Dr Leighanne Higgins
Senior LecturerProfile
I am interested in the area of consumer behaviour, and teach many of the CB courses here at LUMS marketing department. My conusmer research interests lie within two core areas: Markeptlace Accessibility and Sacred Consumption.
Marketplace Accessibility: I am interested in understanding and challenging the barriers to marketplace and commercial settings for those living with disability. I began work in this area in 2016 and have built extensive insight and expertise into the access inequalities facing the disabled community in retail, healthcare, transportation, and tourism & hospitality. Since 2019, I have been working on the collaborative and art-based project: The Marketplace and I: Commercial Experiences of Disability Explored through Art (M&I). This project invited members of the disabled community to create artworks that represent their commercial experiences. To date the M&I has been publicly exhibited five times and engaged with over 1200+ stakeholders including companies, policymakers, politicians, charities, and the public. These public exhibitions have uncovered visitors to experience reflective and empathetic emotions towards the artworks, causing them to reflect deeply on their preconceptions towards disability. As such, since Autumn 2022, we have been using the project to engage with Lancashire based companies, using the artworks and wider M&I project we have developed a novel and innovative accessibility training workshop that permits companies to engage with accessibility scoring, accessibility planning and accessibility strategy building.
Sacred Consumption: I am interested in the complex relationship between religious and marketplace structures. My current research projects investigate religious consumptive behaviours within the context of pilgrimage with a particular focus on emotive and affectiveconsumption experiences.
Current Teaching
MKTG101: Introduction to Marketing (Consumer Behaviour)
MKTG225: Consumer Behaviour
Career Details
PhD in Marketing (University of Strathclyde, Glasgow)
MRes in Business (University of Strathclyde, Glasgow)
BA (Hons) International Business and Modern Languages (University of Strathclyde, Glasgow)
Research Grants
2023: NWSSDTP CASE competition funding to fund a PhD student for three years alongside Professor James Cronin and NHS Lancashire to complete the study entitled: Resisting bureau-medicalisation: The integration of 'Spaces of Compassion' with the Biomedical Healthcare Environment.
2023: LUMS Catalyst Impact Funding of £6,500 with Dr Killian O'Leary: The Marketplace and I: Accessible Training Programme (Phase 2).
2022: Academy of Marketing Research funding of £4965.50: The Marketplace and I: A Videography.
2022: Kings College Impact funding of £75,000 with Dr Katharina Husemann and Dr Anica Zeyen: Improving Access and Inclusion of Visually Impaired People in UK-Based Museums.
2022: The Marketing Trust funding of £5,846: The Marketplace and I: Understanding how art can positively change consumer perceptions towards disability.
2019: The Marketing Trust funding of £6,782.21: The Marketplace and I: Commercial Experiences of Disability Explored through Art.
2016: LUMS Pump Prime funding of £5,000: An exploratory investigation into disability access barriers to tourism.
2009-2013: ESRC (1+3) Studentship (MRes and PhD)
PhD Supervision Interests
I am willing to discuss possible supervision with candidates interested in consumer vulnerability and specifically in marketplace access and disability issues. I am also interested in students who wish to research sacred consumption, investigating the relationship between religion and marketplace structures and religious and secular pilgrimage.
Selected Publications
Faith hope and love: doing family through consuming pilgrimage
Higgins, L., Hamilton, K. 2014 In: Journal of Marketing Management. 30, 15-16, p. 1577-1596. 20 p.
Journal article
Is the crucifix sacred?: exploring the Catholic consumption of sacred vessels in building connection with the sacred
Higgins, L., Hamilton, K. 2011
Conference contribution/Paper
Sacred places: an exploratory investigation of consuming pilgrimage
Higgins, L., Hamilton, K. 2011
Conference contribution/Paper
All Publications
Resisting bureau-medicalisation: The integration of ‘Spaces of Compassion’ with the Biomedical Healthcare Environment
01/10/2023 → 01/11/2026
Research
The Marketplace and I: A Videography
01/10/2022 → 31/03/2025
Research
The Marketplace and I: Understanding how art can positively change consumer perceptions towards disability
01/06/2022 → 31/12/2024
Research
The Marketplace and I: Understanding disabled consumer experiences of marketplace interaction through disabled art
01/01/2019 → 31/12/2019
Research
CCI Roundtable Session on The Cost of Living Crisis
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
CCI Roundtable Session on Halloween: History, Lore, & Consumption
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Therapeutic Servicescapes and Market-Mediated Performances of Emotional Suffering
Invited talk
Therapeutic Servicescapes and Market-Mediated Performances of Emotional Suffering
Invited talk
Therapeutic Servicescapes and Market-Mediated Performances of Emotional Suffering
Invited talk
Consuming Bondieuserie: Raising the Profile of Religious Kitsch Consumption
Invited talk
Consuming Bondieuserie: Raising the Profile of Religious Kitsch Consumption
Invited talk
Centre for Consumption Insights
- Centre for Consumption Insights