Professor Heather Hamill appointed new Head of Department
We are pleased to announce that Professor Heather Hamill has been appointed as the new Head of the Department of Sociology. She will take over from Professor Colin Mills, who has held the position since 2023.
Professor Hamill has been a member of the Department since 2001 and is a Fellow of St Cross College. Her research examines how people establish trust and reputation, particularly in high-crime neighbourhoods and illegal political and criminal organisations.
Her work has included research on informal justice and policing in Northern Ireland, how taxi drivers establish the trustworthiness of their customers, and how illegal organisations recruit their members. Professor Hamill's current research focuses on the problems of mistrust created by the proliferation of sub-standard and falsified medicines in sub-Saharan Africa.
"I am thrilled to be taking on the responsibility of Head of Department. Having been part of Oxford Sociology for more than 20 years, it is a community that means a great deal to me. I have seen it grow and change over that time, while retaining the intellectual curiosity and collegiality that make it such a rewarding place to work.
I am particularly looking forward to working with staff and students to build on the Department’s strengths and to think together about what the next chapter of Oxford Sociology should look like."
The Department would also like to thank Professor Colin Mills for his dedication as Head, during which the Department celebrated its 25th anniversary. Professor Mills is a Fellow of Nuffield College and has been a member of the University since 2002. He will remain a key part of the Oxford Sociology community.
