Dr. Paul J. Becker

Education / Work Experience

• Associate Professor of Sociology (Fall 2005 - current): University of Dayton
• Affiliated with Criminal Justice Studies
• Assistant Professor of Sociology (Fall 2002 - Summer 2005): University of Dayton
• Assistant Professor of Criminology (1996-2002): Morehead State University - Department of Sociology
• Doctorate Degree in Sociology (1992-1996): Bowling Green State University
• Adult Probation Officer (1989-1992): Elkhart City Probation Department
• Master's Degree in Criminology (1987-1989): Indiana State University
• Bachelor's Degree (1983-87): ISU - Major in Criminology
• High School (1983): Elkhart Central High School - Elkhart, Indiana

Research / Teaching Interests

• Hate Crimes
• White Supremacy. Racialist, and Anti-Government Movements
• The Creation of Law
• The Portrayal of Crime and Justice in the Entertainment Media
• Photography and Society; Visual Sociology and Criminology
• Environmental Inequality
• Animals and Society
• Secondary Areas
  • Issues Related to Pedagogy
  • Corporate Deviance
  • Sociology of Law
  • Political Extremism, Domestic Terrorism
  • Cultural Criminology
  • Criminology Theory and Policy Issues
  • Sociology of the Internet
  • Community Corrections, History and Philosophy of Corrections
  • Victimology, the Sexual Exploitation and Victimization of Children
• List of publications and presentations can be found on my research page

Personal Information

• Hobbies: Photography, Hiking, Playing Basketball, Reading & Movies
• Music: Americana, Alt-Country, Singer-Songwriters: My two favorite musicians are Richard Thompson and Lucinda Williams
  • Others include Neko Case, Luka Bloom, Ozomatli, Ellis Paul, Kasey Chambers, The Duhks, Black 47, Martin Sexton, Gov't Mule, The Decemberists, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Harry Chapin, Bruce Springsteen, Mark Knopfler, Patty Griffin, Kansas, Cat Stevens, The Flatlanders, and many more!
• Favorite Authors: Charles deLint and Jonathon Kellerman
  • Others include Jasper Fforde, Joe Lansdale, Simon Green, Bill Fitzhugh, Robert Charles Wilson, F. Paul Wilson and Dan Simmons
• Some of my Favorite Movies Include: Casablanca, Near Dark, Local Hero, Donnie Darko, The Man From Snowy River, Labyrinth, It Happened One Night, The Seven Samurai, City of God, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, They Live, The Princess Bride, The Station Agent, The Evil Dead Series, Murder on a Sunday Morning (documentary), and Hayoa Miyazaki movies

Where else you can find me on the web

• Photos: Flickr
• Blog (with my wife Cathy): Animal Ruminations
• Twitter: becker1999
• Facebook: I am on facebook, though I will not be 'friends' with students until after they graduate