2001, The Skeptic (14), 4, pp 16-17
Mental and physical health in students : the role of economic circumstances
Roberts, Ron, Golding, John, Towell, Tony, Reid, Steven, Woodford, Sally, Vetere, Arlene and Weinreb, Irene, 2000, British Journal of Health Psychology (5), 3, pp 289-297
Factors predictive of bone mineral density in eating-disordered women : a longitudinal study
Baker, Dawn, Roberts, Ron and Towell, Tony, 2000, International Journal of Eating Disorders (27), 1, pp 29-35
Debts of despair
Roberts, Ron, 1999, The Guardian (Feb 2), pp vi
Health-related correlates of gambling on the British National Lottery
Reid, S., Woodford, S. J., Roberts, R., Golding, J. F. and Towell, A. D., 1999, Psychological Reports (84), 1, pp 247-254
Variations in self reported health by occupational grade in the British Post Office : The Q-health project
Roberts, R., Welch, R., Boorman, S., Golding, J. F. and Towell, T., 1999, Occupational Medicine (49), 8, pp 491-497
The effects of economic circumstances on British students' mental and physical health
Roberts, Ron, Golding, John, Towell, Tony and Weinreb, Irene, 1999, Journal of American College Health (48), 3, pp 103-109
Culture shock and jet lag do not explain neuropsychiatric side effects of mefloquine
Roberts, Ron, 1998, British Medical Journal (BMJ) (316), pp 1980
Student finance and mental health
Roberts, Ron, Golding, John and Towell, Tony, 1998, Psychologist (11), 10, pp 489-491
Psychometric and clinical validity of the SF-36 in the Whitehall II study
Roberts, Ron, Hemingway, Harry and Marmot, Michael, 1997, British Journal of Health Psychology (2), 4, pp 285-300
The impact of socioeconomic status on health functioning as assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire : the Whitehall II Study
Hemingway, H., Nicholson, A., Stafford, M., Roberts, R. and Marmot, M., 1997, American Journal of Public Health (87), 9, pp 1484-1490
Assessing the validity of the SF-36 General Health Survey
Stansfeld, S. A., Roberts, R. and Foot, S.P., 1997, Quality of Life Research (6), 3, pp 217-224
Psychological factors in the relationship between alcohol and cardiovascular morbidity
Roberts, Ron, Brunner, Eric and Marmot, Michael, 1995, (41), 11, pp 1513-1516
Gender differences in occupational mobility and structure of employment in the British Civil Service
Roberts, Ron, Brunner, Eric, White, Ian and Marmot, Michael, 1993, (37), 12, pp 1415-1425
Cancer counselling in the United Kingdom
Fallowfield, Lesley and Roberts, Ron, 1992, (6), 1-2, pp 107-117
Who supports the cancer counsellors?
Roberts, R. and Fallowfield, L., 1990, Nursing Times (86), 36, pp 32-34
The goals of cancer counsellors
Roberts, Ron and Fallowfield, Lesley, 1990, Counselling : The Journal of the British Association for Counselling (1), 3, pp 88-91
Psychiatry, science and mental health : arguments against medical tyranny
Roberts, Ron, 1990, Critical Public Health (1), 4, pp 15-21
Recurring themes and images in a series of consecutive REM dreams
Roberts, Ron, 1988, Perceptual and Motor Skills (67), 3, pp 767-777E
Alcohol consumption and the workplace : prospects for change?
