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Dr Max Morris

Lecturer in Criminology

School of Education, Humanities and Languages

Max Morris
Role
Teaching and supervision
Research
Professional information

Role

I joined the School of History, Philosophy and Culture at Oxford Brookes as a Lecturer in Criminology in 2022. Prior to this, I was based in the Department of Criminology, Politics and Sociology at Kingston University. I have a BA (First) in Philosophy and Politics from the University of Liverpool, an MA (Distinction) in Social Research Methods and PhD in Sociology and Social Policy from Durham University

Areas of expertise

  • Gender
  • Sexuality
  • HIV
  • Sex Work
  • Social Media
  • Queer Theory

Teaching and supervision

Modules taught

  • Crime in Theory and Practice
  • Public Criminology
  • Applied Criminology (Work Placement Scheme)
  • Green Criminology
  • Sex that Offends

I have been recognised as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) since 2020.

Research

As a queer criminologist my research and teaching are informed by postmodern theories to understand the role of law and society in constructing identities. For example, my PhD provided the first empirical study of young men who sell sex online without advertising or identifying as "sex workers", something I refer to as incidental sex work. This study challenged dominant discourses of criminality, deviance, exploitation, pathology, and victimisation, alongside liberal, rights-based, identity politics. I have also published research on topics including the criminalisation of HIV transmission, the history of homophobia, and representations of gender and sexual minorities on social media.

Research group membership

  • Critical Legal Perspectives on Society, Law, Gender, and Diversity (CLSGD).

Research grants and awards

  • 'Incidental Sex Work: Casual and Commercial Encounters in Queer Digital Spaces' - Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
  • 'Living Through Two Pandemics: The Experiences of HIV+ People during COVID-19' - Centre for Research in Communities, Identities and Difference (CResCID).

Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

  • British Sociological Association (Member)
  • Sex Work Research Hub (Board Member)
  • Sociological Research Online (Associate Board Member)