Dr Dan Petrosian

Dr Dan Petrosian


Dr Dan Petrosian is a Lecturer & Acting Senior Personal Tutor in Criminology at the University of Westminster, and an Associate Lecturer in Criminology at The Open University. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Qualifications

  • PhD: University of Westminster
  • PGCHE: University of Westminster
  • MA (Res) in Criminology: University of Kent
  • BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice: University of Westminster


Dan is a visual criminologist and anti-racism activist. He is interested in conducting research using visual criminology (combination of video activism and photovoice) to continue to empower marginalised social groups, specifically migrants and refugees, to reinforce racial and ethnic justice. His methodological specialisms are in the fields of ethnography, observation, framing and qualitative frame analysis.

Broader Research Interests

  • Critical/radical criminology and zemiology
  • State, corporate & white-collar crime
  • Racism, anti-racism and decolonial intersectionality
  • Visual criminology, media, social media and cybercrime
  • Sousveillance, video activism and citizen journalism
  • Social movements, resistance and protest
  • Qualitative research methods; ethnography, interviewing and discursive frame analysis

Academic Memberships

  • Centre for Social Justice Research
  • Convict Criminology Research Group
  • Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Network
  • Gender and Social Justice Research Group
  • Harm & Evidence Research Collaborative (HERC) at The Open University

Publications

Bozkurt, S. and Petrosian, V. (2025) 'Intersecting Paths of Oppression: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Minoritised Mothers in Prison', Critical Criminology [Forthcoming].

Cortvriend, A. and Petrosian, V. (2025) ‘Intersectional harm and motherhood in the British asylum system’, British Journal of Criminology (Special Issue) [Forthcoming].

Cortvriend, A. and Petrosian, V. (2024) 'Guilt, shame and motherhood in the British asylum system: The experiences and emotions of harm', 24th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology. Bucharest, Romania 11-14 Sep 2024.

Petrosian, V. (2023). 'Anti-Racist Video Activism: Framing and production of new knowledges that challenge the post-truth hegemonic project', University of Westminster (PhD Thesis, University of Westminster).

Petrosian, V. and Famosaya, P. (2023). 'Active Blended Learning: Implications for academics and students in the post-pandemic period', University of Northampton Learning and Teaching Conference 2023 (22 Jun 2023: University of Northampton).


  • Centre for Social Justice Research

Sustainable Development Goals
In brief

Research areas

Visual Criminology, Video Activism, Anti-Racism and Protests & Resistance

Skills / expertise

Ethnography, Qualitative Frame Analysis, Thematic Analysis and Interviewing

Supervision interests

Critical/radical criminology and zemiology, Visual criminology, media, social media and cybercrime, Sousveillance, video activism and citizen journalism, State, corporate & white-collar crime, Racism, anti-racism and decolonial intersectionality, Social movements, resistance and protest and Qualitative research methods; ethnography, interviewing and discursive frame analysis
Awards
Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy 2020

AdvanceHE

SHS Departmental Prize for Criminology

University of Westminster: School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Languages

Certificate in Teaching 2013

University of Westminster Associates in Schools Scheme