Biography

Órla O’Donovan is a senior lecturer in the School of Applied Social Studies and a research associate with Collective Social Futures / Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century. She is Vice-Head for Research & Innovation (Communication and Impact) and Director of the Bachelor of Social Science degree. She is also the co-convenor of the Living Well with the Dead Research Collective.

She is a transdisciplinary feminist scholar working at the intersections of bioethics, social studies of science and medicine, and community and social movement studies. Much of her current research is concerned with and about university institutional reckoning with histories and legacies of colonial violence and use of the disenfranchised dead as medical teaching and research resources. In addition to troubling conventional understandings of death, the dead and human remains, this research attends to how histories of capitalist colonialism continue to resonate in contemporary material, relational, epistemic, and affective university environments.

Her collaborative research projects include Re-imagining care of and for university legacy medical collections (Collective Social Futures, 2025), Living Well with the Dead in Contemporary Ireland (Wellcome, 2019), Qualitative review of complaints received by the Medical Council 2008—2012 and doctors’ responses (Medical Council, 2015), European Patients’ Organisations in Knowledge Society (EU FP7, 2009-2012) and Patients' Organisations in Ireland: Challenging Capitalist Biomedicine? (Royal Irish Academy, 2006).

Recent publications include articles in journals such as Science, Technology & Human Values, British Medical Journal, Gender, Work & Organization, and Global Performance Studies. She has also co-edited several books and journal special issues. From 2017-2021, together with Rosie Meade, she was editor of the Community Development Journal (Oxford University Press). Special issues of the journal that she co-edited include two issues on “the commons”. These involved contributions from, and recordings of interviews with, renowned commons and postdevelopment scholars and activists (such as Silvia Federici and Gustavo Esteva) that consider radical and realisable alternatives to consumer capitalism's ways of thinking and being. Together with Rosie Meade, Fiona Dukelow and Heather Laird, she is editor of the Cork University Press book series Síreacht. Longings for Another Ireland.

Together with a group of scholars from UCC and beyond, in recent years she has been researching the history and legacies of a troubling collection of 19th century French medical wax moulages in the UCC bioarchive. Once widely used in medical education, many wax moulages were crafted in painful and exploitative processes using the bodies of stigmatised and incarcerated women. Researching the collection of wax moulages has led to the establishment of many international research links with researchers, archivists, artists and museum professionals and activists. Additionally, it prompted her to become actively involved in networks such as the COST Action - Traces as Research Agenda for Climate Change, Technology Studies, and Social Justice (TRACTS).

 She has supervised the research of many PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Current supervisions include working with Research Fellow Rebecca Close on Imaging/Imagining Reproductive Crisis: Time-lapse microscopy, animation and fertility discourse | University College Cork.

Research residences at the US Hastings Centre – Health, Science, Technology Ethics  and the Swiss Brocher Foundation for Research on the Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Medical Technologies and Health Policies have contributed significantly to her scholarship and ongoing education.        



 

