Dr Chris Dietz

Profile

I am a socio-legal scholar undertaking research at the intersection of health, embodiment, technology, and justice. I was recently awarded a Michael Beverley Innovation Fellowship to support my research into the ethical consequences of the prescription of wearable fitness devices in health care systems. I have previously considered the regulation of gendered embodiment, with a primary focus on promoting equitable access to trans health care.

Notable among my published research is the first empirically based and theoretically informed investigation of the effectiveness of the ‘self-declaration model’ of legal gender recognition in Denmark – conducted at a time when it was the second state to have adopted this model worldwide. After publishing a Briefing Paper which summarises my work for non-academic audiences, and a monograph entitled ‘Self-Declaration in the Legal Recognition of Gender’ – published in 2023 in the Routledge Social Justice book series – I have been invited to present my work at numerous conferences. I also gave evidence to the Scottish Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee as part of their consultation into the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill 2022. I have undertaken visiting fellowships at the Unit of Gender Studies, Linkoping University, the Centre for Gender Studies, Karlstad University and the Center for Gender Studies, University of Copenhagen. 

Responsibilities

• Programme Manager of the LLM in Law & Social Justice, School of Law, University of Leeds
• Module Leader for LAW3129 Health Care Law

Research interests

My current research considers the practical and ethical consequences of the prescription of wearable fitness devices ('wearables') in public health care systems. The first stage of this research has involved drafting a journal article (co-authored with Dr Joshua Warburton) which analyses the results from a Freedom of Information exercise asking if wearable technology is increasing within the UK NHS. The data indicates that it is, and raise critical questions about privacy, surveillance, and data protection, which we believe must be answered if the NHS is to retain patient trust. We address consent and ask how far the consent process must change once wearables shift from the context of a consumer durable related to leisure and fitness into the orbit of ‘health’ and the specific dynamic of the doctor-patient relationship. You can view my 3-minute pitch for funding to develop a Critical Wearables Network here:

<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/943584313?h=754a21fcb3&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Research Toolkit_Final Fellowship Bootcamp_Pitch 20"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

My published work has considered the regulation of gendered embodiment, with a focus on trans healthcare in Denmark. With colleagues at Leeds, I also put together an edited colleciton on A Jurisprudence of the Body, and have co-authored publications on the law governing assisted reproductive technologies.

Qualifications

• PhD (University of Leeds)
• MA (University of Leeds)
• LLB (University of Leeds)

Professional memberships

• Socio-Legal Studies Association
• Nordic Transgender Studies Network
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Student education

I am the module leader for LAW3129 Health Care Law. I also teach on LAW2160 Employment Law, LAW3116 Gender and the Law, and LAW5406M Theories of Social Justice.

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for Law and Social Justice

Current postgraduate researchers

• Jiaqi Zhang