Professor Chris Greer
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Email
chris.greer@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 873557
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Location
Colchester Campus
Profile
Biography
Chris joined the University of Essex in 2020 as Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research (Designate) and Professor of Sociology, and became Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research in 2021. For 15 years prior to this, he worked at City, University of London, where he helped to establish and grow Criminology within the Department of Sociology. Promoted to Professor of Criminology in 2013, Chris served as Associate Dean (Education) in the School of Arts and Social Sciences from 2013-2014, Head of the Department of Sociology from 2014-2017 and Dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences from 2017-2020. Chris completed his MSSc (1997) and PhD (2001) at the Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Queen's University Belfast, and worked at Northumbria University 2002-2005. Chris' research currently focuses on two main areas, connected by an enduring curiosity about the shifting dynamics of institutional power and, in particular, what happens when that power is misused. The first area is concerned with developing the concepts of trial by media and institutional scandal to understand the evolving relations between news media, public institutions, civil society and the state. The second area concentrates on the multi-agency response to serious youth violence and involves an ongoing partnership with local government aimed at co-producing better outcomes for young people. In 2004 Chris Co-Founded Crime Media Culture: An International Journal (CMC), Sage Publications, which promotes a cross-disciplinary understanding of the crime, media, culture nexus. After a decade Co-Editing CMC, he stepped down in 2015 and became Associate Editor. He served on the International Advisory Board of Theoretical Criminology from 2009-2022. Chris was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2013 and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2016. He became a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2024. Broadly, Chris’s research and teaching interests are in the areas of: Crime, media and criminal justice; Sociology of media and communication; Victimology; Punishment and penality; Criminological theory. He welcomes inquiries from prospective doctoral students in any of these areas.
Qualifications
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BSc Queen's University Belfast,
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MSSc Criminology and Criminal Justice Queen's University of Belfast,
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PhD Queen's University Belfast,
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Trial by Media
Scandal
Serious Youth Violence
Victimology
Celebrity
Publications
Journal articles (24)
Rosbrook-Thompson, J., Greer, C., McLaughlin, E., Ilan, J., Armstrong, G., Myers, C-A., Taylor, E. and Rojek, C., (2024). Integrated Through Risk?: How Actuarial and Epidemiological Approaches to Urban Violence Reduction Interact within a Multi-Agency Gangs Team. British Journal of Criminology
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2021). The Celebrity Icon Mask: The Multi-Institutional Masking of Sir Jimmy Savile. Cultural Sociology. 15 (3), 364-385
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2020). Why becoming a national treasure matters: Elite celebrity status and inequality in the United Kingdom. European Journal of Cultural Studies. 23 (1), 71-88
Greer, C. and MCLaughlin, E., (2019). «Ça n’est pas la justice» Ian Tomlinson, échec institutionnel et politique médiatique d’indignation. Semen (46)
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2018). Breaking bad news: Penal populism, tabloid adversarialism and Brexit. The Political Quarterly. 89 (2), 206-216
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2017). Theorizing Institutional Scandal and the Regulatory State. Theoretical Criminology. 21 (2), 112-132
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2013). The Sir Jimmy Savile Scandal: Child Sexual Abuse and Institutional Denial at the BBC. Crime Media Culture: An International Journal. 9 (3), 243-263
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2012). Julgamento Pelos Media: Policiamento, Ambiente Mediatico das Noticias 24/7 e a Politica da Indignacao (Portuguese translation of ’Trial By Media: Policing, The 24-7 News Mediasphere, And The Politics Of Outrage’). Comunicação & Cultura. 14, 23-55
