Qualifications
Biography
Peter holds a B.Ed. (Victoria College, now Deakin University) with majors in Sociology, Literature, Linguistics and Media Studies, an M.A. (Monash University) in Sociology and a PhD (La Trobe University) in Sociology. Peter’s M.A. thesis addressed judicial gender ideologies, focussing upon Family Court treatments of wife assault. His PhD thesis explored the transformation of depictions of science and religion, morality, gender and class in popular culture narratives during the 20th Century, focussing upon the horror genre.
Peter has taught at ACAP since 2018. He has taught sociology and research methodology at Deakin Uni., La Trobe Uni., Monash Uni., Victoria College and Chisholm Inst. Tech., and has also taught in secondary schools.
He held a Research Fellowship at the Centre for Citizenship and Human Rights and has worked in all levels of government. He managed the Research Service at the Victorian Parliament for seven years. Peter has wide experience within the legal system and has acted as an expert witness on matters relating to social research.
Research
Peter has undertaken research on a wide range of topics, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. These have included the role of narrative in social constructions of reality, legal ideologies, welfare, cohesion and political ideologies of migrant groups, comparative political participation in Europe and Australia, the social and political implications of demographic transformations, organisational development and resource allocation within public and community sector organisations and the social and economic impacts of gambling.
Research Methodology, Social Theory, Ideology, Narrative, Popular Culture.
Teaching / coordination responsibilities
Peter has taught several units within the Criminology and Justice discipline, including Research Methodology, Mental Health and Criminal Justice, Police and Young People, Youth Justice, Transnational Crime, Global Policing, Drugs and Crime, Crime Prevention, Victimology and the Practicum.