Dr. Sean Hier

Biography

Sean Hier is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Victoria, having joined the department in 2003 after completing his PhD at McMaster University. He has held prior teaching positions in the Caribbean Studies program at Ryerson University and has completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Queen's University. Hier was promoted to Associate Professor in 2008 and achieved the rank of Full Professor in 2016. He served as the Chair of the Sociology Department from 2011 to 2018. His research primarily focuses on moral panics, moral regulation, social problems, claims-making, media representations, crime, and crisis communication, including topics like serial killing and infection diseases. Professor Hier has published over 50 scholarly articles and eight books that address aspects of his main research interests. He is also committed to student supervision, offering honors graduate supervision and supporting students in their research projects through weekly meetings and prompt communication.

Research Interests