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2024) 'University dude walls must fall'
O'Donovan, Ó. (2024) 'University dude walls must fall'. Community Development Journal, [Details]
(2023) '‘Cruel Optimism’ in the Universities: A Discursive-Deconstructive Reading of Promising Promotional Projects of Gender Equality'
Meade, R., Kiely, E. and O'Donovan, Ó (2023) '‘Cruel Optimism’ in the Universities: A Discursive-Deconstructive Reading of Promising Promotional Projects of Gender Equality'. Gender Work And Organization, [Details]
(2023) '“The Irish giant” and the questions haunting medical museums'
O'Donovan, Ó (2023) '“The Irish giant” and the questions haunting medical museums'. British Medical Journal, (381):1221-1222 [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Wax moulages and the pastpresence work of the dead'
O'Donovan, Ó. (2021) 'Wax moulages and the pastpresence work of the dead'. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 46 (2):231-253 [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Sympathetic Vibrations: sense-ability, medical performance, and hearing histories of hurt'
King, M., McCarthy, J., O'Donovan, Ó, O'Gorman, R and Werry, M. (2021) 'Sympathetic Vibrations: sense-ability, medical performance, and hearing histories of hurt'. Global Performance Studies, 4 (2) [ Publisher's Version] [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'A qualitative exploration of the prescribing and use of statins in asymptomatic people in Ireland: A case of medicalisation, biomedicalisation and pharmaceuticalisation'
Byrne, P., O'Donovan, Ó., Smith, S. and Cullinan, J. (2020) 'A qualitative exploration of the prescribing and use of statins in asymptomatic people in Ireland: A case of medicalisation, biomedicalisation and pharmaceuticalisation'. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'The Pandemic, Patient Advocacy, and the Importance of Thinking. Comment on “The Rise of the Consucrat”'
O'Donovan , Ó (2020) 'The Pandemic, Patient Advocacy, and the Importance of Thinking. Comment on “The Rise of the Consucrat”'. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, [DOI] [Details]
(2019) 'What is to be done about the enclosures of the academic publishing oligopoly?'
O'Donovan, Ó. (2019) 'What is to be done about the enclosures of the academic publishing oligopoly?'. Community Development Journal, 54 (3):363-370 [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2019) 'Medicalisation, risk and the use of statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a scoping review of the literature'
Byrne, P. , O'Donovan, Ó,, Smith, S, and Cullinan, J. (2019) 'Medicalisation, risk and the use of statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a scoping review of the literature'. Health, Risk and Society, [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2019) 'Re-membering water: community water politics and new materialisms'
O'Donovan, Ó. (2019) 'Re-membering water: community water politics and new materialisms'. Community Development Journal, 54 (1):1-16 [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2018) 'Why Do Medical Professional Regulators Dismiss Most Complaints From Members of the Public? Regulatory Illiteracy, Epistemic Injustice, and Symbolic Power'
O'Donovan, Ó. and D. Madden (2018) 'Why Do Medical Professional Regulators Dismiss Most Complaints From Members of the Public? Regulatory Illiteracy, Epistemic Injustice, and Symbolic Power'. Journal Of Bioethical Inquiry, 1872-4353 [ Publisher's Version] [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
(2018) 'Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. A Critical Discourse Analysis of Industry and Public Health Perspectives on the Bill'
Calnan, S., M. Davoren, I. Perry and O’Donovan (2018) 'Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. A Critical Discourse Analysis of Industry and Public Health Perspectives on the Bill'. Contemporary Drug Problems, 45 (3):107-126 [Details]
(2015) 'Conversing on the commons: An interview with Gustavo Esteva-Part 1'
O'Donovan Ó. (2015) 'Conversing on the commons: An interview with Gustavo Esteva-Part 1'. Community Development Journal, 50 (3):529-534 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Conversing on the commons: An interview with Gustavo Esteva-part 2'
O'Donovan Ó. (2015) 'Conversing on the commons: An interview with Gustavo Esteva-part 2'. Community Development Journal, 50 (4):742-752 [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'The commons, the Battle of the Book and the cracked enclosures of academic publishing'
