Staff profile

I am an Honorary Fellow in the Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA) at Durham University, and a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Melbourne (Australia). Many of my research activities continue to address the UK. For instance, I co-host an educational podcast called Now and Men together with Sandy Ruxton, who is also an Honorary Fellow at Durham. I am currently writing up the findings from the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship I undertook in the Department of Sociology, which explored the connections between the climate crisis, masculinities and violence, and how to engage men and boys in building more caring relationships with the environment. We have a dedicated website sharing all of CRiVA's research on Men, Masculinities and Social Change.

I completed my PhD at Durham in 2019, which investigated work with men and boys to prevent men’s violence against women in England, including how young men make sense of violence prevention campaigns. Subsequently I undertook an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship about engaging men in the prevention of violence against women within the business sector. Prof Nicole Westmarland, Sandy Ruxton and I carried out research for the Government Equalities Office about the contemporary impacts of masculine gender norms in the UK, which resulted in a report and engagement toolkit. We have also co-authored an open access book with international colleagues, 'Men's Activism to End Violence Against Women: Voices from Spain, Sweden and the UK' (Policy Press, 2021).

In addition, we examined the gendered impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including: co-authoring report for the international NGO Equimundo with Sandy Ruxton on the connections between masculinities and Covid-19; researching the consequences of the pandemic for work with men and boys in Europe; and investigating how to build gender equality in the North East business sector in its wake. With Westmarland and colleagues we explored the experiences of male victim-survivors of domestic abuse during Covid-19. Since I first started studying sociology, feminist ideas have had a profound impact on me, and I am therefore also interested in men's varied responses to feminism, and the pedagogical role of tools such as podcasts.

• Men and masculinities
• Violence and abuse
• Primary prevention
• Gender inequality
• Environmental harm
• Masculinities and Covid-19
• (Pro-)Feminist social movements

Authored book

• Men's Activism to End Violence Against Women: Voices from Spain, Sweden and the UK
  
  Westmarland, N., Almqvist, A., Egeberg Holmgren, L., Ruxton, S., Burrell, S., & Delgado Valbuena, C. (2021). Men’s Activism to End Violence Against Women: Voices from Spain, Sweden and the UK. Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.47674/9781447357971

Book review

• Book Review: Male, Failed, Jailed: Masculinities and "Revolving-Door" Imprisonment in the UK
  
  Burrell, S. (2023). Book Review: Male, Failed, Jailed: Masculinities and "Revolving-Door" Imprisonment in the UK. Men and Masculinities, 26(1), 161-163. https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184x211040854

Chapter in book

• Men and the climate crisis: Why masculinities matter for green criminology
  
  Burrell, S. (2023). Men and the climate crisis: Why masculinities matter for green criminology. In E. Milne, P. Davies, J. Heydon, K. Peggs, & T. Wyatt (Eds.), Gendering Green Criminology (pp. 53-71). Bristol University Press.
• The media and male victim-survivors of domestic abuse
  
  Burrell, S., & Dhir, A. (2023). The media and male victim-survivors of domestic abuse. In K. Boyle & S. Berridge (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Gender, Media and Violence (pp. 34-43). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003200871-5
• Men and COVID-19: Pandemics and organizing in the "new normal"
  
  Burrell, S., & Roxton, S. (2023). Men and COVID-19: Pandemics and organizing in the "new normal". In J. Hearn, K. Aavik, D. L. Collins, & A. Thym (Eds.), Routledge Handbook on Men, Masculinities and Organizations: Theories, Practices and Futures of Organizing (pp. 430-443). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003193579-35
• Men, work, and care in the UK in the wake of Covid-19
  
  Ruxton, S., & Burrell, S. (2022). Men, work, and care in the UK in the wake of Covid-19. In A. Tarrant, L. Ladlow, & L. Way (Eds.), Men and Welfare (pp. 46-59). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003178811
• Engaging men and boys in the primary prevention of sexual violence
  
  Flood, M., & Burrell, S. (2022). Engaging men and boys in the primary prevention of sexual violence. In M. Horvath & J. Brown (Eds.), Rape: Challenging Contemporary Thinking - 10 Years On (pp. 221-235). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003163800-20
• Changing men and masculinities in the UK and beyond in the wake of #MeToo
  
