Rachel Thomson

Rachel Thomson is Professor of Childhood & Youth Studies at the School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex. Her research spans transitions and the lifecourse, youthful sexualities, digital childhoods, and archival innovation.

• Specializes in qualitative longitudinal methods
• Focuses on young people's sexual cultures and digital socialities
• Developed feminist archival projects like Reanimating Data

Current projects include scoping studies with seldom-heard families and reusing historical datasets to engage contemporary audiences. She has secured major grants from ESRC, AHRC, and Brook.

Recent publications explore:

• Time and ethics in longitudinal research
• Gendered transitions to parenthood
• Digital documentation of childhood
• Sexual health narratives
• Intergenerational crisis resilience

Awarded Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2016, she has supervised 18 doctoral students and contributed to methodological advancements in social science.