O'Donovan, O (2014) 'The commons, the Battle of the Book and the cracked enclosures of academic publishing'. Community Development Journal, 49 :21-30 [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'From Europeanization to European Construction The role of European patients' organizations in the shaping of health-care policies'
Rabeharisoa, V. and O'Donovan, O. (2014) 'From Europeanization to European Construction The role of European patients' organizations in the shaping of health-care policies'. European Societies, [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2014) 'Assembling dementia care: Patient organisations and social research'
Moreira, T,O'Donovan, O,Howlett, E (2014) 'Assembling dementia care: Patient organisations and social research'. BioSocieties, 9 :173-193 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Tracking Transformations in Health Movement Organisations: Alzheimer’s Disease Organisations and their Changing ‘Cause Regimes’'
O'Donovan, O. Moreira, T. and Howlett, E. (2013) 'Tracking Transformations in Health Movement Organisations: Alzheimer’s Disease Organisations and their Changing ‘Cause Regimes’'. Social Movement Studies, [Details]
(2010) 'Classic texts: Ivan Illich's Limits to Medicine'
O'Donovan, O; (2010) 'Classic texts: Ivan Illich's Limits to Medicine'. Community Development Journal, [Details]
(2010) ''Prohibiting or 'managing' conflict of interest? A review of policies and procedures in three European drug regulation agencies'
Lexchin, J; O'Donovan, O; (2010) ''Prohibiting or 'managing' conflict of interest? A review of policies and procedures in three European drug regulation agencies'. Social Science & Medicine, [Details]
(2009) 'Private health insurance as a technology of solidarity? The myth of ‘community’ in irish healthcare policy'
McDonnell O.;O’Donovan O. (2009) 'Private health insurance as a technology of solidarity? The myth of ‘community’ in irish healthcare policy'. Irish Journal of Sociology, 17 (2):6-23 [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'Book review of 'Pharmaceuticals and Society. Critical Discourses and Debates'
O'Donovan, O. ; (2009) 'Book review of 'Pharmaceuticals and Society. Critical Discourses and Debates'. Health Sociology Review, [Details]
(2007) 'Corporate colonization of health activism? Irish health advocacy organizations' modes of engagement with the pharmaceutical industry'
O'Donovan, O.; (2007) 'Corporate colonization of health activism? Irish health advocacy organizations' modes of engagement with the pharmaceutical industry'. Intl. Jnl. Health Services, 37 (4):711-733 [Details]
(2004) 'Researching the political and cultural influence of the transnational pharmaceutical industry in Ireland'
O'Donovan O. and K. Glavanis-Grantham; (2004) 'Researching the political and cultural influence of the transnational pharmaceutical industry in Ireland'. Administration, 52 (3):21-42 [Details]
(2003) 'Book review of Family and Community in Ireland'
O. O'Donovan; (2003) 'Book review of Family and Community in Ireland'. Community Development Journal, 38 (3):269-272 [Details]
(2002) 'Corporatism and the ongoing debate about the relationship between the state and community development'
Meade, R. and O'Donovan, O; (2002) 'Corporatism and the ongoing debate about the relationship between the state and community development'. Community Development Journal, 37 (1):1-9 [Details]
(2000) 'Re-theorising the interactive state - reflections on a popular participatory initiative in Ireland'
O'Donovan, O.; (2000) 'Re-theorising the interactive state - reflections on a popular participatory initiative in Ireland'. Community Development Journal, 35 (3):224-232 [Details]
(1997) 'The Plan for Women's Health and the politics of knowledge'
O'Donovan, O.; (1997) 'The Plan for Women's Health and the politics of knowledge'. UCG Women's Studies Review, 5 :159-162 [Details]
(1996) 'Converting Patients into Consumers: Consumerism and the Charter of Rights for Hospital Patients'
O'Donovan, O. and D. Casey; (1996) 'Converting Patients into Consumers: Consumerism and the Charter of Rights for Hospital Patients'. Irish Journal of Sociology, 5 :43-66 [Details]
(1996) 'Networks of Women's Groups and Politics: What (Some) Women Think'
Ward, E.; O'Donovan, O.; (1996) 'Networks of Women's Groups and Politics: What (Some) Women Think'. UCG Women's Studies Review, 4 :1-20 [Details]
(1992) 'Book review of Women and Employment in Rural Areas'
O.O'Donovan; (1992) 'Book review of Women and Employment in Rural Areas'. Journal of Rural Studies, 8 (1):125-126 [Details]

