Criminology and Sociology

In an increasingly complex world, the need for research to understand the dynamics of social life has never been more pressing. In recognition of this, the Criminology and Sociology Department at Kingston University has expanded over the last five years, attracting staff and students with a wide range of interests and expertise in both theoretical and applied research.

Broad research themes shared within the Department include:

• abuse and trauma;
• life span and the aging population;
• social space and communities; and
• youth.

These themes run alongside individual staff interests in areas such as:

• consumption;
• cybercrime;
• gambling;
• hate crime;
• inter-personal violence;
• intimate citizenship;
• policing;
• probation;
• public understanding of science;
• religion;
• sex crime; and
• suburbia.

It is a core feature of the Department's teaching and learning ethos that staff research informs our undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum. Equally important is a commitment to make research findings available to a wide public audience through local seminars, media engagement, publication and a continuing professional development training programme.

Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies

The Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies (CATS) under the Directorship of Professor Julia Davidson and Professor Antonia Bifulco has a strong international reputation for its research into a broad range of abuse related topics and has been identified as one of the University's Centres of Excellence. Its projects developed over the last two years with partner organisations have attracted funding of over £650,000.