22: Beauty Sick

22: Beauty Sick

From Saint Helena Forum by Saint Helena Forum

February 26, 2025 · 57 min

About this episode

Dr. Engeln discusses the cultural obsession with appearance and its effects on women.

Dr. Engeln is a professor at Northwestern University where she teaches psychopathology, the psychology of women and gender, social psychology, and the psychology of human beauty. Doctor Engeln directs the “The Body and Media Lab” which conducts research exploring issues surrounding women's body images. She is the author of "Beauty Sick" a book about the cultural obsession with appearance and how it effects girls and women. Renee's work has appeared in numerous academic journals, and she is regularly interviewed by the New York Times, the Chicago tribune, the Huffington Post, and other national media.​ ​ ​ Dr. Engeln will be interviewed by Saint Helena Forum Board Member Michele Mitchell. In addition to being a member of the Forum’s board of directors, Michelle is a filmmaker, journalist, and author, best known for her on-camera reporting for PBS and CNN Headline News, and her documentary films: “Haiti: Where did the Money Go? “ which tracked what happened to the money donated by US citizens to US-based charities after the Haiti earthquake and ”The Un-condemned “, a riveting documentary about an underdog group of lawyers and activists who defied the odds to do what had…

People in this episode

Host: Michele Mitchell

Guest: Dr. Engeln

Topics covered

  • body image
  • psychology
  • cultural obsession
  • women's issues
  • media influence

Keywords

  • body image
  • psychopathology
  • psychology of women
  • media
  • appearance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Northwestern University, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post

Books & works: Beauty Sick, Haiti: Where did the Money Go?, The Un-condemned

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