Research clusters

The Department of Sociology, Social Policy, and Criminology's research clusters provide focal points for collaboration in different areas of sociological, social, and criminological research. Through them our academic researchers can share ideas, develop projects, gain peer support, access broader networks, and organise seminars and conferences.

Staff members and PhD students can belong to multiple clusters, as can collaborators from across the University and beyond.

Clusters provide the framework for delivering postgraduate research supervision and support, with students fully integrated into projects.

Centre for Ageing and the Life Course

Centre for Ageing and the Life Course (CALC)

CALC researches ageing, focusing on factors that create inequalities and how health and well-being are experienced in later life.

Criminal Justice Unit

Criminal Justice Unit (CJU)

CJU brings together leading scholars across law, sociology, social policy, and criminology to advance research on criminal justice processes, law, and policy, as well as fostering cross-department collaboration.

International Criminological Research Unit

International Criminological Research Unit (ICRU)

ICRU focuses on research in criminology and criminal justice that is grounded in theory, backed by evidence, and relevant to both local and global issues.

Liverpool Sociological Research Cluster

Liverpool Sociological Research Cluster (LSRC)

LSRC explores topics like AI, online life, state structures, racial capitalism, climate change, social class, education, culture, and architecture.

The Decolonial Critique

The Decolonial Critique

A global network of more than 2,000 scholars, students, and activists who have an interest in theoretical and applied approaches to coloniality/decoloniality.

Law and Society Unit

Technology, Law and Society Unit (TLSU)

TLSU conducts interdisciplinary research into the impact of technology on society, economy, and human interactions.