  Burrell, S. (2022). Changing men and masculinities in the UK and beyond in the wake of #MeToo. In M. Alcalde & P. Villa (Eds.), #MeToo and Beyond: Perspectives on a Global Movement (pp. 67-89). University Press of Kentucky. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv2mm210k.6
• Male agents of change and disassociating from the problem in the prevention of violence against women
  
  Burrell, S. (2020). Male agents of change and disassociating from the problem in the prevention of violence against women. In R. Luyt & K. Starck (Eds.), Masculine power and gender equality : masculinities as change agents. (pp. 35-54). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35162-5

Doctoral Thesis

• Engaging men and boys in the prevention of men's violence against women in England
  
  Burrell, S. (2019). Engaging men and boys in the prevention of men’s violence against women in England [Thesis]. Department of Sociology, Durham University. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/13074/

Journal Article

• From men's violence to an ethic of care: Ecofeminist contributions to green criminology
  
  Burrell, S. R., & Pedersen, C. (2024). From men’s violence to an ethic of care: Ecofeminist contributions to green criminology. Journal of Criminology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/26338076241293145
• Engaging men and boys in gender justice through pro-feminist podcasts: Potential benefits, challenges, and risks
  
  McInerney, W., & Burrell, S. (2023). Engaging men and boys in gender justice through pro-feminist podcasts: Potential benefits, challenges, and risks. Masculinities and Social Change, 12(2), 160-183. https://doi.org/10.17583/mcs.10618
• 'Cause We’re All Just Part of the System Really': Complicity and Resistance in Young Sportsmen's Responses to Violence Against Women Prevention Campaigns in England
  
  Burrell, S. (2023). ’Cause We’re All Just Part of the System Really’: Complicity and Resistance in Young Sportsmen’s Responses to Violence Against Women Prevention Campaigns in England. Sociological Research Online, 28(2), 336-354. https://doi.org/10.1177/13607804211049463
• ‘I’m a red-blooded male’: Understanding men’s experiences of domestic abuse through a feminist lens
  
  Westmarland, N., & Burrell, S. R. (2023). ‘I’m a red-blooded male’: Understanding men’s experiences of domestic abuse through a feminist lens. Criminology & Criminal Justice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958231210985
• #MeToo or #MenToo? Expressions of backlash and masculinity politics in the #MeToo era
  
  de Maricourt, C., & Burrell, S. (2022). #MeToo or #MenToo? Expressions of backlash and masculinity politics in the #MeToo era. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 30(1), 49-69. https://doi.org/10.1177/10608265211035794
• COVID-19 and Masculinities in Global Perspective: Reflections from Promundo's Research and Activism
  
  Barker, G., Burrell, S., & Ruxton, S. (2021). COVID-19 and Masculinities in Global Perspective: Reflections from Promundo’s Research and Activism. Men and Masculinities, 24(1), 168-174. https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184x211000385
• Which feminism? Dilemmas in profeminist men's praxis to end violence against women
  
  Burrell, S., & Flood, M. (2019). Which feminism? Dilemmas in profeminist men’s praxis to end violence against women. Global Social Welfare, 6(4), 231-244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-018-00136-x
• The contradictory possibilities of engaging men and boys in the prevention of men's violence against women in the UK
  
  Burrell, S. (2018). The contradictory possibilities of engaging men and boys in the prevention of men’s violence against women in the UK. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 2(3), 447-464. https://doi.org/10.1332/239868018x15375304850617
• Conference Report: Political masculinities as agents of change, Anglia Ruskin University, 9–11 December 2016
  
  Burrell, S., & Sagmeister, M. (2017). Conference Report: Political masculinities as agents of change, Anglia Ruskin University, 9–11 December 2016. NORMA - Nordisk Tidsskrift for Maskulinitetsstudier, 12(1), 80-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/18902138.2017.1291123
• The invisibility of men's practices: Problem representations in British and Finnish social policy on men's violences against women
  
  Burrell, S. (2016). The invisibility of men’s practices: Problem representations in British and Finnish social policy on men’s violences against women. Graduate Journal of Social Science, 12(3), 69-93.