Edited Books

  Year Publication
(2019) Water, anti-privatisation struggles and the commons
Patrick Bresnihan, Mark Garavan and Órla O'Donovan (Ed.). (2019) Water, anti-privatisation struggles and the commons London: Oxford University Press. [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2014) Commons Sense. New Thinking about an Old Idea
McDermott, M., O'Connell, T. and O'Donovan, Ó (Ed.). (2014) Commons Sense. New Thinking about an Old Idea Commons Sense. New Thinking about an Old Idea. Oxford: Oxford University Press (Special Supplement to the Community Development Journal). [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2010) Mobilising Classics: Reading Radical Writing in Ireland
Dukelow, F; O'Donovan, O (Ed.). (2010) Mobilising Classics: Reading Radical Writing in Ireland Mobilising Classics: Reading Radical Writing in Ireland. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2008) Power, Politics and Pharmaceuticals
O'Donovan, O. and K. Glavanis-Grantham (Ed.). (2008) Power, Politics and Pharmaceuticals Power, Politics and Pharmaceuticals. Cork: Cork University Press. [Details]
(2002) Ireland, Corporatism and Community Development
Meade, R. and Ó. O'Donovan (Ed.). (2002) Ireland, Corporatism and Community Development Ireland, Corporatism and Community Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2025) 'Medical wax moulages and regimes of looking and overlooking'
O'Donovan, Ó. and R. O'Gorman (2025) 'Medical wax moulages and regimes of looking and overlooking' In: Unearthing Collections: Archives, Time and Ethics. London: UCL. [Details]
(2017) 'Transformations in the Irish ADHD Disorder Regime - from a Disorder 'You Have to Fight to Get' to one 'You Have to Wait to Get''
Edwards, C. and O'Donovan, O. (2017) 'Transformations in the Irish ADHD Disorder Regime - from a Disorder 'You Have to Fight to Get' to one 'You Have to Wait to Get'' In: Bergey, M, Filipe, A., Conrad, P. and Singh, I (eds). Global Perspectives on ADHD: Social Dimensions of Diagnosis and Treatment in 16 Countries. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press. [Details]
(2014) 'The entanglement of scientific and political claims: Towards a new form of patients’ activism'
Akrich, M, O'Donovan, Ó. and Rabeharisoa, V. (2014) 'The entanglement of scientific and political claims: Towards a new form of patients’ activism' In: Wehling, P, Viehover and Koenen, S (eds). The Public Shaping of Medical Research. Patient associations, health movements and biomedicine. London & New York: Routledge. [Details]
(2012) 'Patients' organisations and patient empowerment'
O'Donovan, Orla (2012) 'Patients' organisations and patient empowerment' In: Politics of Medicines Encyclopaedia. Amsterdam: Health Action International. [ Publisher's Version] [Details]
(2011) 'The irish health service's expert advisory groups: Spaces for advancing epistemological justice?'
O'Donovan O. (2011) 'The irish health service's expert advisory groups: Spaces for advancing epistemological justice?' In: Democratizing Health: Consumer Groups in the Policy Process. [Details]
(2010) 'Ivan Illich's Tools for Conviviality'
O'Donovan, O.; (2010) 'Ivan Illich's Tools for Conviviality' In: Mobilising Classics. Reading Radical Writing in Ireland. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2009) 'Pharmaceuticals, progress and psychiatric contention in early 21st century Ireland'
O'Donovan, O. ; (2009) 'Pharmaceuticals, progress and psychiatric contention in early 21st century Ireland' In: Transforming Ireland : Challenges, Critiques, Resources. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2008) 'The emergence of pharmaceutical drug regulation for competition aka profit in Ireland'
O'Donovan,O. ; (2008) 'The emergence of pharmaceutical drug regulation for competition aka profit in Ireland' In: Power, Politics and Pharmaceuticals. Drug Regulation in Ireland in the Global Context. Cork: Cork University Press. [Details]
(2008) 'Patients' organisations and economic actors: Opposition, instumentalisation, or cooperation?'
O. O'Donovan; (2008) 'Patients' organisations and economic actors: Opposition, instumentalisation, or cooperation?' In: The Dynamics of Patient Organizations in Europe. Paris: Presses de l'Ecole des Mines. [Details]
(2008) 'Alzheimer's disease activism and pharmaceutical policy'
O'Donovan, O. ; (2008) 'Alzheimer's disease activism and pharmaceutical policy' In: Ageing and Social Policy in Ireland. Dublin: University College Dublin Press. [Details]
(2005) 'Networks of women's groups and the women's movement'
E. Ward and O. O'Donovan; (2005) 'Networks of women's groups and the women's movement' In: Women Emerging. A Decade of Irish Feminist Scholarship. Galway: NUIG Women's Studies Centre. [Details]
(1999) 'Networks of women's groups in the Republic of Ireland'
O'Donovan, O. and E. Ward; (1999) 'Networks of women's groups in the Republic of Ireland' In: Contesting Politics: Women in Ireland, North and South. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. [Details]
(1997) 'Contesting concepts of care: The case of the home help service in Ireland'
O'Donovan, O.; (1997) 'Contesting concepts of care: The case of the home help service in Ireland' In: The Sociology of Health and Illness in Ireland. Dublin: University College Dublin Press. [Details]

Newspaper Articles

  Year Publication
(2024) ‘What’s up with the dude wall?’ Rows of portraits of men should have no place in Irish education.
O'Donovan, Ó. (2024) ‘What’s up with the dude wall?’ Rows of portraits of men should have no place in Irish education. Newspaper Articles [Details]
(2019) The disturbing spectre of the dead who were confined in mother and baby homes continues to haunt us.
O'Donovan, Ó. (2019) The disturbing spectre of the dead who were confined in mother and baby homes continues to haunt us. Newspaper Articles [Details]
(2019) Troubling questions raised by the dead from Mother and Baby Homes.
O'Donovan, Ó. (2019) Troubling questions raised by the dead from Mother and Baby Homes. Newspaper Articles [Details]
(2012) Phone box. A line to a simpler time.
O'Donovan, Ó (2012) Phone box. A line to a simpler time. Newspaper Articles [Details]
(2008) Medical card fight is worth taking to the streets.
O'Donovan, Ó. (2008) Medical card fight is worth taking to the streets. Newspaper Articles [Details]