Roberts, Ron, Cyster, Richard and McEwen, James, 1988, Public Health (102), 5, pp 463-469
Hiccups in alcohol education
Roberts, Ron, 1988, Health Education Journal (47), 2-3, pp 73-76
Factors influencing alcohol consumption in a workspace setting
Roberts, Ron, 1988, Occupational Medicine (38), 4, pp 118-122
Tumbling dice
Roberts, Ron, 1984, Personal Computer News (80), pp 12-13
Antarctica, human adaptation, and space
Roberts, Ron (2021). In: Foscari, Giulia, (ed.), Antarctic Resolution. Zurich, Switzerland: Lars Muller Publishers, pp 571-573
Psychology estranged : mind, culture, and capitalism
Roberts, Ron (2020). In: Nehring, Daniel, (eds.), Madsen, Ole Jacob, (eds.), Cabanas, Edgar, (eds.), Mills, China, (eds.) and Kerrigan, Dylan, (eds.), The Routledge international handbook of global therapeutic cultures. Abingdon, U.K.: Routledge, pp 372-384
From alienation to estrangement : political thought and psychology
Roberts, Ron (2018). In: Hewer, Christopher J., (eds.) and Lyons, Evanthia, (eds.), Political psychology : a social psychological approach. Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell, pp 54-72
Social influence and malevolent authority : obedience revisited
Roberts, Ron (2018). In: Hewer, Christopher J., (eds.) and Lyons, Evanthia, (eds.), Political psychology : a social psychological approach. Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell, pp 271-291
A critical history of research methods
Roberts, Ron and Hewer, Christopher J. (2018). In: Hewer, Christopher J., (eds.) and Lyons, Evanthia, (eds.), Political psychology : a social psychological approach. Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell, pp 28-53
Laing and Szasz revisited: anti-psychiatry, capitalism and therapy
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor (2012). In: Itten, Theodor, (eds.) and Young, Courtenay, (eds.), R.D. Laing : 50 years since 'The divided self'. Ross-on-Wye, U.K.: PCCS Books, pp 260-279
Roberts, Ron (2012). In: Itten, Theodor, (eds.) and Young, Courtenay, (eds.), R.D. Laing : 50 years since 'The divided self'. Ross-on-Wye, U.K.: PCCS Books, pp 202-217
Truth and denial: psychological perspectives on reconciliation in Bosnia
Roberts, Ron, Becirevic, Edina and Paul, Stephen (2011). In: Elford, R. John, (ed.), Just reconciliation: the practice and morality of making peace. Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang, pp 129-146
British psychology's response to the invasion and occupation of Iraq
Roberts, Ron (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (ed.), Just War: Psychology and Terrorism. Ross-on-Wye, UK: PCCS Books, pp 46-60
Children and war : making sense of Iraq
Roberts, Ron, Becirevic, Majda and Tenenbaum, Harriet (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (ed.), Just War: Psychology and Terrorism. Ross-on-Wye, UK: PCCS Books, pp 170-180
Power, illusion and control : families, states and conflict
Roberts, Ron (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (ed.), Just War: Psychology and Terrorism. Ross-on-Wye, UK: PCCS Books, pp 160-169
Sleepwalking into totalitarianism: democracy, centre politics and terror
Roberts, Ron (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (ed.), Just War: Psychology and Terrorism. Ross-on-Wye, UK: PCCS Books, pp 181-198
A psychology for peace?
Harper, David, Roberts, Ron and Sloboda, John (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (ed.), Just War: Psychology and Terrorism. Ross-on-Wye, UK: PCCS Books, pp 213-234
Degrees of debt
Roberts, Ron and Zelenyanszki, Christiane (2002). In: Stanley, Nicky, (eds.) and Manthorpe, Jill, (eds.), Students' mental health needs: problems and responses. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley, pp 107-120
Dreams
Mueller, Antje and Roberts, Ron (2001). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.) and Groome, David, (eds.), Parapsychology: the science of unusual experience. London: Arnold (Hodder Headline), pp 86-101
Gateways to the mind : society and the paranormal
Roberts, Ron (2001). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.) and Groome, David, (eds.), Parapsychology: the science of unusual experience. London: Arnold (Hodder Headline), pp 156-162
Science and experience
Roberts, Ron (2001). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.) and Groome, David, (eds.), Parapsychology: the science of unusual experience. London: Arnold (Hodder Headline), pp 7-18
Student health and well-being
Roberts, R. and Smith, D.(2006). In: Ninth International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, 29 Nov - 02 Dec 2006 :Bangkok, Thailand
Attitudes to abortion and pregnancy in young parents : does relative affluence matter?
Smith, D. and Roberts, R.(2006). In: Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, 13-15 Sep 2006 :Colchester, England
What leads to stability in parent-child relationships? Studying parent-child conflict using multilevel modelling
Roberts, R.(2002). In: BPS Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference, 5-8 September 2002 :Brighton, U.K.
In the midnight hour : systems theory and dreaming
Roberts, Ron (1986), PhD thesis, University of Leicester