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2012). "This is not justice": Ian Tomlinson, institutional failure and the press politics of outrage. The British Journal of Criminology. 52 (2), 274-293
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2012). Media justice: Madeleine McCann, intermediatization and "trial by media" in the British press. Theoretical Criminology. 16 (4), 395-416
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2011). "Trial by media": Policing, the 24-7 news mediasphere and the "politics of outrage". Theoretical Criminology. 15 (1), 23-46
Greer, C. and Hamm, M., (2011). Into the Future, Darkly. Crime, Media, Culture: an international journal. 7 (1), 3-4
Hamm, M., Ferrell, J. and Greer, C., (2010). Provocateur for justice: Notes on the imprisonment of Professor Luis Barrios. Crime, Media, Culture. 6 (2), 227-238
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2010). We predict a riot?: Public order policing, new media environments and the rise of the citizen journalist. The British Journal of Criminology. 50 (6), 1041-1059
Greer, C. and Hamm, M., (2010). Editorial Updates. Crime, Media, Culture: an international journal. 6 (1), 5-6
Ferrell, J. and Greer, C., (2009). Editorial: Global collapse and cultural possibility. Crime, Media, Culture. 5 (1), 5-7
Greer, C., Ferrell, J. and Jewkes, Y., (2008). Investigating the crisis of the present. Crime, Media, Culture. 4 (1), 5-8
Greer, C. and Aitchison, A., (2007). Prisoners at work: A collaboration between documentary photographer Andy Aitchison, Barbed graphic design studio (HMP Coldingley) and the Howard League for Penal Reform’. Crime, Media, Culture: an international journal. 3 (2), 207-214
Greer, C., Ferrell, J. and Jewkes, Y., (2007). It's the Image that Matters: Style, Substance and Critical Scholarship. Crime, Media, Culture: an international journal. 3 (1), 5-10
Jewkes, Y., Greer, C. and Ferrell, J., (2006). Borders Breached, Conventional Claims Questioned. Crime, Media, Culture: an international journal. 2 (1), 5-8
Greer, C. and Jewkes, Y., (2005). Extremes of Otherness: Media Images of Social Exclusion. Social Justice. 32, 20-31
Ferrell, J., Greer, C. and Jewkes, Y., (2005). Hip Hop Graffiti, Mexican Murals, and the War on Terror. Crime, Media, Culture: an international journal. 1 (1), 5-9
Greer, C., (2003). Media representations of dangerousness. Criminal Justice Matters. 51 (1), 4-5
Greer, C., (2001). Risky Business. Criminal Justice Matters. 43 (1), 28-29
Books (11)
Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer, C., (2017). Victims, Crime and Society: An Introduction (Second Edition). Sage. 1473910919. 9781446255902
Greer, C., (2012). Sex crime and the media: Sex offending and the press in a divided society. Routledge. 9780415628013
Greer, C., (2010). Crime, newsworthiness and news: Introduction
Greer, C., (2010). Understanding media
Greer, C., (2010). Researching media: Introduction
Greer, C., (2010). Crime, entertainment and creativity: Introduction
Greer, C., (2010). Effects, influence and moral panic: Introduction
Greer, C., (2010). Cybercrime, surveillance and risk: Introduction
Greer, C., (2009). Crime and Media A Reader. Routledge. 0415422396. 9780415422390
Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer, C., (2007). Victims, Crime and Society. SAGE Publications Ltd. 978-1412907590
Greer, C., (2003). Sex Crime and the Media: Sex Offending and the Press in a Divided Society. Willan. 1135999864. 978-1843920045
Book chapters (22)
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2023). Crime News, Trial by Media and Scandal Hunting. In: The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (7th edition). Editors: Liebling, A., Maruna, S. and McAra, L., . Oxford University Press, USA. 9780198860914
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2017). News Power, Crime and Media Justice. In: The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. Editors: Liebling, A., Manura, S. and McAra, L., . Oxford University Press. 260- 283. 9780198719441
Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer, C., (2017). Victims, Crime and Society: An Introduction. In: Victims, Crime and Society: An Introduction (Second Edition). Editors: Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer, C., . SAGE. 9781446255902
Greer, C., (2017). News Media, Victims and Crime. In: Victims, Crime and Society (second edition). Editors: Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer, C., . SAGE. 20- 49. 9781446255902
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2015). The return of the repressed: secrets. lies, denial and "historical" child sexual abuse scandals. In: How corrupt is Britain?. Editors: Whyte, D., . Pluto Press. 113- 123. 978-0745335292