Unpublished Reports

  Year Publication
(2015) Qualitative Review of Complaints Submitted to Irish Medical Council (2008-2012).
Madden, D. and Ó. O'Donovan (2015) Qualitative Review of Complaints Submitted to Irish Medical Council (2008-2012). Unpublished Reports [Details]
(1997) Training Carers of Older People: An Advisory Report.
O’Donovan, O., M. Hodgins, V. McKenna and C. Kelleher; (1997) Training Carers of Older People: An Advisory Report. Unpublished Reports [Details]
(1995) Health Service Provision for the Travelling Community in Ireland.
O’Donovan, O., V. McKenna, C. Kelleher and P.McCarthy; (1995) Health Service Provision for the Travelling Community in Ireland. Unpublished Reports [Details]

Conference Contributions

  Year Publication
(2024) Vulnerability and the Gift of Death,
O'Donovan, Ó. and R. O'Gorman (2024) Wax moulages and regimes of looking and overlooking: The troubling collection at University College Cork. [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], Vulnerability and the Gift of Death, Stockholm University . [Details]
(2023) Tracing Temporalities // Unearthing Archives,
O'Donovan, Ó. and R. O'Gorman (2023) Experimenting with a síreacht approach to archival research: A yearning lament for a 19th century collection of wax moulages. [Oral Presentation], Tracing Temporalities // Unearthing Archives, Humboldt University . [Details]
(2019) Death, Dying and Disposal . 14th International Conference on the Social Context of Death, Dying and Disposal,
O'Donovan, Ó. (2019) Living Well with the Dead - The pastpresence work of wax moulages. [Oral Presentation], Death, Dying and Disposal . 14th International Conference on the Social Context of Death, Dying and Disposal, University of Bath . [Details]
(2018) International Health Humanities Consortium Conference, Frankenstein @200,
O'Donovan, Ó. (2018) Posthumous Conviviality and the Tragedy of the Dead Body Commons. [Oral Presentation], International Health Humanities Consortium Conference, Frankenstein @200, Stanford University . [Details]
(2018) Are human bodies private property or part of a commons?,
O'Donovan, Ó. (2018) Posthumous Conviviality and the Tragedy of the Dead Body Commons. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Are human bodies private property or part of a commons?, School for Advanced Research, Santa Fe . [Details]
(2018) Death Matters: Death and Dying in a Queer Context,
O'Donovan, Ó. (2018) Death, dying and the commons. [Oral Presentation], Death Matters: Death and Dying in a Queer Context, Linköping University . [Details]
(2014) Thinkery on the Commons,
Esteva, G. and O' Donovan, Ó. and (2014) Conversing on the commons - an interview with Gustavo Esteva. [Other], Thinkery on the Commons, Dublin . [Details]
(2012) 4S-EASST Annual Conference,
O'Donovan, O. and Moreira, T. (2012) Assembling Dementia Care. [Oral Presentation], 4S-EASST Annual Conference, Copenhagen , 17-OCT-12 - 20-OCT-12. [Details]
(2013) Global Ageing: Rising Challenges,
O'Donovan, O. (2013) Ageing, Activism and Alzheimer’s. [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], Global Ageing: Rising Challenges, Open University of Catalonia, Barcelona , 05-NOV-13 - 06-NOV-13. [Details]
(2012) Design and Displacement - social studies of science and technology,
O'Donovan, O. and Moreira, T. (2012) Annual meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) and the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST). [Oral Presentation], Design and Displacement - social studies of science and technology, Copenhagen , 17-OCT-12 - 20-OCT-12. [Details]
(2012) Patients organisations, health movements and medical research,
O'Donovan, O. and Rabeharisoa, V. (2012) Europeanisation of and by patients’ organisations’ evidence-based activism – a preliminary analysis . [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], Patients organisations, health movements and medical research, University of Augsburg , 10-MAY-12 - 12-MAY-12. [Details]
(2011) New Agendas in Social Movement Studies,
O'Donovan, O. (2011) (Some) Irish patients’ movements on the move to Europe. [Oral Presentation], New Agendas in Social Movement Studies, National University of Ireland Maynooth , 26-NOV-11 - 26-NOV-11. [Details]
(2010) EASST Conference 2010 Practising Science and Technology, Performing the Social,
O.O'Donovan; (2010) Alzheimer's disease organisations and technologies of independent living: Tracking transformations in patienthood and organisational cause. [Oral Presentation], EASST Conference 2010 Practising Science and Technology, Performing the Social, Trento, Italy , 02-SEP-10 - 04-SEP-10. [Details]
(2008) International Sociological Association Forum of Sociology,
O'Donovan, O. and O. McDonnell; (2008) Private Health Insurance: Governmental Rationality and the Public-Private Mix in the Irish Healthcare System (with Orla McDonnell). [Oral Presentation], International Sociological Association Forum of Sociology, Barcelona , 05-SEP-08 - 05-SEP-08. [Details]
(2007) The Dynamics of Patient Organisations in the European Area,
