New Books in Sociology Jessica Martin, "Feminisms and Domesticity in Times of Crisis: The Rise of the Austerity Celebrity" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Feb 21, 2026
Jessica Martin, Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds and author of Feminisms and Domesticity in Times of Crisis, explores how postfeminist celebrities shaped domestic politics during covid and the cost-of-living crisis. She discusses nostalgia for domestic femininity, performative thrift, platforms like Mumsnet, and how activism gets reframed by media. The conversation flags limits and future research directions.
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Celebrities Shape Crisis Politics
- Celebrities act as symbolic resources that shape political consent and resistance during crises.
- Jessica Martin links austerity-era celebrity to gendered political meanings and cultural power.
Austerity's Gendered Harms
- Austerity in the UK is a sustained policy regime with deep gendered effects.
- Martin highlights that cuts disproportionately harm women, disabled people, and racial minorities.
Nostalgia Fuels Domestic Revival
- Nostalgia and domestic femininity became central cultural responses in Britain.
- Martin shows how shows like The Great British Bake Off tie nationalism to revival of domestic practices.