Greer, C. and Reiner, R., (2014). Labelling, Deviance and Media. In: Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Editors: Bruinsma, G. and Weisburd, D., . Springer. 2814- 2823. 978-1-4614-5690-2
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2014). Righting Wrongs: Citizen Journalism and Miscarriages of Justice. In: Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives - Volume 2. Editors: Thorsen, E. and Allan, S., . Peter Lang Gmbh. 39- 50. 9781433122835
Greer, C., (2013). Crime and media: understanding the connections. In: Criminology, third edition. Editors: Hale, C., Hayward, K., Wahadin, A. and Wincup, E., . Oxford University Press. 143- 164. 9780199691296
Greer, C. and Reiner, R., (2012). Mediated Mayhem: Media, Crime and Criminal Justice. In: Oxford Handbook of Criminology (fifth edition). Editors: Maguire, M., Morgan, R. and Reiner, R., . Oxford University Press. 245- 278. 9780199590278
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2012). 'Trial by Media': Riots, Looting, Gangs and Mediatised Police Chiefs. In: Policing, Politics, Culture and Control: Essays in Honour of Robert Reiner. Editors: Newburn, T. and Peay, J., . Hart. 135- 153. 9781849463003
Greer, C., (2010). News Media Criminology. In: The SAGE Handbook of Criminological Theory. Editors: McLaughlin, E. and Newburn, T., . Sage Publications Ltd. 490- 513. 9781412920384
Greer, C., (2009). Crime and Media: Understanding the Connections. In: Criminology, (second edition). Editors: Hale, C., Hayward, K., Wahadin, A. and Wincup, E., . Oxford University Press. 978-0199227297
Greer, C., (2008). Media Reporting. In: Dictionary of Youth Justice. Editors: Goldson, B., . Willan. 223- 224. 9781843922933
Greer, C., (2008). News Reporting. In: Dictionary of Youth Justice. Editors: Goldson, B., . Willan. 978-1843922933
Greer, C., (2008). Fear of Crime. In: Dictionary of Youth Justice. Editors: Goldson, B., . Willan. 978-1843922933
Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer, C., (2007). Victims, Crime and Society. In: Victims, Crime and Society. Editors: Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer, C., . SAGE Publications Ltd. 1- 19. 978-1412907590
Greer, C., (2007). News Media, Victims and Crime. In: Victims. Crime and Society. Editors: Greer, C., Davies, P. and Francis, P., . Sage. 20- 49. 1409828182. 9781409828181
Greer, C., (2005). Crime and Media: Understanding the Connections. In: Criminology. Editors: Hale, C., Wincup, E., Hayward, K. and Wahadin, A., . Oxford University Press. 9780199270361
Greer, C., (2005). Sex Crime. In: Sage Dictionary of Criminology. Editors: Muncie, J. and McLaughlin, E., . Sage. 9781446236000
Greer, C., (2005). Delivering Death: Capital Punishment, Botched Executions and the American Press. In: Captured by the Media. Editors: Mason, P., . Routledge. 84- 102. 978-1843921448
Greer, C., (2004). Crime, Media and Community: Grief and Virtual Engagement in Late Modernity. In: Cultural Criminology Unleashed. Editors: Ferrell, J., Hayward, K., Morrison, W. and Presdee, M., . Routledge. 109- 121. 9781904385370
Greer, C., (2003). Sex Crime and the Media: Press Representations in Northern Ireland. In: Criminal Visions: Media Representations of Crime and Justice. Editors: Mason, P., . Willan. 90- 116. 9781843920137
Reports and Papers (2)
Greer, C., Rosbrook-Thompson, J. and Armstrong, G., (2020). The Disproportionality Project: Addressing issues relating to the disproportionately high representation of Islington’s and Haringey’s BAME young people in the Criminal Justice System
Greer, C., Rosbrook-Thompson, J., Armstrong, G., Ilan, J., McLaughlin, E., Myers, C-A., Rojek, C. and Taylor, E., (2019). Enhancing the work of the Islington Integrated Gangs Team: A pilot study on the response to serious youth violence in Islington
Media (1)
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., The Scandal Machine - BBC Radio 4, Archive on 4. Audio
Other (1)
Greer, C. and McLaughlin, E., (2012).A paedophile scandal foretold: Sir Jimmy Savile, child sexual abuse and the BBC. British Society of Criminology Newsletter. 71,British Society of Criminology Newsletter
Grants and funding
2022
Domestic Abuse Services for Young People
London Borough of Islington (Safeguarding and Family Support)
The Disproportionality Leadership Project
Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime
2021
The Reunification Project: Understanding Excellence Research
London Borough of Islington (Safeguarding and Family Support)
The Reunification Project � Impact Activities
University of Essex (ESRC IAA)
