Academic Work
I am a Full Professor and King’s Research Excellence Chair at King’s University College at Western, having taught in the Department of Sociology since 2003. In 2005, I developed and launched the department’s Criminology program. I served as the department Chair from 2011-2015, followed by a three-year term as Associate Academic Dean.
As a social scientist and theoretician, my primary research interests include comparative studies of different types of violence and human aggression, ranging from domestic violence to international terrorism. A key component that intersects much of the work involves investigating the complexities of human social life and systems by examining issues through a consilient, interdisciplinary approach that synthesizes five interrelated frameworks: 1) behavioral investment; 2) socialization processes; 3) cultural justifications; 4) social locations; and 5) societal contexts.
This section features the main publications from my academic work over the past three decades, including peer-reviewed journal articles, books and edited volumes, discussion papers, and selected presentations. Here one can find additional information about my current research studies and the courses I have taught recently.