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Prof Kevin McDonald

Professor of Sociology

Kevin McDonald

  • School Faculty of Business and Law

  • Department Law and Social Sciences

  • Location London

Research activities

I am part of several European research networks, focusing on democracy, extremism, youth radicalisation, and violence.  

From 2020 to 2023 I was part of a large European Horizon research programme exploring young people's experience of, and response to, extremism. 

I also undertake evaluations of research applications and programmes for the European Commission.


Current Teaching

I am Director of Doctoral Programmes in the Faculty of Business and Law, where I lead on the development of research degrees in the faculty.

My areas of teaching focus on the sociology of violence, radicalisation and terrorism, as well as digital social worlds.  I also teach in the criminology and policing programmes.


Biography

Before joining Middlesex in 2013 as Professor of Sociology I had worked at several universities, including the University of Melbourne in Australia and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, where I undertook my doctoral studies. For several years I was also a Marie Curie Fellow at Goldsmiths in London.  Most of my professional work has focused on social change and social movements, and I have undertaken field work in different European countries, North America, Asia and Australia. Central themes are embodiment, imaginaries, emerging forms of social polarisation, and the development of digital social worlds.  A central theme throughout this areas is engaging with the challenges and possibilities of contemporary democracy.  Over recent years my work, both in terms of research and policy engagement, has focused on radicalisation and extremism.  My most recent book is: Radicalization, published with Polity in 2018.

External activities

  • Book series editor, Routledge, 2017
  • Horizon Europe , EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, 2016

    • Publications

    View publications