Key details
Dr Craig Morris
Senior Lecturer in Sociology
I am a sociologist, educator and researcher specialising in popular culture, social identity and graduate employability. My work focuses on helping diverse audiences understand contemporary culture, changing patterns of behaviour and consumption, and the social forces that shape everyday life. Combining academic expertise with practical insight, I explore how popular culture influences the ways individuals understand themselves, others and the world around them.
My research and teaching examine topics including media representation, celebrity culture, consumer behaviour, leisure, social identities and contemporary social issues. I am particularly interested in the relationship between popular culture and social change, and in using sociology as a tool for understanding everyday experiences and emerging social trends.
Alongside my work in popular culture, I have more than 12 years of experience researching and developing graduate employability. My research investigates student engagement with career planning, employability initiatives and transitions into work, while my professional practice focuses on creating innovative, evidence-informed approaches that support student success and enhance graduate outcomes. This work led to a nomination for the national AGCAS Award for Excellence in Employability.
Through research, teaching, public engagement and collaboration, I aim to make sociology accessible, relevant and impactful for students, organisations and wider audiences.
Responsibilities within the university
HSS Placement Module Leader
Awards
Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) Academic Employability Awards, Nominee for Inclusive Employability Practices, 2025.
Outstanding Contribution to Employability Award (Overall University and Faculty Prizes), University of Greenwich, 2016.
Recognition
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Research / Scholarly interests
My research sits at the intersection of popular culture, identity and higher education. I am interested in how popular culture shapes social identities, influences behaviour and consumption, and reflects broader processes of social change. My work has explored media representation, celebrity culture, consumer practices, leisure, and the role of popular culture in constructing understandings of self and society. By applying sociological perspectives to everyday life, I seek to demonstrate how cultural experiences both reflect and shape contemporary social realities.
A second strand of my research focuses on graduate employability, student engagement and transitions into work. Over the past decade, I have examined how students engage with career development, employability initiatives and university support systems, with a particular interest in belonging, confidence and graduate outcomes. This research has informed the development of evidence-based employability strategies and practices within higher education.
Looking ahead, I am interested in further exploring the relationship between popular culture, identity formation and digital life, particularly in relation to emerging media environments and changing patterns of participation and consumption. I also aim to extend research on student success and employability by investigating innovative approaches that enhance engagement, inclusion and successful transitions from higher education into meaningful employment.
Key funded projects
How effective is the University of Greenwich at supporting care-experienced undergraduates on their journey towards graduate level careers? What more could be done? UG Hub funded, £4000. Recommendations being discussed with Greenwich in 2026.
Recent publications
Article
Morris, Craig and , (2022), Negotiating ambiguous substance use: UK newspaper representations of self-prescribing medicinal cannabis use in the 1990s. SAGE. In: , , , . SAGE, Journal of Drug Issues, 53 (1) . pp. 129-144 ISSN: 0022-0426 (Print), 1945-1369 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/00220426221090177).
Morris, Craig and , Memari, Laura (2022), Is there a largely consistent discourse on drugs in the UK press? Tabloid or broadsheet, left-leaning or right, does it make much difference?. School of Criminal Justice, State University Of New York at Albany. In: , , , . School of Criminal Justice, State University Of New York at Albany, Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 22 (1) . pp. 92-108 ISSN: 1070-8286 (Print), (doi: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b0ee82df793927c77add8b6/t/626d6489e835b02a5f071723/1651336330183/Morris+Drugs+in+the+UK+Press+Final+Proof.pdf) NB Item availability restricted.