Dr Dave McDonald’s research examines cultural representations of crime, and the politics of criminological ‘crises’. In 2012 he completed a PhD in Criminology at the University of Melbourne. His doctoral research examined social, cultural and legal representations of paedophilia, with a particular emphasis upon the contemporary fascination with such offending. He also has an interest in law enforcement, corruption and oversight. He has previously worked as a strategic project officer at the Office of Police Integrity, where he was responsible for undertaking systems and practices evaluations of Victoria Police.
Dave has published research in areas that include obscenity and the production and display of artistic images; the enactment of serious sex offender regimes; hate crime and the politics of disgust; and neoliberalism, vigilance and vigilantism. His current research projects explore the relationship between serial killing, finality and consolation; commissions of inquiry and the invocation of the other; childhood innocence and subjugated knowledges; and child sexual assault and institutional legitimacy.
