Chris Greer

Professor Chris Greer is Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex. Previously, he worked for 15 years at City, University of London, where he helped to establish and grow Criminology within the Department of Sociology. 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's current research examines the shifting relations between news journalism, institutional power (particularly within the criminal justice system) and civil society in a context of media proliferation, declining deference to authority and a rapidly transforming communications marketplace. Recent publications have examined the rise of 'trial by media' and 'media justice', the press' commodification of institutional failure and scandal, and policy responses to the crimes of the powerful.

Chris is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.