O¿Donovan, O.; (2007) Patient organisations and economic actors: Opposition, instrumentalisation or cooperation?. [N/A], The Dynamics of Patient Organisations in the European Area, Ecole des Mines, Paris , 10-JUL-07 - 11-JUL-07. [Details]
(2007) Conference on Pharmaceutical Policy Analysis,,
O¿Donovan, O.; (2007) The puzzles of struggles for access to irrational medicines: Making sense of Alzheimer's disease organisations' campaigns for access to do-nothing meds. [Oral Presentation], Conference on Pharmaceutical Policy Analysis,, Zeist, The Netherlands , 19-SEP-07 - 21-SEP-07. [Details]
(2006) European Science Foundation Exploratory Workshop Health Consumer Groups and Policy Making in Europe: A Comparative and Pan-European Perspective,
O¿Donovan, O.; (2006) Health Consumer Groups and Policy Making - A Profile of Ireland. [N/A], European Science Foundation Exploratory Workshop Health Consumer Groups and Policy Making in Europe: A Comparative and Pan-European Perspective, Vienna , 16-FEB-06 - 18-FEB-06. [Details]
(2006) British Sociolofical Association Medical Sociology Annual Conference,
O'Donovan, O.; (2006) Articulations of Alzheimer's disease activism: Insights from the NICE controversy about antidementia drugs. [Oral Presentation], British Sociolofical Association Medical Sociology Annual Conference, Edinburgh , 14-SEP-06 - 16-SEP-06. [Details]
(2005) Royal Irish Academy Third Sector Research Programme conference, Volunteering and Philanthropy - Research from Ireland, North & South, NICVA,,
O'Donovan, O.; (2005) The cultures of action of health advocacy organisations in Ireland: Framing friends and foes. [Oral Presentation], Royal Irish Academy Third Sector Research Programme conference, Volunteering and Philanthropy - Research from Ireland, North & South, NICVA,, Belfast , 24-NOV-05 - 24-NOV-05. [Details]
(2005) Concepts of the Third Sector: The European Debate, ISTR/EMES Conference,
O'Donovan, O.; (2005) Time to weed out the astroturf from the grassroots? Exploring the implications of pharmaceutical industry funding of patient advocacy organisations. [Oral Presentation], Concepts of the Third Sector: The European Debate, ISTR/EMES Conference, Paris , 27-APR-05 - 29-APR-05. [Details]
(2005) British Sociological Association Medical Sociology Group 37th Annual Conference,
O'Donovan, O.; (2005) Corporate colonisation of health activism? Irish health advocacy organisations' modes of engagement with pharmaceutical corporations. [Oral Presentation], British Sociological Association Medical Sociology Group 37th Annual Conference, University of York, York , 15-SEP-05 - 17-SEP-05. [Details]
(2005) Health Advocacy Organisations in Europe: Exploring Diverse Cultures of Action,
O'Donovan, O.; (2005) Resisting and researching ‘astroturf’ health advocacy organisations. [Oral Presentation], Health Advocacy Organisations in Europe: Exploring Diverse Cultures of Action, Amsterdam School for Social Science Research, Amsterdam , 17-MAY-05 - 17-MAY-05. [Details]
(2004) Health, Democracy and the Globalised Pharmaceutical Industry: Exploring the Politics of Drug Regulation Internationally and in Ireland,
O'Donovan, O.; (2004) The Irish state and the globalised pharmaceutical industry -A pathological partnership?. [Conference Organising Committee Member], Health, Democracy and the Globalised Pharmaceutical Industry: Exploring the Politics of Drug Regulation Internationally and in Ireland, University College Cork, Cork , 16-SEP-04 - 17-SEP-04. [Details]
(2003) Population Health Summer School, Determinants of Population Health,
O'Donovan, O. and K. Glavanis-Grantham; (2003) The Transnational Pharmaceutical Industry, Biomedical Ideology and Health Action International: Accommodation or Resistance? . [Oral Presentation], Population Health Summer School, Determinants of Population Health, University College Cork , 06-SEP-03 - 30-DEC-99. [Details]
(2002) Richness in Diversity: Reconstructing Civil Society. A conference to launch a National Institute for Community Development. ,
O'Donovan, O.; (2002) Resisting Homogenising Forms of ‘Democratic Participation' . [Invited Oral Presentation], Richness in Diversity: Reconstructing Civil Society. A conference to launch a National Institute for Community Development. , Dundalk , 28-MAY-02 - 30-DEC-99. [Details]
(2000) Paper presented at the conference Promoting Oral Health in the 21st Century, 13th September 2000,,
O'Donovan, O.; (2000) Sociological critiques of health promotion – their relevance for oral health promotion. [Invited Oral Presentation], Paper presented at the conference Promoting Oral Health in the 21st Century, 13th September 2000,, University College Cork, Cork , 13-SEP-00 - 30-DEC-99. [Details]
(1999) The Challenge of Power, a conference to mark 25 years of ADAPT in Limerick,
O'Donovan, O.; (1999) The struggle that wasn’t: Ideological order and the public consultation process for the policy on women’s health. [Invited Oral Presentation], The Challenge of Power, a conference to mark 25 years of ADAPT in Limerick, Limerick , 26-NOV-99 - 27-NOV-99. [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2019 Research Fellowship Brocher Foundation
2013 Visiting Scholarship Yale - Hastings Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics

Teaching Interests

Teaching interests  -
  • the cultural authority of science and medicine
  • social movements and patients' organisations, and their knowledge production activities 
  • democratising the production and use of science and technology  
  • feminism and decolonialism
  • histories of public health
  • public controversies about science and technology 
  
She contributes to many modules but teaches the following ones in full:

SS2024 Social Movements and Health
SS3019 Science, Technology and Public Controversy
SS6028 Public Health and Critical Social Science

Current doctoral supervisions include:
 
Gráinne Kate Mulcahey (118370541) Hierarchies of Belonging and Racialisation in Europe:Experiences of Irish Women Living in Scandinavia in the 21st Century  

Patricia Wall (80138365) Irish women’s experiences of international development work: power and privilege in ‘Aidland’

Recent Postgraduates

  Graduation Year Student Name Institution Degree Type Thesis Title
2023 Lydia Sapouna University College Cork PHD Inclusion paradoxes in mental health: Critical reflections on knowledge, (in)justice and privilege
2022 Naomi Feely University College Cork The Atlantic Philanthropies – a study of the enactment of philanthrocapitalism in Ireland
2020 Matthew York University College Cork PHD Imagining New Worlds: (R)evolutionary Love and Radical Social Transformation in the 21st Century
2019 Susan Calnan UCC PHD A programme to reduce excessive alcohol consumption among college students in Ireland: Analysis of context, implementation and impact
2019 Paula Byrne National University Of Ireland PHD Medicalisation in Ireland – a mixed methods analysis using the case of statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
2013 Silvia Brandi PHD The Intra-Traveller Debate on ‘Traveller Ethnicity’ in the Republic of Ireland. A Critical Discourse Analysis
2012 Eluska Fernandez PHD A Critical Governmentality Study of the Smoking Ban In Ireland.
2011 Marguerite Hughes UCC Non-Governmental Organisations, Legitimacy and Accountability
2003 Paul Beirne UCC PhD Fluoridation and the Politics of Risk

Current Postgraduate Students

  Student Degree Type
Mulcahy Grainne Kate Doctoral Degree