Newspaper/Magazine Article

• Roe v Wade: Men benefit from abortion rights too – and should speak about them more
  
  Burrell, S., & Ruxton, S. (2022). Roe v Wade: Men benefit from abortion rights too – and should speak about them more. The Conversation.
• Sarah Everard, police culture and the 'masculinised' workplaces we can all help change
  
  Burrell, S., Westmarland, N., & Ruxton, S. (2021). Sarah Everard, police culture and the ’masculinised’ workplaces we can all help change. The Conversation.
• How men can be allies to women right now
  
  Burrell, S., Westmarland, N., & Ruxton, S. (2021). How men can be allies to women right now. The Conversation.
• Coronavirus reveals just how deep macho stereotypes run through society
  
  Burrell, S., & Ruxton, S. (2020). Coronavirus reveals just how deep macho stereotypes run through society. The Conversation.

Other (Print)

• Conversing about men and masculinities – An example of public sociology through podcasting
  
  Burrell, S. (2022). Conversing about men and masculinities – An example of public sociology through podcasting. Everyday Society.
• How might supporting the Lionesses bring about change among men?
  
  Burrell, S. (2022). How might supporting the Lionesses bring about change among men?. White Ribbon UK.
• Men and COVID-19: Where’s the policy?
  
  Baker, B., Alemann, C., Burrell, S., Griffith, D., Heidari, S., Kelland, J., Lal, A., & Mukherjee, S. (2021). Men and COVID-19: Where’s the policy?. BMJ Global Health.
• Gareth Southgate’s England team have shown us more caring ways of being a man
  
  Burrell, S. (2021). Gareth Southgate’s England team have shown us more caring ways of being a man. Transforming Society.
• The climate crisis as masculine violence? Engaging men in caring for the planet
  
  Burrell, S. (2020). The climate crisis as masculine violence? Engaging men in caring for the planet. Leverhulme Trust.
• It's time men take on the responsibility for ending male violence
  
  Burrell, S. (2019). It’s time men take on the responsibility for ending male violence. White Ribbon UK.
• Changing men and masculinities in the wake of #MeToo
  
  Burrell, S. (2018). Changing men and masculinities in the wake of #MeToo. British Sociological Association.

Report

• New paths to prevention: Engaging more boys and men in ending violence against women
  
  Burrell, S. R., & Westmarland, N. (2025). New paths to prevention: Engaging more boys and men in ending violence against women. Firebird Foundation and End Violence Against Women Coalition.
• 'Living a life by permission': The experiences of male victims of domestic abuse during Covid-19
  
  Westmarland, N., Burrell, S., Dhir, A., Hall, K., Hasan, E., & Henderson, K. (2021). ’Living a life by permission’: The experiences of male victims of domestic abuse during Covid-19.
• A Business A_Gender: Building Gender Equality in the North East Business Sector in the Wake of Covid-19
  
  Burrell, S. (2021). A Business A_Gender: Building Gender Equality in the North East Business Sector in the Wake of Covid-19. Changing Relations.
• The impact of the Covid-19 crisis on work with men and boys in Europe
  
  Burrell, S., & Ruxton, S. (2020). The impact of the Covid-19 crisis on work with men and boys in Europe.
• Masculinities and COVID-19: Making the Connections
  
  Ruxton, S., & Burrell, S. (2020). Masculinities and COVID-19: Making the Connections.
• Engaging with Men and Boys about Gender Norms: Engagement Toolkit
  
  Burrell, S., Ruxton, S., & Westmarland, N. (2020). Engaging with Men and Boys about Gender Norms: Engagement Toolkit. Government Equalities Office.
• Changing Gender Norms: Engaging with Men and Boys
  
  Burrell, S., Ruxton, S., & Westmarland, N. (2019). Changing Gender Norms: Engaging with Men and Boys. Government Equalities Office.
• Perpetrators in the early stages of help-seeking: Views of service users
  
  Westmarland, N., & Burrell, S. (2019). Perpetrators in the early stages of help-seeking: Views of service users.
• The voices of male victims: Understanding men's experiences of the Men's Advice Line
  
  Burrell, S., & Westmarland, N. (2019). The voices of male victims: Understanding men’s experiences of the Men’s Advice Line.