Dr Josh Bullock

Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
Department of Criminology, Politics and Sociology
School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
Penrhyn Road

Associate Professor in Criminology and Social Sciences

[email protected]

ORCID

About

I am an associate professor in Criminology and Social Sciences. My research revolves around two key areas. The first explores the impact of true crime consumption on audiences and their perceptions of the criminal justice system. The second investigates the sociology of religion and nonreligion, community and belonging, as well as paranormal, superstitious, magical, and supernatural beliefs.

My latest research project (2023–24) "Weekday Worldviews: The Patrons, Promise and Payoff of Psychic Nights in England" is the first sociological investigation of the relationships between worldviews and psychological wellbeing amongst those attending public psychic/séance events in England. The project offers a unique look at a grassroots phenomenon using mixed methods (survey, observation, interview, comparison), analysing patterns of belief and their implication for understanding the relationship between science, spirituality, and wellbeing.

My previous research has focused on religion, nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment, as well as vaccine hesitancy with publications in Nature, PLOS ONE, Culture and Religion and The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Europe.

I was awarded best lecturer and best use of technology 2021 in the School of Law and Social and Behavioural Sciences, Student Awards. I was awarded runner-up best dissertation supervisor 2022 at Kingston University. I was awarded teaching excellence in 2023 the School for Law, Social and Behaviour Sciences. Faculty of Business and Social Sciences Lecturer of the year 2024.

I am the Research Ethics Lead for the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences.

Qualifications

PhD, Kingston University, London
MSc Social and Cultural Theory, University of Bristol
BA Media and Cultural Studies and Sociology, The University of the West of England

Domains

My research has been supported by a range of international and national funders, focusing on themes of belief, identity, social cohesion, and digital engagement.

From 2024 to 2028, I served as Co-Investigator on the PERceived threats, SOcial identity, and cohesioN (PERSON) project (€41,500), funded by the NextGenerationEU National Recovery and Resilience Plan. This project explores how perceived social threats shape collective identities and cohesion across European contexts.

In 2023–2024, I was an External Partner on the Collaborative Digital Storytelling for Educational Advantage (CoDiSEA) project (714,000 NOK), funded by the University of Bergen, Norway. The project examines the use of digital storytelling as a pedagogical tool for inclusive and collaborative learning.

During the same period, I was Co-Investigator on Weekday Worldviews: The Patrons, Promise and Payoff of Psychic Nights in England (£19,518), funded by the International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society. I also led the project "True crime obsession" and its socio-psychological effect on anxiety, fear, and perception of the English and Welsh Criminal Justice System (£2,104), funded by Kingston University.

Earlier research includes Religion and Vaccine Hesitancy (2021–2022, £1,000) and Nonreligion, Values and European Migration (2020–2023, £6,530), both funded by Kingston University, where I served as Principal Investigator.

My postdoctoral work (2018–2019) was as Co-Investigator on the Templeton Foundation-funded project Reaching for a New Sense of Connection? Towards a Deeper Understanding of the Sociality of Generation Y Non-Believers in Northern and Central Europe (£99,993), which examined the social worlds and meaning-making practices of young non-religious people across Europe.

Qualifications

University of Amsterdam Digital Research Methods Winter School 2018

Specialisms

Religion
Nonreligion
Research methods
Belief
Belonging
True crime

Publications

Does true crime content amplify anxiety, fear, and distrust in the criminal justice system?: A randomized experimental study

Zloteanu, Mircea and Bullock, Josh(2025). [Published]

Dr Josh Bullock

About

Qualifications

Domains

Teaching and learning

Research

Business, knowledge transfer and international

Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact

Publications

Articles

Book Sections/Chapters

Conference Items

Theses

Gallery of work

Religious Diversification in Northern Europe Network

Presenting research findings in Tartu, Estonia

Research in Germany

Research in Romania

Research in Norway

Research in Poland

"Spirited Conversations" Leeds (2023).

Criminology goes East!

Stay connected