Sharon Jagger

Having gained my PhD in Women's Studies at the University of York I am now full time lecturer in Religion at York St. John University. My PhD focused on female clergy in the Church of England, and how women are negotiating and influencing the androcentric nature of the structure of the Church and its language and symbols. My current research interests are around women's spirituality, particularly with reference to the feminine divine.

As a feminist researcher, and have worked on other research projects including women in the music industry, and gender and performance. As a long-standing professional performer, with an interest in research as practice, I write, in a number of formats, about cultural discourses and gender representation.

I am researching the experiences of working-class clergy and in a separate project, laywomen's experience of parishes that do not support women's leadership or ordination. I am also pursuing research with women identifying as witches and who practice goddess spirituality.